Born in
Havana,
Cuba, Tamayo began studying the guitar with his father when he was five. He made his television debut at the age of nine. In 1995,
Sony Music Entertainment and
Sony Classical of
Mexico enabled Tamayo to come to the United States. He received a full scholarship for advanced studies at The
Peabody Conservatory with world-renowned guitarist
Manuel Barrueco. In Cuba, Tamayo studied with world-renowned composer and guitarist
Leo Brouwer and Antonio Alberto Rodriguez. Since he arrived in the United States, Tamayo performed in numerous concert series and with orchestras in the United States and abroad. In September 1999, he made his
Carnegie Hall debut with a sold-out performance. Past engagements at guitar festivals include appearances at the Fourth International Guitar Festival in
Cuernavaca, Mexico, the Sixth International Guitar Festival in
Long Island,
New York, the "Classical Guitarists of the World" concert series in
Fullerton,
California and the Connecticut Guitar Summer Workshop. He has also given solo recitals at the
Kennedy Center as well as for the classical guitar societies of
Baltimore,
Miami,
Reno, Cheyenne, and
Northern Colorado, among others. His album "The Cuban Guitarist," released in 2005 features two world premier recordings: The Havana Suite by Cuban composer
Aldo Rodriguez, and Five Inspirations composed by Tamayo himself. The "Classical Persuasions" album was released in September 2006. On this album, Tamayo features works by Borges, Canonigos,
Lauro,
Weiss,
Sor, Brouwer,
Albeniz,
Rodrigo, and
Tarrega. His album "Artistico" was released on December 2, 2007. Tamayo is a recipient of career development grants from the Maryland State Arts Council, the
New York Foundation for the Arts, and the Bossak/Heilbron Foundation. He has been sponsored in the past by The
Bacardi Foundation, Del Mar Foundation, and La Bella Strings. He has performed and recorded with guitars made by Thomas Humphrey, David Daily, and Stephan Connor. In 1997 Tamayo was appointed Chairman of the guitar department at
The Pennsylvania Academy of Music in
Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His students have been accepted into music schools such as the Peabody Conservatory in
Baltimore,
Maryland, and
Indiana University. Ernesto Tamayo died on 17 October 2014 after a year-long battle with brain cancer. ==Discography ==