Spanish guitarist José Manuel Dapena made his Carnegie Hall debut in 2008. He has a wide international experience. His repertoire is particularly diverse, ranging from transcriptions of Bach and other earlier composers to contemporary works. Since José Manuel Dapena first began studying the classical guitar he took classes in Spain with David Russell who had a great influence on his conception of the instrument and wrote: “He is an excellent player with a strong warm tone, agile technique and is able to bring magic to the musical phrases.” Dapena also studied under Manuel Barrueco at the Peabody Conservatory in summer classes in Baltimore, Maryland.

The support act was played by the young and talented guitarist Sara Rütten. After one of her first guitar lessons she was given the assignment to find the most beautiful note on the guitar. She has never stopped looking since then. After eight years of lessons with Peter Thissen at the Centre for the Arts Eindhoven, one year with Frank Lamm and another year of lessons Lex Eisenhardt at the Sweelinck Academy of the Conservatorium van Amsterdam she started her bachelor classical guitar in Amsterdam in 2017. Rütten took lessons from Johannes Möller in her first year and from the second year onwards under Gabriel Bianco. Currently she is preparing for her final bachelor exam. In the summer of 2019 she won the third prize in the youth category of the Concurso José Tomás Villa de Petrer in Spain.