Xavier
Díaz-Latorre

Instruments
Vihuela, Guitar, Lute, Theorbo 

Roots
I was born and raised in Barcelona.

Education 

I began my musical training in Terrassa (Bcn), my home town, at the conservatory. After a short stay at other conservatories in Barcelona and Badalona, I started my soloist diploma for classical guitar in Basel with Oscar Ghiglia. After graduating from the Music Academy in Basel in 1993, I began my studies with Hopkinson Smith at the SCB, where I completed a postgraduate programme.

Occupation
I have been teaching in Barcelona for 23 years and in Brussels for 7 years. I now also enjoy teaching very talented young musicians at the Schola Cantorum Basiliensis. At the same time, I perform as a soloist and in chamber music ensembles such as Hespèrion XXI (conducted by Jordi Savall) and my own ensemble Laberintos Ingeniosos.

Why
My two lifelong vocations have always been to share the music I love with the public through concerts and recordings and to pass on what I know through teaching. I can’t think of a better profession for this.

Hobbies
One of my passions when I’m not making music is kyudo, Japanese archery. It came into my life a few years ago and helps me to get to know myself better. Of course, I also like reading and the cinema. Unfortunately, I still have to learn to make more time for these activities.

Something else?
Question: If you know that you should spend more time for yourself and take better care of yourself, why do you work so much?

Answer: That’s true, but I enjoy what I do so much that it’s often hard to say no. I find it hard to stop when I’m doing something I love.

www.xavierdiazlatorre.com