Javier Olondo, born in Houston, TX, began his musical studies with Rosa Puertas in Barcelona, Spain in 1977. In 1980 he moved to Havana, Cuba where he continued guitar studies at the Conservatory Manuel Saumell. At the age of 13, he debuted as a soloist in Havana’s First International Guitar Festival. In 1988 he graduated top of his class from the Escuela Nacional de Musica and was the recipient of the Titulo de Oro (Golden Title Award). Upon completion of higher level studies in 1991 from Instituto Superior de Arte in Havana, he followed an intense schedule of European concerts and won a scholarship to Hochscule Fur Musik and Darstellende Kunst Monzarteum, in Salzburg, Austria. There he studied guitar under Eliot Fisk, Joaquin Clerch, and harpsichordist Anthony Spiri, earning a Magister in Arts specializing in guitar. Other teachers include: Manuel Barrueco, David Rusell, Flavio Cucci, and Wolfgang Lendle. Olondo belongs to musical ensembles trio Sekwenza, Barcelona Nova Musica , La Renaissance, and duo Cervantes. He is music professor at Cervantes Hispanic School for the Arts, Tulane University, and Concordia University of New Orleans, and teaches at the Escola Professional de Musica Alois Haba in Barcelona, Spain during the summer. In addition to various composers dedicating works to his, he has recorded three critically acclaimed albums and he continues to perform in festivals and concerts throughout Europe and the Americas. On the more relaxed side of his musical career, Javier Olondo, leads the band AsheSon, specializing in Cuban salsa and he dances and teaches salsa. To hear his classical sound, visit: http://www.myspace.com/javierolondomusic. To watch him social dancing, visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LECUwJaomVE.