Born in
Bigastro,
Alicante, he started playing instruments in his hometown's band at the age of seven. Later, he went on to compose more than 700 pieces and since 12 October 1997, he was the official arranger of the
Spanish National Anthem (previously
Marcha Granadera). He was also a member of the
Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in
Madrid, the
Real Academia de la Virgen de la Arrixaca in
Murcia and the
Academia de San Carlos in
Valencia. From 1988 to 2019, he was the director of music for the Spanish Royal Guard and the Director of the Spanish Military Academy of Music since its creation. From 1988 – 2008, he was also director of the
Musical Unit of the Spanish Royal Guard. In January 2008, Grau became the first
General of Music in the
Spanish Armed Forces, having been made a
colonel some years previously. He died on 21 July 2019 in
Albacete, aged 72. ==References==