Luis Sanz

Born on August 2, 1994 in Bayamon, Puerto Rico, Luis Sanz began playing the Puerto Rican cuatro at the age of four. His instructor at the time, Francisco “Frankie” Rivera, taught Luis seises, aguilnados, and songs from the composer, Felipe Rosario Goyco known as “Don Felo”, and the master cuatro musician, Ladislao “Ladí” Martinez Otero. As a young boy, Luis displayed a great interest in the folkloric music of Puerto Rico and a talent for performing this music on the cuatro. Throughout his formative years he garnered much recognition, recording his first album, Un legado para la historia, at the age of nine. That same year, Luis was selected by audition to participate as a soloist in the Concerts of the Symphony Orchestra of Puerto Rico by Maestro Roselin Pabon. In addition, in 2005, the Puerto Rican House of Representatives gave him special recognition for his dedication to conserving Puerto Rican folkloric music, and for his talent and success.

In 2006, Luis and his sister Lisvette founded the group Los Hermanos Sanz. Together, they have given performances and workshops in France, Spain, Corsica, Cuba and the United States. Luis won an award in 2010, in the competition of young cuatristas of the Puerto Rican Cultural Institute. His first compositions were in the genre of mazurca and danza, both of which were included on his second album, Marcando la Historia. In 2014 he produced his third album Ponte en Pie. The songs included on that compact disc were all composed or arranged by Luis. One of the songs, “Ponte en Pie,” is a plena, which he later arranged and orchestrated for performances by the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra and the Philharmonic Orchestra Arturo Somohano.

Luis’ creative development and talent in improvisation brought him to arranging and composing works for symphony, bands and other groups. He entered the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, where he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition under the tutelage of Professor Alfonso Fuentes. He won first place in a competition, sponsored by Glade for young composers at the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, for his composition, Vuela con Glade. In April 2015, his composition Fantasia para Cuatro y Orquestra, was performed by the Symphony Orchestra of the Conservatory of Music, directed by Roselín Pabon. He received his first commission from APAOS, for a symphonic band work, Emociones del Caribe. It was premiered in May 2015 at El Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferre. At the same time, with a granted scholarship, he also completed a Bachelor Degree at Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico with an emphasis in the area of Popular Music and a minor in Education.