Alfonso Montes

Born in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela, in 1955, he began music studies from a very early age. In 1976 he moved to London where he studied with the guitar-composer John Duarte, during this time he obtained the ARCM diploma at the Royal College of Music. He also studied analysis and composition techniques with Adrian Thorne at the Guildhall School of Music. Alfonso comes from the same hometown as the Venezuelan composer Antonio Lauro with whom he enjoyed a close relationship which surely had a great influence in Alfonso’s work.
Since 2001 he is living in Germany with his wife Irina Kircher, noted German guitarist/composer and teacher. Since 1983 both play as Duo Montes-Kircher considered to be one of the leading guitar ensembles of their generation.
His output as a composer includes concert and pedagogic music as well as scores for films and theater and is played and recorded worldwide by international Orchestras, Ensembles, and Soloist.