Skip to Content Skip to Navigation

Roberto Capocchi, guitarist: Bios & Repertoire

Roberto Capocchi - Guitarist

Guitarist Roberto Capocchi has performed to critical acclaim throughout the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Canada and Belgium. He often plays and offers workshops at festivals in North and South America, such as the Society of Composers Inc., Santa Fe New Music, Guitar Northwest, Haydn Festival International, Souza Lima Festival, Santa Fe Opera, Taos Chamber Music Group, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival - Music in Our Schools, Serenata of Santa Fe, Peninsula College's Sound of Unity, San Juan College, Seattle University, Millennium Artists, and Violao em Concerto. He has won top prizes in competitions such as the Sholin Memorial, Stevens Guitar Competition, Young Concert Artists, Villa-lobos Competition, Souza Lima Guitar Competition, Aracatuba Festival, Saint Marcelina Chamber Music Competition, and Mozarteum Competition. He has been a semi-finalist at the GFA (Guitar Foundation of America) Solo Guitar Competition, Portland Guitar Festival, and was the only solo guitarist selected for the 1997 Premio Eldorado de Musica. In addition to his solo career, Mr. Capocchi performs regularly with violinist Ellen Chavez de Leitner as Duo Guadalupe. They have released a CD titled Duo Guadalupe: Music for Violin and Guitar, featuring Baroque, Classical and Modern music. Roberto is also featured in the 2009 release of a CD of the music of Ron Strauss, playing the suite "Tangos de Santa Fe" with Carol Redman on flute and Pamela Epple on English horn. He is on the faculty of the College of Santa Fe, in Santa Fe NM, Highlands University, in Las Vegas NM, United World College in Montezuma NM, and at Adams State College in Alamosa CO. He has taught at the University of Arizona, MUSICI, Souza Lima Conservatory, Santa Fe Waldorf High School, Ortiz Middle School through a Grant from the Rebekahs, and Sweeney Elementary though a grant from the Thaw Foundation. His students have won prizes at the Columbus State University Guitar Competition, Souza Lima Competition, Tucson Jazz Society Award, Santa Fe ProMusica Young Concert Artist, and Shaefer Guitar Competition. They also have been awarded scholarships at the Berklee School of Music, North Carolina School for the Arts, University of Arizona Scholarship, Killington Music Festival, New Mexico All State Jazz Band, North Carolina School for the Arts Award. Mr. Capocchi was born in Brazil, where he received music degrees from the Lins de Vasconcelos Conservatory and Carlos Gomes College. From the University of Arizona, he holds a Master of Music Degree in Music Performance, and a doctorate, (D. M. A. - abd) in Performance and Music Theory. His teachers have included Thomas Patterson, Henrique Pinto and Sandra Costa (guitar instructors) Conrado Paulino, Tom Ervin, and Kiko Moura (Jazz and Brazilian Music) and Ricardo Rizek. He has performemed in master-classes and been coached by such notable artists as Sergio Abreu, David Leisner, Alice Artzt, Orlando Fraga, Paulo Porto Alegre, Luis Claudio Ferreira, Sila Godoy, Alexandre Lagoya, Den-min Yeh, Eduardo Meirinhos, Benjamin Verdery, Oscar Gigia, Mario Ulloa, Margarita Escarpa, and Ivan Rijos. Favorable reviews often stress Mr. Capocchi's expressiveness, technical fluency, and engaging stage presence. The guitars he uses are a 1988 Sergio Abreu, from Brazil, and a 1996 Gioachino Giussani, from Italy. Sample Solo Guitar Programs LATIN-AMERICAN MUSIC Some of the liveliest, most evocative and heart-wrenching music ever written in Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela, Argentina and Cuba. Pequena Suite - Radames Gnatalli Natalia - Antonio Lauro Brasileirinho, Lagrima, Dengoso, Sons de Carrilhoes, - Joao Pernambuco Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios - Augustin Barrios El Decameron Negro - Leo Brouwer I - El arpa del guerrero II - La huida de los amante por el valle de los ecos III - Ballade de la doncela enamorada La Catedral - Augustin Barrios I- Preludio - Sudade II - Andante Religioso III - Allegro Solemne

Agua e Vinho, Loro - Egberto Gismonti

Quatro Estaciones Portenas - Astor Piazzolla THE ROMANTIC GUITAR Staples of the classical guitar repertoire chosen for their romantic feel. Plenty of Spanish flavor, too. Grand Ouverture - Mauro Giuliani Fantasia 7 - Fernando Sor Chaconne - J. S. Bach Recuerdos de la Alhambra - Francisco Tarrega Capricho Arabe - F. Tarrega Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios - Augustin Barrios Ballade in B Minor - Johannes Brahms Homage a Tarrega - Joaquin Turina I - Garrotin II - Soleares Zapateado - Regino Sanz de la Maza Asturias, Cadiz, Sevilla - Isaac Albeniz XX CENTURY MASTERS A showcase of the rich variety of XX Century styles. Descriptive, intense, personal, strong and passionate. El Decameron Negro - Leo Brouwer Prelude 3, Etudes 11 and 12 - Heitor Villa Lobos Prelude 4, Etudes 3 and 4 - Heitor Villa Lobos Appalachian Summer - Mathew Dunne Five Bagatelles for Guitar - Sir William Walton Quatro Estaciones Portenas - Astor Piazzolla

Duo Guadalupe - Violin and Guitar

"Violinist Ellen Chavez de Leitner and guitarist Roberto Capocchi come together as Duo Guadalupe to offer a Chamber Music performance of surprising nuance and intense feeling." Ellen Chavez de Leitner and Roberto Capocchi have been performing together since 2000. Their repertoire includes mostly Baroque Sonatas, Classical Sonatas and Serenades, and Romantic Spanish music. Their debut recording "Duo Guadalupe: Music for Violin and Guitar" includes music by Azpiazu, Locatelli, Haendel, Carulli, and Paganini. Ellen Chavez de Leitner has performed with many orchestras, chamber ensembles, and as soloist, balancing her career in music with her vocation as a mother of six children. Ms. Leitner studied at the Conservatory of Vienna, Saint John's College, the University of New Mexico, the College of Santa Fe, and with her most influential mentor, Renata Armani Mencik Skoberne. While in Austria, Ellen was a member of the Albertschweizerhaus Chamber Orchestra, Jeunesse Wien, Huebner’s Kursalon Orchestra, the Innsbruck Symphony Orchestra, and the Graz Philarmonic. In New Mexico, she has played with the Santa Fe Symphony, the Taos Chamber Orchestra and Chorus, and numerous orchestras and chamber ensembles. Ms. Leitner's performances as soloist have included many works written for her by Catalonian composer Father José María Blanch. She has produced a CD of his music, "Canticos de Fe", with the composer playing piano, her daughter Cecilia singing, and herself on violin. Ms. Leitner is also a visual artist, well known as a traditional New Mexican Santera, or painter of religious icons, and her images appear on the covers of her two CD's. Ellen teaches in Santa Fe and has a studio in her home. Sample Programs: CLASSICAL SERENADE Classical duets for violin and guitar Centone di Sonata - Niccolo Paganini Cantabile Gran Ouverture - Mauro Giuliani (solo guitar) Two Serenades - Ferdinando Carulli SPANISH MUSIC Virtuosi performances with popular Iberian spice Romanza Andaluza, Malaguena, Zapateado - Pablo de Sarasate Asturias (Leyenda) - Isaac Albeniz (solo violin) Sevilla - Isaac Albeniz (solo guitar) Siete Canciones Populares - Manuel de Falla Quatro Canciones - Francisco de San Andres BAROQUE MUSIC Four Sonatas for violin and continuo, and solos for violin and guitar Pietro Locatelli (1693-1764) Sonata Secunda (Arr. Robert Brojer) Largo - Allegro - Andante - Presto Georg Friederich Haendel (1685 - 1759) Sonata in A Major (Arr. Erwin Schaller) Andante - Allegro - Adagio - Allegro Georg Philipp Telemann (1681-1767) From Twelve Fantasias for Violin without Bass( Solo violin) N0. 11 Un poco vivace - Soave - Un Poco vivace - Allegro No. 12 Moderato - Vivace - Presto J. S. Bach (1685- 1750) From Solo Violin Partita No. 2, BWV 1004 (Arr. Roberto Capocchi) Ciaccona (Solo guitar) Arcangelo Corelli (1683 - 1713) Sonata Op. 5 No. 11 (Arr. Rudolf Buttman) Preludio (Adagio) - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Gavotta Georg Friederich Haendel (1685 - 1759) Sonata Opus 1 No. 11 (Arr. Allen Krantz) Larghetto - Allegro - Siciliana - Allegro