Francisco José Montero Martinez
Curriculum:
Patxi Montero was born in Pamplona (Navarra) and began studying the double bass and viola da gamba at the Pablo Sarasate conservatory of his home town. In 1994 he moved to Vienna where he studied viola da gamba with José Vazquez at the Hochschule, and violone with Andrew Ackerman at the Konservatorium. He received a scholarship from the Navarra Ministry of Culture for three years and another scholarship from the Spanish Ministres of Culture to continue his studies, receiving his diploma with distinction (cum laude). Patxi went on to continue his viola da gamba studies in Italy, first with Alberto Rasi, and then with Roberto Gini at the Parma Conservatory. He has since performed as a viol and violone player with the Wiener Singerknaben, Wien Barock, La Cappella della Pietà dei Turchini, Accademia strumentale italiana, Al Ayre Español, I Barocchisti, Ensemble Concerto, Zefiro, Concerto Italiano, Il Giardino Armonico, La Risonanza and Europa Galante, appearing in numerous prestigious festivals thoughout Europe, in Israel, Egypt, Japan, Turkey, South America, the United States and Canada, under conductors René Clemencic, Antonio Florio, Bart Kuijken, Paul Goodwin, Eduardo Lopez-Banzo, Diego Fasolis, Alfredo Bernardini, Roberto Gini, Rinaldo Alessandrini, Fabio Bonizzoni, Giovanni Antonini and Fabio Biondi. Patxi Montero has recorded Bach's Gambe Sonaten for Brilliant, as well as another recordings for several labels including EMI-Virgin, Astrée, Opus 111, Stradivarius, and Dynamic, and is currently the principal viol and violone player of Europa Galante. As a chamber player he has worked with such internationally renowned soloists as Jaap ter Linden, Frank Theuns, Arthur Schoonderwoerd, Marc Hantai, Alfredo Bernardini, Kenneth Weiss and Bruce Dickey. He has played in duo with Wielan Kuijken, Juan Manuel Quintana, Guido Balestracci and Roberto Gini.His on-going research has led him to be one of the rare performers of the Baryton and the Lirone. After teaching violone and chamber music for ten years at the Vienna Conservatory (MUK, Austria), now he is Professor for viola da gamba at the A. Boito Conservatory in Parma (Italy).