When Javier Calderon played his solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall, The New York Times called him “…a virtuoso with poetic sensibility.” Since then many composers, including the eminent American Alan Hovhaness and Lawrence Weiner, have been writing and dedicating guitar concertos and solo pieces to Calderon. At age 17 Javier Calderon thrilled the audience of his native city of La Paz, Bolivia the evening he played with the Bolivian National Symphony Orchestra. Then he was invited to the Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont. Soon after, Andres Segovia awarded the young guitarist a scholarship to study under his tutelage in Spain. Calderon, who is also an accomplished cellist, studied interpretation with Janos Starker.

Javier Calderon now tours extensively in the United States, Europe, South America and the Far East. He appears regularly as concert soloist with orchestras including the St. Louis and Atlanta symphonies and the Minnesota Orchestra and in solo recitals throughout the world. Javier Calderon has performed chamber music concerts with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and has been featured at numerous international music festivals.

Eloquent interpretations and the ability to draw a fascinating variety of sounds from the guitar characterize Calderon’s unique style. Audiences in New York’s Carnegie Hall, and in Madrid, Buenos Aires, Taipei, Bonn, Mexico City, and Seoul have been spellbound by his flawless technique and moved by his sensitivity and musicianship. The Tages Anzeiger of Zurich described Javier Calderon as “an exceptional artist of the guitar.” The critic of the Great China Evening News wrote “I was moved to tears by Calderon’s performance.”

His concerts have been broadcast by PBS in the United States, Radio Television Espanola in Europe and by the Voice of America in Latin America. Professor Calderon founded and heads the UW-Madison guitar program.