Joe Ott

Cuban-Spanish guitarist, composer, educator, and cultural promoter; born in Havana. He began his music studies at the age of 7 and completed his bachelor's degree in music with a gold title at the University of the Arts of Cuba, ISA, in 2009.

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He holds a Pre-Doctoral Diploma in Research of Hispanic Musical Heritage (2011) from the University College San Gerónimo de la Habana. Master's in Educational Processes of Arts Teaching (2013) from the University of the Arts of Cuba, ISA. Master's in Classical Guitar Performance from the University of Alicante (2017). Master's in Performance and Research of 20th-century Music from the Oscar Esplá Superior Conservatory of Music in Alicante (2020).

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Ott has engaged in extensive solo and chamber music work, performing concerts in major theaters and concert halls in Cuba as well as at various music festivals across Latin America, Europe, Asia, and Africa.

He has been awarded in several national and international competitions, including:

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• First prize in the Grand Prize Virtuoso Competition in Berlin (2019)

• Second prize and Audience Prize in the FIG of Castalla (2018)

• First prize in the Heitor Villa-Lobos International Music Competition (2016)

• Spiral Eternal Musician Award - Leo Brouwer Chamber Music Festival (2012)

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Since 2004, Ott has been involved in teaching his instrument, serving as a professor for five years at the Amadeo Roldán Conservatory, where he taught guitar subjects, guitar history, guitar teaching methodology, and directed the guitar orchestra. He worked at the National School of Arts of Cuba, as a guitar professor at the San Gregorio University of Portoviejo, and at the Alter Musici Academy of Advanced Musical Studies in Alicante (2020-2021).

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Joe Ott leads the educational project "Guitars Around the World," dedicated to providing free guitar classes and courses in economically disadvantaged communities. This project has benefited hundreds of children and young people from various countries such as Haiti, Angola, Cuba, Ecuador, and Spain.

In 2013, Ott premiered his first composition at the FIG of Monterrey and has since focused on promoting traditional repertoire and new pieces written for guitar, including works from the Renaissance to the 21st century.

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Among his guitar teachers are Alexis Méndez, Martin Pedreira, Joaquín Clerch, Manuel Barruecos, Ignacio Rodes, David Russell, Sergio Assad, and Pepe Romero. He studied composition, harmony, and counterpoint with the Cuban maestro Alfredo Diez Nieto.

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Joe Ott is an artist endorsed by the prestigious guitar brand Alhambra and performs with the model:

Alhambra Vilaplana NTC.

He also plays a historic guitar by luthier Francisco Simplicio from the year 1926.