As an international performer and recording artist, Perfecto De Castro brings together old and new, East and West, as does no other musician and certainly no other 10-string classical guitarist. Hailed as one of the best guitarists of the Philippines by fans and critics alike, De Castro has been called to share his bold style on the world stage, combining technical mastery akin to the Spanish guitar masters with the esotericism of the Orient. A professional performer for over 20 years, De Castro has conquered the rock and pop music scenes for SONY Music Philippines, producing and performing on platinum-selling recordings and delivering explosive performances before throngs of screaming fans. But he has since returned to his first love: the Classical Guitar. De Castro has devoted himself to the laudarra, or 10-string classical guitar. This instrument, preferred by masters like the late Narciso Yepes, offers a colorful sonority and a wider musical range than a 6-string classical guitar. The 10-string guitar’s expanded musical range allows a true master to inject emotion, life and power into each piece of music, leaving audiences deeply moved. Masters like Django Reinhardt , Luiz Bonfa, and their groundbreaking sounds, spring from areas where cultures meet, and the Philippines serves as a similar melting pot with its blend of Spanish and Polynesian heritage, At the core of De Castro’s repertoire lies the rich and appealing blend of Eastern and Western musical influences ... from the simplistic beauty of indigenous ethnic melodies and challenging rhythms of Folk dances to Spanish-flavored art songs and contemporary fusion of these diverse elements. De Castro combines the traditional fare of the 10-string classical guitarist with compositions from all over the world, expanding the repertoire of the classical guitarists just as did Andrés Torres Segovia, while simultaneously bridging the gap that Segovia perceived between the classical and folk worlds. To date, De Castro has received new works from Spain, the UK, Italy, the USA and the Philippines; most of which are dedicated to him. De Castro is currently based near Los Angeles, CA. Aside from his concert schedule, he maintains a roster of more than 40 private students. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.