Victor Martinez Parada
Chilean-born Victor Martinez Parada is recognised as one of the world's finest Latin-American avant garde guitarists. An accomplished performer, composer and teacher, he has an
extensive list of music in his repertoire, ranging from classical and South American folk to avant-garde. By listening to his fantasies on pop tunes such as Stevie Wonder's
‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’, Daniel Alomia Roble’s ‘El Condor Pasa’, Laura Branigan's ‘Self-Control’ and Harold Arlen's ‘Somewhere Over The Rainbow’ you will understand
not only how music has shaped him but also how he has shaped music. He is a musician’s musician who plays from the heart. After nurturing the musical careers of his family for
many years with the band Martinez Akustica, Victor Martinez Parada has now returned to his roots and is taking his unique talent back on the road as a solo artist. You will
find Victor playing at fine jazz and blues venues across Sydney, opening for and accompanying world renowned musicians in major concert halls and touring the music festival
circuit throughout Australia. When international borders re-open he will once again grace world stages.
‘The Chilean Hendrix’ – Syke on Stage.
Chile and South America
Victor was born in Santiago, Chile in 1947 and began playing guitar at the age of 10 with a guitar bought for him by his father from a fellow factory worker, Adolfo Martinez (no relation)
who played guitar at the local church. Adolfo was Victor’s first teacher. Victor later studied under German Acevedo. In 1966 he continued his studies under Eulogio Davalos at which time he
gave his first complete solo concert at the factory where he worked. From there he went on to study music at the Catholic University of Chile and the National Conservatorium of Music of
Chile where he furthered his studies under world renowned musicians including Abel Carlevaro (Uruguay), Juan Carlos Zorzi (Argentina), Gustavo Becerra, Cirilo Vila, Luis Advis, and Alfonso
Letelier (Chile). Victor presided as Vice President and later President of the Chilean Classical Guitar society and performed extensive tours of Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil from 1966-1989.
Australia
In 1989 Victor moved his family to Australia where he continued his career performing, composing and teaching. During this time he toured throughout Australia, represented Australia at the 2010
Shanghai World Expo, China and toured Japan twelve times including representing Australia at the 2005 Aichi World Expo. With more than 50 years’ experience playing guitar and composing for solo guitar,
small ensembles and full orchestras, Victor continues to astound audiences with his mastery of classical, Latin-American and avant- garde music.
Victor has played with and opened for some great names in music including:
Santana, Gypsy Kings, Ozomatli, Michael Franti (Spearhead), Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunts Band featuring Russell Crowe , Amici, Buena Vista Social Club, Anthony Callea, Robert Randolph
and The Family Band, Richard Clapton, Tania Libertad, The Beach Boys, Lulo Reinhardt, Andy Summers Trio (The Police), Tuck n Patty, Concrete Blonde, King Solomon Burke, Jesse Cook, Angelic Kidjo,
Diana Krall, Blind Boys of Alabama, Human Nature, Machine gun Fellatio, Brian Ferry, Jackson Brown, Jenny Morris, George Benson, Bic Runga, Raúl Malo, Mental as Anything, Wendy Mathews, Jimmy Barnes,
Diesel, Camerata Portena, Deni Hines, Guy Sebastian, Trombone Shortie, Rachel (Chile), Irma Thomas Band, Taj Mahal, The Mick Fleetwood Blues Band, The Residents, Prinnie Stevens and Joan Armatrading.
Victor’s Great Music Teachers.
‘My gratitude to all of these teachers who made who I am today possible.’
My first guitar teacher Adolfo Martinez was an evangelical who at the same time sold me my first guitar.
German Acevedo, who taught me the guitar while serving his customers in his clothing store
Hilda Parra (Folklorist Sister of Violeta Parra, who awarded Victor with a scholarship to study music at the Music Department of the Catholic University of Chile in 1966 as the most outstanding student of the folkloric groups from Santiago, Chile.
Carlos Medel (Professor and Folklorist), who also worked with Hilda Parra and hired Victor in 1967 to tour Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil playing as a soloist on guitar and as a duo with Carlos Medel). International names: Eulogio Davalos, Miguel Angel Cherubito, Antonio Morales, Abel Carlevaro, Ernesto Allende, Juan Carlos Zorzi, Gustavo Becerra, Cirilo Vila, Pablo Cid, Alfonso Letelier, Luis Advis.