Julia Villarroel – an Ecuadorian guitarist shaping an international career

Ecuadorian guitarist Julia Villarroel has built a remarkable international career marked by artistry, scholarship and dedication to her country’s musical heritage. Her performances combine precision, warmth and deep cultural expression, captivating audiences across South America and Europe.

Early career and recognition

Julia began her musical journey at a very young age in Ecuador and has since performed hundreds of concerts as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral soloist. Her artistic activity led to national recognition: in 2016 she was named a Member of the Culture House of Ecuador and was later honored as a Cultural Ambassador by the Ecuadorian Ministry of Culture for her contribution to promoting Ecuadorian music abroad.

Studies and artistic development

She completed her higher education in Spain under Professor Margarita Escarpa, graduating in 2021 with the highest honors. Her thesis, “History of Academic Guitar in Ecuador,” also received top marks and highlighted her commitment to documenting her country’s guitar tradition.

Julia continued her studies at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar, where she studied with Professor Thomas Müller-Pering, completing her master’s degree with distinction. She is now enrolled in the prestigious Konzertexamen program under Professor Ricardo Gallén, focusing on refining her artistic and interpretative approach.

Projects and scholarships

Julia’s dedication has been supported by the Deutschlandstipendium and the Charlotte-Krupp-Stipendium, both awarded annually for exceptional artistic achievement. Her recent project, Salgado en seis cuerdas, an album featuring transcriptions of Ecuadorian music by composer Luis H. Salgado, received funding from the Neue Liszt Stiftung. The album and accompanying scores were later published in Spain, marking an important contribution to Latin American classical guitar repertoire.

With her combination of artistic maturity and cultural vision, Julia Villarroel continues to represent Ecuador’s musical identity on the international stage, uniting tradition and innovation in every performance.