BIOGRAPHY
Robert "Berto" Boyd is Santa Barbara's premiere Flamenco guitarist. A rigorous musician and careful researcher, Berto has studied and performed in Spain and the United States with some of the world's finest Flamenco artists and is recognized as one of the top music professionals in the private event industry. Born into a family of artists, which includes famed lead singer Brandon Boyd of the multi-platinum band Incubus, he has performed for many well-known corporate clients and celebrities.
CORPORATE CLIENTS:
American Express, AOL, Blue Cross, BMW, Bank of America, Bailey Banks & Biddle, Big Speak Inc, Brooks Institute, Chevrolet, Clearwater Centre Condos, Corridan & Co., Direct Relief Int., Dreamworks, Deckers Outdoor, I.D.O. Events Inc, Firestone Walker, Home & Garden, Martin & Weyrich, Morgan Stanley, Montecito Property Company, MGM Grand Las Vegas, Palms Imaging, Sony, State Farm, Tepper Incentive & Meeting Services, The Branding Farm, Wells Fargo, and World Savings.
CELEBRITIES:
Barbara Streisand, Diane Lane and Josh Brolin, Ted Danson, Oprah Winfrey, Peter Gallagher, Marisa Tomei and Kate Beckingsale, Katie Holmes and Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Baldwin, Brooke Shields, Pink, Steve-O, Matt LeBlanc, Alanis Morissette, Fairuza Balk, Dennis Miller, Hillary Swank, Troy Aikman, George Thorougood, Michael Keaton, and Tim Allen.
RECENT CONCERT EXPERIENCE:
In 2009, the Buenaventura Guitar Duo premiered their duo in concert at the Ventura College Theater on October 16th.In August 09', Berto was commissioned to compose the opening ceremony music for this year's Spirit of Fiesta at "Old Spanish Days" in Santa Barbara, California. The debut of the Guajira "Soniquete de mi Corazon" was held at the Santa Barbara Mission on Wednesday, August 5th, 6:00 p.m., in front of a live audience of 200,000 people. Additional compositions will be performed by dancer Daniela Zermeño and her company Fuego Gitano at the Sunken Gardens - Santa Barbara Courthouse on August 6th, 7th and 8th, 2009.
In 2008, BertoFlamenco y Ritmo Gitano were invited by PCPA Theaterfest to be the headline entertainment for "An Evening of Guitar" at the Marian Theater in Santa Maria, California. Later in 2008, Berto was invited to share the concert stage with his first Classical guitar teacher, Maestro Carlos Gonzales for the Santa Clarita Symphony. This prompted the start of the Buenaventura Guitar Duo.
In 2006-2007, he premiered the two Flamenco music & dance productions "Flamenco en Concierto," and "Tarde Flamenca" at both the Unitarian Society in Santa Barbara and the infamous "Fountain Theater" in Hollywood.
In July 2006, Berto was invited to share the stage and musical direction for the production "Calle Flamenca" with Spanish Maestro Jose Luis Rodriguez and Bailes Ferrer in the annual festival "Flamenco in the Sun" in Miami. During his residency in Miami, he taught master classes and workshops at Miami Dade's "Broward Center for the Fine Arts." In October, he was the musical director/guitarist for dancer Carmen de Torres direct from Sevilla in concert at UCSB entitled "An Evening with Carmen de Torres", which also premiered at the Santa Barbara Festival of Art.
In 2004-2005, he premiered the three productions "Alma Flamenco," "Berto y Flamenco Vivo," and "Arte y Pasion" at the Center Stage Theater and the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara. In August, he wrote and performed music for the Flamenco music & dance production "The Painting Comes to Life" by the Profant Foundation for the Arts.
From 2000-2005, Berto was the guitarist & musical director for Linda Vega's dance company "Danzas de España", and from 2004-2009 he served as guitarist & musical director for the Zermeño Family's "Fuego Gitano."
In 2003, he was invited as the featured solo artist of the 7th annual world concert series in Mendocino, California. From 2000-2003,he toured with Celtic/Classical artist and Celeste Ray her group "Celtic Legend Band" throughout Arizona and California. Additionally in 2003, Berto released his debut album "Esmeralda".
EDUCATION:
Berto's unique musical education started at age 5 on the piano. After 2 years of formal piano instruction, his teacher realized that he had been playing solely by ear and had fooled everyone thinking that he could read music. He had already played in several recitals and was learning Beethoven, Scott Joplin, etc.. His piano teacher told his mother that he had the tremendous gift of perfect pitch. At age 10, Berto made the transition from piano to guitar and the love affair had begun. Throughout his teens, Berto played in many bands ranging from Rock, to Funk, Blues, Jazz, Metal, and Jam Bands until he found his true love, The Classical Spanish Guitar. He studied music formally at Ventura College under the guidance of Maestros Carlos Gonzales and Matthew Grief (Los Angeles Guitar Quartet) for 3 years. After his first debut recital on the Classical Guitar at age 20, it became apparent to his teachers that Classical music was going to stifle his creativity and passion for the guitar, so they recommended he begin studying Flamenco. Before he knew what real Flamenco was, he was already incorporating some of the advanced techniques that Flamenco players utilize to create their "Soniquete". After about 6 months of trying to find a decent Flamenco guitarist to study with, Berto was off to Spain to attend "Arte Danza y Curso Flamenco en Sanlucar de Barrameda" with the famous guitarist virtuoso and recording artist Gerardo Nuñez This experience completely transformed Berto's life. Upon his return to the U.S., with his newfound "European education", he immediately sought out dancers and singers to begin performing traditional Flamenco music and dance. Within the span of 6 short years of rigorous study, rehearsal, and performance, Berto had finally made it to the concert stage.
In 2003, Berto met his life-long friend and mentor- virtuoso Guitarist & Composer from Huelva España Jose Luis Rodriguez (musical director for the "Ballet de Cristina Hoyos" for 10 years) in Mendocino, CA.
In the United States, Berto has attended and participated in master classes with Pepe Romero, Manuel Barrueco, Christopher Parkening, Juan Manuel Cañizares, Paco Jarana (musical director for Eva La Yerbabuena), Gaspar Rodriguez (musical director for the National Ballet of Spain), and Rafael Montilla (guitarist with the company of Paco Peña. He has also studied Music Theory and Analysis formally at Ventura College with Dr. Burns Taft, Composition with Miguel de Aguila and Robert Lawson, Classical Guitar with Carlos Gonzales, Matthew Grief Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Brazillian Jazz with Chris Judge (Gille Apap & The Transylvanian Mountain Boys), Jazz Guitar with John Payne, Classical Guitar with Dmitri Diatchenko, Carlos Gonzales, and James Edwards.
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SB Flamenco Guitarist
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