Jorge

Peruvian-born guitarist and composer Jorge Caballero is widely recognized as one of the most significant figures in the history of the instrument. He holds the distinction of being the youngest musician and the only guitarist to ever win the Naumburg International Competition Award, a prize often compared to the Pulitzer Prize for musicians. His accolades also include top prizes at the Tokyo International Guitar Competition, the Luis Sigall Competition, and the Alhambra Guitar Competition. Described by the New York Times as a “masterly guitarist” with “chameleonic timbres,” Caballero is celebrated for his dazzling virtuosity and intense musicality. He has performed as a soloist with prestigious ensembles including the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New York Chamber Symphony, and the Naples Philharmonic. His recital career has taken him to world-class venues such as New York’s Alice Tully Hall, the Library of Congress, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Born into a musical family in Lima, Caballero began his formal studies at age ten with Eleodoro Mori at the Lima National Conservatory and later studied with Oscar Zamora. He eventually moved to the United States to attend the Manhattan School of Music. His expansive repertoire ranges from Renaissance vihuela works to modern compositions by Elliott Carter, Luciano Berio, and Brian Ferneyhough. He is particularly renowned for his virtuosic transcriptions of complex orchestral and piano works, such as Mussorgsky’s 'Pictures at an Exhibition,' Dvorak’s 'New World Symphony,' and Alban Berg’s 'Piano Sonata Op. 1.' Currently, he serves on the music faculty at the University of Toronto and continues to tour internationally as a concert artist.