zaira
meneses

Zaira Meneses is among the most exciting performers on the international classical guitar circuit. Her musicality and charisma have delighted audiences on four continents.

Zaira Meneses was born in Xalapa, Mexico. From an early age, she showed great talent for music, studying both classical guitar and voice. She traveled widely, performing as well with the famed Orquesta de Guitarras under the direction of its founder, Alfonso Moreno.

At the age of 17 and as the youngest contestant, she won first prize in the international guitar concerto competition in the Mexican guitar mecca of Parch Michoacan. This success led to performances of Joaquin Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez and Concierto Madrigal for two guitars throughout Mexico.

Since moving to the USA in 2001, Meneses has built a stellar reputation for her warm sound, limpid technique, and superb natural musicality, performing in many of the great concert halls of the world, including Boston’s Jordan Hall, New York City’s Alice Tully Hall, 92nd St. YHMA and Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Pick – Staiger Auditorium and in Salzburg’s Wiener Saal.

An unusual aspect of her work in chamber music have been collaborations with eminent pianists such as Jon Kimura Parker and Virginia Eskin, with whom she has often appeared in lecture-recital format. Meneses has served as artist-in-residence at prestigious universities throughout the United States including a long-term association with Syracuse University’s innovative “Say Yes!” outreach program.

Zaira Meneses is Director of Community Outreach and Student Affairs for Boston Guitar Fest and Artistic Director of the new cross-disciplinary cultural initiative, Guitar and Friends, for which she was awarded a special grant by the Albert Augustine Foundation. In both of these positions, she continues to enliven the cultural life of the city of Boston while maintaining a demanding touring schedule in the Americas, Europe, and Asia.