Early this October, we had the honor of hosting this season’s Artist-in-Residence, the legendary Pepe Romero, for his first week-long residency.
Pepe’s presence was nothing short of magical, filled with moments that touched each and every one of us. Whether through his words, his playing, or his teaching, Pepe brought an unmatched depth to his time with us.
Special thanks to atsec information security for their generous support of our Artist in Residence program with Pepe Romero.
The residency was the culmination of months of preparation. Nine exceptionally talented students from our programs worked alongside our teaching artists to refine the music they would perform with Pepe. Then together, they rehearsed in three quartets, with Pepe joining each group as the fourth member. These quartets will perform as part of our highly anticipated season finale in May, GIVE.
ACGYO member, Jianna Zamora, spoke about her experience being part of this project,
“We’ve spent about the past 2 months working with Alex Lew, Tony Mariano, Greg Sonnier, and Teddy McCoy on our music in preparation for Pepe Romero’s arrival. It has been super fun for me because I love getting to spend time and make music with not only my good friends but also amazing musicians that really inspire me to be my best that I can be.
I am someone that gets nervous when I play solos on stage, so I was expecting some of that to happen when performing in this quartet, but it didn’t! This experience was so much fun and I felt nothing but excitement and anticipation for our performance for Pepe. As soon as we were on the stage, I was just happy that we could share the music we’ve been learning together, and I can only hope that it makes at least one person in the audience feel the way that I do when I play it!
With pepe being the legend that he is, I was nervous to meet him. Of course everyone told me that he was the nicest guy on earth (which I soon found out to be true) but I still was scared that I wouldn’t play my music perfectly. Once we got to rehearse with him, I saw that he truly is such a patient, smart, and kind person. And I’m actually almost glad I messed up a few times because in my eyes the feedback he gave me was worth way more than a compliment.
The best thing about Pepe is how he really feels the music; both when he plays and when he listens. So to see his reaction that was genuine excitement was really meaningful to me. In that moment, all the work and time we had put into this music finally became a physical, tangible thing. I’ll never forget it.
The first time we had rehearsal with him, he had us all sit with our eyes closed and pluck the low E string, and he encouraged us to feel the vibrations from the guitar. It made me think about how we sometimes take for granted what a beautiful instrument we have, and that the sound it makes is not its only sensory quality. To also feel the sound is to understand the music on a deeper level, and that’s something that has already impacted my daily practice.”
Pepe Romero’s impact went far beyond the technical elements of the music. Another ACGYO and quartet member, Satvik Chawla, shared a particularly powerful moment from rehearsal also,
“The most powerful moment for me was when Pepe reminded us that notes are like bottles; it’s what you put in them, the emotions, the expressions, that make them have substance. When I listened to his playing, both at Monday’s concert and during rehearsals, I couldn’t hear a single note that Pepe didn’t put some sort of feeling into. Everything he played had purpose, and even with slight stumbles, he kept the same musicality of the piece.”
This lesson encapsulated the artistry that Pepe brings to every performance and rehearsal, teaching students to not just play the notes, but to fill them with life and meaning. It’s a reminder that music is as much about emotion as it is about technique.
One parent who observed Pepe during a group lesson reflected on another transformative moment,
“We sat in the balcony Wednesday night for the last twenty minutes or so of the group lesson. This was during Pepe Romero’s demonstration of hand movements and exercises. If you had simply described this moment to me, I might not have been able to grasp how spellbinding it was. Honestly, at a certain point, I think I was starting to feel hypnotized! The lesson itself was very important and powerful at a practical level. Zooming back, you also saw an older man imparting the wisdom of a lifetime-how to nurture and preserve your body to keep doing what you love—to a group of young musicians with decades in front of them. To me, it was the embodiment of what it means to teach, and to learn.”
Pepe’s ability to build profound connections with his students, reminded us all that teaching music is not just about imparting knowledge; it’s about sharing a lifetime of experience, wisdom, and care.
The week concluded with our season benefit concert at the home of Jeff and Gail Kodosky, where Pepe shared the touching story of how his father composed a beautiful tango to propose to his mother. Then Pepe surprised us all by asking our Executive Director, Matt Hinsley, to join him on stage and sing! Their performance was as heartfelt as it was unforgettable, a perfect testament to the friendship and artistry that had grown throughout the week.
Would you like to see it? As a token of our appreciation, we’ll share a link to a video of Pepe and Matt’s special performance with everyone who makes a contribution to ACG from now through the end of the month!
If you’ve already donated, or if now’s not the right time to give but you’d still love to see the performance, simply send the word PEPE to this email and we’ll send you a link.
This week was a transformative experience for everyone involved.
Pepe and his wife Carissa reflected on their experience in Austin, sharing:
“We wanted to thank you, our hosts and your team for a wonderful time in Austin. It makes such a difference to work with people on a certain wavelength and cultivated mindset, and we are truly impressed.”
Jianna reflected on the impact it had on her as a musician,
“I’m just really grateful to have this opportunity to make music with Pepe and all of these amazing guitarists. I’m really proud of the growth I’ve had with ACG, and I’m excited for what’s to come in the rest of this season.”
Pepe’s residency was not only a celebration of music but a celebration of human connection, teaching, and the lifelong pursuit of artistry.
