About

Read more at https://www.xavierjara.com/

Xavier Jara is an American guitarist of international acclaim. In 2016, he won the coveted First Prize of the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition, awarding him a 60-concert tour which spanned North and Central America, and included a concert at Carnegie Hall. 

Xavier studied with Alan Johnston in Minneapolis until 2011, when he moved to Paris. There he studied with Judicaël Perroy and completed his Bachelor’s at CNSMdP, where he studied with Olivier Chassain and Eric Bellocq.  

He won international competitions such as: Viseu, Boston Guitarfest, Gargnano, Ciudad de Coria, and Tokyo. In 2016, Xavier returned to the US to win GFA’s Grand Prize.

In 2020, Xavier earned his Master’s at San Francisco Conservatory. A teacher as well, he was Adjunct Professor at CSU Fullerton and taught the Spring 2022 semester at University of Louisville. He still performs around the world, with recent tours in Europe and Asia.

Music

I play Latin American Classical-era music, the Renaissance music of John Dowland, contemporary gems and anything in between.

My current repertoire includes: Ponce, Barrios, Takemitsu, Gubaidulina, Dowland, Villa-Lobos, Frank Martin, Bach, Bogdanovic, Rodrigo, among others.

Young Mexican composer Arturo Martínez Zanabria recently dedicated a piece to me which I have been playing on some of my programs as well.

Videos