Luis Manuel Molina

Luis Manuel Molina de Varona (born February 25, 1959) is a Cuban musician, concert guitarist, composer, arranger, musical director, broadcaster and radio producer.
Biography.
Luis Manuel Molina was born in Havana, Cuba, on February 25, 1959. He studied the average level in the Amadeo Roldan Conservatory with Professor Flores Chaviano, and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree, specializing in guitar at the Instituto Superior de Arte (ISA) in Havana with professors Carlos Molina (Molina's brother), Isaac Nicola and Jesus Ortega. Molina received master classes from important figures such as Leo Brouwer, Alirio Díaz, Ichiro Suzuki, Costas Cotsiolis, Manolo Sanlúcar and Monica Rost.
Compositions.
Incidental music.
His works have been published in the Editorial Alpuerto of Madrid, Spain and Nogatz Verlag Hubertus Editorial Düsseldorf, Germany.
Activities as guitarist and composer.
He participated as musical arranger and performer in the Holy Mass celebrated in Havana on the visit of Pope John Paul II (1998) and again played similar roles in the Mass celebrated in the capital by Pope Benedict XVI (2012). He directs, writes and conducts two specialized radio programs in music, Radio Musical Nacional CMBF. These programs are: "Early Music" and "Friends of the Guitar". He also directs and writes the musicians section in Time on the same station. He is co-author of "The Beatles in Cuba", Havana (February 1998).
He has published numerous articles in journals such as the Journal of country "WAVE" Marti Studies Center. "Write" (weekly) the notes to the programs of the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba. In April 1993 his "Divertimento" was performed by the Guitar Orchestra of the Conservatory of Shenandoah (Virginia), USA. His "Symphony of Gilgamesh" was released in Cuba at the Teatro Amadeo Roldán for Guitar Orchestra Rheine (Germany) and the Habanera Sonantas Orchestra (July 26, 2009). Also Rheine Guitar Orchestra of Germany has included in his album "Live" Fancy composition for the Lady of the Lake Bullensee.
He participated in the Festival of Contemporary Music Havana (in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010). Performing as a soloist at festivals XXI, XXI and XXIII of The Footprint of Spain starred in the 60th Anniversary Gala for the Foundation of the National Ballet of Cuba (Teatro Amadeo Roldan, October 2008). He performed in the Gala for the 50th Anniversary of UNEAC Foundation in the presence of the President of the Republic of Cuba, Raúl Castro Ruz, and prominent personalities of the National Culture. I act in the Gala for the 25th Anniversary of the Foundation of the Spanish Ballet of Havana. He did the art direction and participated as a performer in the concert "From Me to You", dedicated to Sir George Martin, in which Molina released his solo guitar composition "Sgt Pepper's Fancy", written especially for the occasion and dedicated to Martin (Havana, November 2002). With his group Magical Beat, he participated in music festivals held in the Beatles Sandals Royal Hicacos Hotel (Varadero, Matanzas) in 2011 and 2012 as a session musician, participated in the recordings of the albums "Expedition" by Cuban singer-songwriter Silvio Rodríguez, and "Songs of Good Love" by José María Vitier. The Glauber Rocha room International School of Film and Television, in San Antonio de los Baños (Cuba), has served as the setting for several of his concerts as a classical guitarist.
Tours and events.
Molina has participated in diverse events in Cuba and abroad obtaining several recognitions:
Distinctions.
He holds the title of Academician of the National Tango Academy of Argentina chaired by Horacio Ferrer, author of the texts of the songs of Astor Piazzolla. In 2000 Molina played in the inauguration of the statue of John Lennon in the park of the same name in Vedado, in the presence of the Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz. He earned the distinction by the National Culture granted by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Cuba in 2002. It was included in the "Encyclopedic Dictionary of Music in Cuba" the Cuban musicologist as Radames Giro annual research award 2002 and "Guitarists Encyclopedia", Francisco Herrera Spanish musicologist. Acquired medal commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba and the Cuban Radio Microphone in 2010. In 2012 Condition was awarded the Artist of Merit (awarded by the ICRT in Cuba).
Present time.
He writes (weekly) program notes of the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba. Directs, for 15 years with master clarinetist Vincent Monterrey, Duo Chalice. He directs, writes and conducts two specialized radio programs in music, Radio Musical Nacional CMBF. These programs are: Early Music and Friends of the Guitar. He also directs and writes the Musicians section in the same emisora Time.