A Spanish Guitar Homage to Joaquín Rodrigo

Rafael Vivanco, guitar, Tami Sikina, piano, and singer Lisa Zane will present a selection of traditional Spanish music.

Luis Rafael Vivanco started playing the guitar at the age of 11 in Peru. He performed regularly at venues in Lima while studying classical guitar with Alonso Acosta Ojeda. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Music degree in classical guitar performance at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and his Masters at Roosevelt University in Chicago. He studied with Denis Azabagic, Michael Strutt, Ray Nurse, and has taken masterclasses with other guitarists such as Eduardo Fernandez, Fabio Zanon, Jason Vieux and Alexander Dunn.

Rafael’s interest in different musical styles and sounds led him to the baroque guitar and the lute. During his university studies he performed at the early music series Collegium Musicum, with the UBC guitar quartet, and later with other ensembles and as a soloist in the USA, Canada, Mexico and Peru. His performances have been broadcast on Chicago’s WFMT radio.

For the last 10 years he was sponsored to teach and perform in the USA by Sherry Brener, the Spanish guitar importer that collaborated with icons such as Andrés Segovia and Christopher Parkening to promote the classical guitar around the world.

Pianist and dedicated music educator, Tami Sikina is an active member of the music community in her Vancouver hometown. While receiving a music degree from the University of British Columbia, she discovered a love for collaborating with fellow musicians. Attending a concert of tango music some years ago sparked an interest in Spanish and Latin American music and so the adventure began. The combination of these two interests led to the creation of the guitar/piano ensemble, Duo Vivanco Sikina. She strives to capture and share the spirit, beauty and freedom of musical expression within her private studio, the classroom and to all audiences.

Actress and singer Lisa Zane has had a 25 year career in film and television (L..A. LAW, ER, Freddy’s Dead the Final Nightmare), and as a cabaret artist has performed all over the world and recorded two cd’s of original material. (Lisa Zane, Val D’Amour). Since moving to Chicago in 2015, she has founded two bands with Rafael Vivanco; The Eccentric Classics Ensemble,  (world music/classical) and the hard rock band Flapunco.