The German-Argentine guitarist Ricardo Havenstein was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1964 and began his studies of guitar at the age of 12. At 15 he had his debut as soloist on the main stage of the Libertador Theater in Córdoba. In 1982 he moved to Germany to enter the Master Class under Eliot Fisk at the School of Music of the University of Cologne, graduating in 1988 with distinction. He settled in Munich and began an intensive artistic activity throughout Europe, playing in concerts as a soloist, in chamber music and with orchestra, as well as recording for radio and television.
He performed at renowned concert halls such as the Beethovenhalle in Bonn, the Academy of Arts in Berlin and the Gasteig in Munich. His concert tours also took him to Spain, Hungary, Italy, Austria, Denmark and the USA. Ricardo Havenstein recorded part of his vast repertoire in over 10 CDs as a soloist and with chamber orchestra, with music covering all eras and styles, from Renaissance to Tango, from Spanish to Baroque, and from Latin America to Europe.
In 2000 Havenstein moved to Argentina with his family, where he lived on his horse ranch, enjoying family life and a time-out from his concert activities, sporadically traveling to Europe and the U.S. to perform, teach and record new albums.
Since 2023 he has been living in Granada, Spain, where he increasingly leans toward teaching and recording, which is, in his own words, the only way he can imagine an artistically profound and fulfilled life with music.
"I have greatly enjoyed Ricardo Havenstein's recordings, which extend the repertoire of the guitar in daring and interesting ways. They are the work of a natural born musician possessed of impeccable technique and great musical intelligence. I particularly admire his delineation of complex contrapuntal structures, so hard to do on the guitar, but in his hands seemingly effortless. I am proud to have guided him for a few years at the beginning of his career (although his subsequent development is a tribute only to his own great talent and sincere love of music!). I wish Ricardo Havenstein the great continued success he so richly deserves."
ELIOT FISK | Boston, USA, January 28, 2005
