Lehman Center for the Performing Arts celebrates its 32nd holiday season with the heralded classical guitar quartet – The Romeros – on Sunday, Dec. 16, 2012 at 4:00 p.m.
The Romeros, also known as “The Royal Family of the Guitar,” are continuing their legacy of guitar artistry spanning three gifted generations over 50 years. The quartet will perform with Concerto Málaga, The Spanish String Orchestra, conducted by Massimo Paris.
Lehman Center for the Performing Arts is on the campus of Lehman College/CUNY at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, N.Y. Lehman Center is accessible by #4 or D train to Bedford Park Blvd. and is off the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Major Deegan Expressway. Low-cost on-site parking.
The Romeros quartet originated in Málaga, Spain. There, legendary guitarist, Celedonio Romero, introduced his three sons, Angel, Celin and Pepe, to the beauty of the instrument by the very early ages of two or three. Each son made his public performance debut by age seven. The family emigrated to the U.S. where the father and his then-teenaged sons began performing together professionally as a classical guitar quartet, a configuration seldom heard outside the flamenco genre. On worldwide stages, they attracted attention and acclaim, first for their unique relationship as guitarists, then for their virtuosity. The New York Times noted that “Collectively, they are the only classical guitar quartet of real stature in the world today; in fact, they virtually invented the format.”
Numerous composers, including Joaquin Rodrigo, Frederico Moreno, Morton Gould, Lorenzo Paloma and Francisco de Madena, have been influenced by The Romeros to develop works for guitar quartet with symphony. The diversity and richness of The Romeros repertoire is reflected in a discography that includes An Evening of Flamenco Music: The Romeros, The Royal Family of the Spanish Guitar, Baroque Concertos and Solo Works, Koenige da Gitarr, and the recent release of Christmas with Los Romeros.
The Romeros have made many television appearances, including the Tonight and Today shows and the PBS “Evening at the Boston Pops.” The quartet has been the subject of a KPBS/PBS documentary, “Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar” as well as a German documentary, “Los Romeros: Die Gitarren-Dynastie.” Since the death of Celedonio in 1996, the quartet members are his sons, Celin and Pepe (knighted by Carlos I of Spain), and his grandsons, Celino and Lito. In 2007, the GRAMMY Recording Academy President’s Merit Award was presented to The Romeros in honor of their artistic achievements. Their performances this year are dedicated to founder, teacher, father and grandfather, Celedonio Romero, in honor of the 100th anniversary of his birth.
