Biography

Ricardo Gallardo is one of the most acknowledged musicians on the international contemporary scene. For more than four decades he has devoted his life to the interpretation, composition and promotion of new music, through commissions and premieres of numerous scores that have been dedicated to him.

Originally from Mexico City, Ricardo Gallardo studied at the Conservatory of Music and the University of Mexico, The Banff Center of Fine Arts in Canada and The City University, in London, England, where he completed his studies with a Master's Degree.

Throughout his career, Ricardo Gallardo has received awards, grants and numerous recognitions for his musical activity, such as The Fine Arts Medal, granted by the Government of Mexico, The Mozart Gold Medal for Musical Excellence, awarded by the Austrian Embassy and the Domecq Cultural Institute; the Kranichsteinerpreis; distinction awarded by the Darmstadt Internationales Musikinstitut (Germany) to the best performers of contemporary music; The British Council Fellowship in Great Britain, as well as awards for the commission and premiere of works awarded by The Canada Council and The Arts Council of Great Britain. Additionally, he received the Award for Artistic Creation, from UNAM.
Ricardo Gallardo and his quartet, Tambuco Percussion Ensemble, received from the Emperors of Japan, The Japan Foundation Award for the Arts and Culture, the most important distinction that the Japanese government confers on an artist.

Due to his recording activity, he has been nominated 5 times for the GRAMMY awards.

Ricardo Gallardo has recorded special programs for the BBC in London, Radio Sweden, Radio Canada, National Radio of Spain, Radio France, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and Radio IMER of Mexico. He has also appeared in record productions as a soloist; with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the UNAM, the Mexico City Philharmonic, The National Bulgarian Radio Orchestra, Symphony of Michoacán, Southwest Chamber Music and Tambuco Percussion Ensemble.

Both as a composer, performer and as a director of Tambuco, Ricardo Gallardo's career has shown a primary interest to promote contemporary music through close collaboration with as many composers as possible, the premiere of their works and collaboration with various artistic disciplines, as well as the uprising of new generations of musicians through masterclasses, clinics, workshops and seminars. Ricardo Gallardo has carried out this academic activity in five continents.

His performances have included recitals and concerts both as soloist and as a member of Tambuco, with leading orchestras such as: Los Angeles Philharmonic, Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Simón Bolivar Symphony Orchestra, Orchester Philarmonique de Radio France, Sao Paulo State Symphony Orchestra, Bulgarian National Radio Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony, Mexico City Philharmonic, OFUNAM, Los Angeles Philharmonic New Music Group, Chicago Civic Orchestra, Juneau Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic Orchestra of the Americas, Xalapa Symphony Orchestra, among others.

Ricardo Gallardo has a wide repertoire of works that have been written especially for him, in addition to the works already considered as classical within the international percussion repertoire. This repertoire includes pieces for solo percussion, concerts for percussion and orchestra, chamber music, percussion and electronic media, microtonal percussion, etc.

Ricardo Gallardo is a Professor at the Universidad Panamericana in Mexico City as well as Nagoya Music College in Japan.

Press Reviews

“With no doubt, one of the best musicians of our time”         
La Jornada (Mexico)

“Ricardo Gallardo offered a stunning virtuoso performance”      
Sonic Arts (UK)

"Ricardo Gallardo gave us virtuosic and colourful performances, without cultural atavisms, and with a great rhythmic complexity"                        
Frankfurter Allgemeine (Germany)