Acclaimed by the ABC of Madrid, Iliana Matos made history by becoming the only woman to win the prestigious “S.A.R. La Infanta Doña Cristina” International Guitar Competition, which is organized by the Jacinto Guerrero Foundation.
In 1991 she graduated from the “Instituto de Arte Superior de Cuba”, where she received her degree in guitar performance as well as a special diploma for her artistic-creative work. Arturo Acosta, José Ramírez, Francisco Rodríguez, Francisco Rosa, J. A. Pérez Puente, Rey Guerra, Miguel Bonachea, Jesús Ortega and Gabriel Estarellas have been her guitar teachers and she has also participated in master classes by Leo Brouwer, David Russell, Costas Cotsiolis, Joaquín Clerch, Sharon Isbin, Tania Chagnot, Paolo Paolini, Tomás Müller and Wolfgang Lendle.
Currently she is studing at the Extremadura University with Ricardo Gallem in the 1st Master of Music in Classical Guitar.
Currently she mantains an active concert career. She has been featured as a soloist with the National Orchestra of Cuba, the Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho Orchestra in the National Theatre in Cuba and the Teresa Carreño Theatre in Venezuela. She has also performed with the “Comunidad de Madrid” Orchestra in a concert honoring the composer Anton Garcia Abril. She was also a soloist with the National Do Porto Orchestra at the VIII Ibero-american summit.
In February of 2000 she performed in the “Auditorio Nacional de España” as a soloist with the “Orquesta Clásica de Madeira” in a concert featuring a spanish music program with concerti by Antón García Abril and Tomás Marco obtaining critical acclaim by the public and the press.
Iliana Matos has also participated in important music festivals. Among these are: Festival Antonio Lauro, Festival de Martinique, Festival de Chile, Festival de la Habana, Festival Andrés Segovia, Festival de Hallein, Festival Internacional de Música de El Hatillo, Festival de Música Española de León, Festival Internacional de Verano de Segovia, Norba Caesarina.
Prizes
First Prize. I Vila de L`Olleria Guitar Competition, Valencia, Spain, 2002.
First Prize.X International Guitar Competition “Ciudad de Vélez-Málaga”. España 2002
First Prize. Ex-aequo in the VIII International Guitar Competition in Linares “Andrés Segovia”. Spain, 2001.
First Prize and Special Prize for the Interpretation of Spanish Music at XII “S.A.R. La Infanta Doña Cristina” Guitar Competition. Spain, 1996.
First Prize. XVII Andrés Segovia International Guitar Competition, Palma de Mallorca, Spain, 1995.
First Prize. III Manuel M. Ponce International Guitar Competition D.F. México,1990.
Young Artist Prize in the XI Carrefour Mondail de la Guitare, Martinique, France, 1994.
Public Prize in the XXX Francisco Tárrega Guitar Competition, Benicasim, Spain, 1996.
Third Prize in the IX “Alirio Díaz” International Guitar Competition,Caracas, Venezuela 1994.
Special Prize for the best interpretation of “Descarga” by Ernesto Cordero of the International Guitar Competition of Jalapa, Mexico 1991.
Third Prize and Special Prize for the Interpretation of Cuban Music at the UNEAC, Music Competition in La Habana, Cuba 1987.
Along her concert career Iliana Matos has received numerous compliments and praise here are some remarks:
“Guitar guru: Iliana Matos”. E-Veritas. University of Miami. USA 2006.
“Iliana, my best compliments on a great concert! We could go on listening to your beautifully realizet interpretations of these classics for the whole evening and the lesser known Cuban pieces were a delight! Walter Abs. Guitar Art. 2003
“In both concertos Iliana Matos was a soloist, a cuban guitarist that had sonorous success after performing them with a beautiful and round sound, effortless technique and evident musicality.” ABC García del Busto. Madrid 2000.
“Cuban guitarist Iliana Matos, demonstrated guitar playing of the highest order specially in her interpretation of the very difficult Bach Chaconne where her beautiful diction of the cantabile in the andante section made history.” El Mercantil Valenciano Castellón 1996.
“The great interpretative talent of Iliana Matos”. Diario 16. Spain 1995.
“The concert by the cuban guitarist was impressive.” La Nación, Venezuela 1993.
“She proved her high level as a latin american music performer. Her playing was great.” El Día, México 1992.
“I was pleased to see that the Cuban guitarrist Iliana Matos had won the first prize in the 3rd Manuel Ponce Guitar Competition in Mexico. I thought her performance in the 4th Havana Guitar Festival in 1987 was outstanding, and it was her bat luck to come up against so many other highly talented young players. But talent will out, and I look forward to hearing more of Iliana Matos”. Colin Cooper. Classical Guitar.1990.
“In Cuba,I was much taken whith the powerful and intense style of the 21- year old Iliana Matos,one of the few players to make a success of Pujol`s marking "doloroso" in the Guajira”. Colin Cooper. Classical Guitar.1989
The First Lady of the Guitar, Maria Luisa Anido said the following after hearing her play: “She has left me in awe of her artful guitar playing. It gives me great pride knowing that a woman (and Cuban!) has achieved such a level of artistic perfection.”1995.
Alirio Díaz stated: “Her refined technique was always used to serve a personal musicality. This is what is most impressive in the virtuosity of Iliana Matos. This and other fine qualities have made Iliana Matos an attractive personality in our musical world.” 1992
Iliana Matos has performed repertoire that ranges from all baroque programs to all contemporary music programs. She founded the “Quinteto de la Villa” and has premiered works by Tomas Marco, Zulema de la Cruz, Flores Chaviano, Madais Andino, Eduardo Morales, Ñico Rojas, Flores Chaviano, Ileana Pérez and Eduardo Martín.
Currently she resides in Spain and combines her concert activity with her teaching at Conservatorio Profesional de Música “García Matos” de Plasencia .
