Performance Year: 2024, 2025, 2026
Born in Hermosillo, Sonora, Misael Barraza-Díaz is one of the most outstanding Mexican guitarists of his generation. In 2014, Misael graduated with honors from the Master in Classical Guitar Performance program at the University of Alicante in Spain where he studied with world-class artists such as David Russell, Manuel Barrueco, Ignacio Rodes, Paul O’dette, Hopkinson Smith, Fabio Zanon, Roberto Aussell, and Shin Ichi Fukuda. Later that year, he obtained a second Master’s degree from the University of Arizona, where he now pursues the title of Doctor of Musical Arts under the tutelage of teacher Thomas Patterson, director of the Bolton Guitar Studies program. The Mexican artist has performed as a soloist throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada and Europe. During the summer of 2019, Misael was part of the prestigious European tour organized by EuroStrings, with a cast of artists made up solely of guitarists who had won first place prizes in important competitions in Europe. During this tour, he appeared in Montenegro, Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Italy, Spain, and England.
Misael has received 10 first place prizes in international competitions: the 2020 Ex-Aequo International Classical Guitar Competition (USA), 2020 San Francisco Bay Classical Guitar Competition (USA), 2019 International Guitar Competition in Culiacán (MEX), 2019 Annual Guitar Symposium and Competition (USA), 2018 Wilson Center Guitar Competition (USA), 2018 International Guitar Competition of Finland (FIN), 2018 National Contest for Classical Guitar Performers Advanced Category (MEX), 2017 Domaine Forget Guitar Competition (CAN), 2015 Concurso Internacional de Guitar in Chihuahua (MEX), 2013 Indiana International Guitar Competition (USA), and the 2013 Montreal International Guitar Competition (CAN). Additionally, the artist has won all in house competitions at the University of Arizona, having been awarded twenty-two first prizes throughout his academic career there.
