Jesús Ortega, a prominent Cuban guitarist and composer, was born on September 15, 1935, in Havana. He is considered one of the pillars of the Cuban guitar school.

He entered the Municipal Conservatory of Havana (Calle Rastro No. 1, Habana Vieja, Havana) in 1953, where he studied music theory, music theory, harmony, and musical morphology with Sofía Serpa, Nieves Blanco, and Serafín Pro, respectively. Also under the tutelage of Isaac Nicola, he learned guitar there and studied other subjects with some of the most distinguished teachers. He completed his training outside the Conservatory with Leo Brouwer, Andrés Segovia from Spain, and the Venezuelan Alirio Díaz.

Jesús Ortega began his artistic career forming a guitar duo with Leo Brouwer in 1956, supported by the Vision Film Club, of which they were both members. He later joined a chamber trio with flautist Enrique Castro and Osvaldo Cañizares on violin.

As a composer, he created his first work in 1957, entitled “Dance of the Naive Adolescent,” of which he made a version for wind quintet.

In 1959, Jesús Ortega was appointed director of the Eastern Army Band and director of the Art Department, advisor to the Ministry of Education’s Department of Conservatories, and head of the Department of Concerts, Orchestras, and Bands.

His work as Isaac Nicola’s assistant professor served him well. In 1961, he began teaching chamber music and wind instrument ensemble practice at the Municipal Conservatory of Havana (Calle Rastro No. 1, Habana Vieja, Havana). In 1968, he became head of the guitar department at the same institution. He has given master classes in several countries, including Canada, the former Yugoslavia, Germany, Hungary, Mexico, Brazil, the former Czechoslovakia, Spain, Bulgaria, France, the former USSR, the Netherlands, the United States, Greece, and Puerto Rico, among others. He has also toured many of these countries.

In 1974 he began working as a guitar teacher at the National School of Art (ENA) (120th Street between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana), and a year later he became part of the teaching staff at the Higher Institute of Art (ISA) (1110 120th Street between 9th and 13th, Cubanacán, Playa, Havana).

Jesús Ortega formed a piano and guitar duo with Karelia Escalante, who was replaced in 1995 by pianist María del Henar Navarro.

Since 1982, he has been a key member of Havana’s guitar competitions and festivals.

His repertoire includes works from across the musical literature, from the 16th century to more contemporary pieces that utilize much more advanced instrumental resources. He has also composed music for film, specifically conceiving the work for the film “A Cuban Fight Against the Demons” by award-winning Cuban director Tomás Gutiérrez Alea.

After numerous rehearsals and recordings, Jesús Ortega created an impeccable version of works by Gaspar Sanz for a group composed of vihuela, lute, recorder flute, and three drums. I have also worked on transcribing tablatures into modern notation for the complete works of Luis Milán, Francisco Guerau, Gaspar Sanz, Antonio de Cabezón, and essential parts of works by Luys de Narváez, Roberto Ballard, John Dowland, Adrián Le Roy, Ludovico Roncalli, among others.

His participation in chamber music concerts is extensive, and as a guitarist, he has performed almost all of the Cuban music created for this string instrument. Several of his recordings are under the EGREM label. His works include chamber music, symphonic music, electroacoustic music, ballet, and more.

In 1995, Jesús Ortega founded his group Sonantas Habaneras, a guitar orchestra that has toured throughout Cuba and has been very successful at international festivals in countries across Europe and the Americas.

In 1999, he conducted the Costa Rican Guitar Orchestra and in 2000, the Young Guitar Orchestra of Berlin-Gürttemberg. Two years later, he founded and conducted the Guitar Orchestra of the Faculty of Music of the University of Montevideo.

Among the awards and recognitions he has collected are: an Honorary Doctorate in Arts, the Distinction for National Culture, and the National Award for Artistic Teaching.