Javier Contreras - Works for 2 Guitars (Dúo Sudamericano)

Information

Composer: Javier Contreras

• 3 Nacimientos (Version for 2 Guitars)
• CEM, Samba (Version for 2 Guitars)
• Suite Latinoamericana
• Sonata for 2 Guitars
• 3 Piezas Patagónicas
• 3 Atemporías

Dúo Sudamericano

    José Antonio Escobar

    Javier Contreras

Date: 2026

Label: Naxos

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This album presents a compelling collection of recent works for two guitars by Chilean composer and guitarist Javier Contreras, performed alongside renowned guitarist and educator José Antonio Escobar, a formative influence on Contreras’s artistic development. Drawing on a rich blend of South American folk traditions, jazz, and contemporary musical language, the programme highlights the composer’s inventive harmonic style and cosmopolitan outlook. Central to the recording is the Sonata for Two Guitars, inspired by the versatile sirilla dance and balancing introspection with rhythmic vitality and virtuosic brilliance. Throughout the album, Patagonian folk elements, evocative dances, dynamic musical exchanges, and vibrant tonal colours create a sound world of remarkable subtlety, imagination, and energy.

Javier Contreras (b. 1983) is a Chilean guitarist and composer from Patagonia whose work has gained international recognition across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. A finalist and prizewinner in multiple composition and performance competitions, he has appeared as a guest soloist for leading institutions including the Mozarteum Foundation of Salzburg, sharing stages with prominent artists such as Alondra de la Parra, Rolando Villazón, and Xavier de Maistre. His career includes extensive international touring, as well as performances marking major cultural events such as the inauguration of Buenos Aires’ CCK. Contreras has collaborated with ensembles including the Grammy-winning Cuarteto Latinoamericano and has had his works performed by prominent soloists and orchestras worldwide. He is also regularly commissioned by major festivals and institutions, reflecting his growing influence as a contemporary composer.