Jorge Caballero – a master of depth and precision
Peruvian guitarist and composer Jorge Caballero stands among the most accomplished and distinctive artists of his generation. His performances are marked by technical brilliance, musical clarity and a rare sense of expressive balance. Over a career spanning decades, he has earned international recognition for his artistry and dedication to expanding the possibilities of the classical guitar.
Repertoire and artistic voice
Caballero’s musical approach combines analytical precision with poetic sensibility. Critics have praised his ability to interpret complex works with both power and transparency. Beyond the traditional repertoire, he is celebrated for his transcriptions of large-scale orchestral and piano works such as Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, Dvořák’s New World Symphony, Debussy’s Children’s Corner Suite and Berg’s Piano Sonata Op. 1.
The New York Times described him as “a masterly guitarist” with “chameleonic timbres,” while reviewers in Italy referred to him as “standing on top of the repertoire’s Mount Everest.” His playing reveals both the architectural structure and emotional depth of each piece, making him one of the few guitarists capable of bridging virtuosic command and musical introspection.
Career and collaborations
Caballero has appeared as a soloist, chamber musician and recitalist in concert halls around the world, including Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and the Library of Congress. His collaborations include performances with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s and the Presidential Symphony of Turkey. In chamber music, he has worked with the Mendelssohn and Miró String Quartets, soprano Theresa Santiago, and flautists Stefán Ragnar Höskuldsson and Carol Wincenc.
Early years and education
Born in Lima, Peru, Jorge Caballero began guitar lessons at the age of ten at the National Conservatory of Music, studying first with Eleodoro Mori and later with Oscar Zamora. His exceptional talent was recognized early: at twelve he shared First Prize at the Conservatory Competition, at thirteen he earned Second Prize in the Peruvian National Guitar Competition’s adult division, and at fifteen he won a prize at the First Latin American Guitar Competition in Montevideo, Uruguay.
He later received major international awards at the Luis Sigall, Tokyo and Alhambra guitar competitions. At the age of nineteen, he won First Prize at the Walter W. Naumburg International Competition in New York – the first and only guitarist to do so – a distinction often compared to the Pulitzer Prize in music.
Teaching and artistic contribution
Jorge Caballero is currently on the faculty of the University of Toronto in Canada and also teaches at Kean State University in the United States. He holds an honorary professorship at the National University of Music in Lima. Through his teaching, performances and arrangements, he continues to shape the next generation of musicians while expanding the expressive reach of the classical guitar.
