Ivan Garcia and his magical guitar Latin Guitarist from Clearwater, FL

Ivan Garcia Gonzalez, a native of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, was always fascinated with guitar playing since childhood. He was seen playing with a self made guitar like combination of a wooden box attached with a broomstick and two fishing lines tied to the stick and box for strings. Ivan's Mother, Miriam Gonzalez, admiring his passion and devotion for guitar playing, gave him his first toy guitar. She was constantly encouraging him to learn to play and make it his career. It was his Father, Raul Garcia, who gave him his first professional guitar at the age of six, which Ivan used to teach himself to play popular music while he listened to the radio. Influenced by local popular and folkloric performers, as well as American and European Rock & Roll bands, he became a popular musician during his high school years in his hometown, Arecibo. But it wasn't until he experienced the music of the world renowned guitarist Segovia, that he decided to elevate his musical skills, joining La Escuela Libre de Musica in Arecibo, tutored by the renowned guitarist, William Rodriguez Pitre. He completed his education in El Conservatorio de Musica, tutored by Leonardo Egurdiba Alvira. Two renowned and respected teachers and musicians of the institute of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ivan loves to perform all types of music, from folkloric Puerto Rican music to Rock & Roll; however, his specialty is classical music, Spanish Flamenco music and Jazz. His professional experience consists of concerts in the Technology Institute of Arecibo, Puerto Rico, and first prize winner of the National Guitar Competitions of the Cultural Institute of Puerto Rico, in 1980. His musical performance continued with concerts in some of the local civic associations, high schools, universities and hotel conventions in Puerto Rico. He performed in the Department of Treasury of the Government of Puerto Rico as the opening act for the art exposition called, "Vendaval" in their office gallery in San Juan. He also performed at the Judiciary Centers Graphic art exhibition called "Arte en el Pasillo", Bayamon, Puerto Rico. Ivan Garcia continued his music career by joining with the popular Fernando Salasberri, from the proclaimed group Menudo, under the direction of the renowned producer and music writer Edgardo Diaz. Other musical groups he performed with were Salsa Fever, Joe Tavares, Prodigio y su cuatroson El Topo and others from San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ivan's first objective is to create and demonstrate his versatility and diversity of music and style from Hispanic music, classical music, to Jazz.