Manuel Rangel

Manuel Rangel

At 18 years of age, wins first place as a maracas player in the Silbn de Oro, a Venezuelan music international festival held in Portuguesa, Venezuela, October 2005. In June 2008 wins first place in the International Villavicencio Festival in Colombia. He began his musical studies at nine years old in the Vicente Emilio Sojo Conservatory in Barquisimeto, Venezuela, graduating in Classical Guitar studies with Valmore Nieves. During that time he also studied harmony for  four years with professor Douglas Prez, three years of Venezuelan music history and  World and Latin American Music History with professor Lus Enrique Silva Ceballos. In 1999 he represented Venezuela with the Nios Cantores de Lara choir directed by professor Carmen Alvarado in Chile in the XIV Bienal de Coros Infantiles y Juveniles, as well as in France the following year. Manuel has participated as a guest percussionist in two Venezuelan music concerts and in the production Florentino y El Diablo with the Lara Symphony Orchestra. 2007 was a productive year for Manuel. He participated as a maracas soloist in the production Antologa con Chipola by composer/guitarist Leonardo Lozano with the Venezuela Philharmonic Orchestra in Caracas prominent Teresa Carreo Theater. In September, he joined Cecilia Todd on  a concert tour in Bolivia. Following this, the group 4X4 opens the stage for Joan Manuel Serrat in Caracas with Manuel on the maracas.  In April 2008 his maracas accompanies the Virtuosis Chamber Orchestra in Caracas in a memorable performance. On August 9th, 2008 he welcomes his first album, INSTINTO in the Torre David Theater of Barquisimeto, Lara. In this event he shares the stage with Cecilia Todd, Pablo Gil, Carlos Nene Quintero, Gonzalo Teppa, among others. In October of that same year he has the honor of being a musical guest in Ilan Chesters Latin Grammy-winning album Tesoros de la Msica Venezolana. He then participates in Venezuelan clarinetist Alcides Rodrguezs recording in 2010 directed by guitarrist/arranger Aquiles Bez. Manuels maracas also appear in the Caracas Jazz Festival with the Kapica ensemble. He also participated in the Barquisimeto Jazz Festival with Gonzalo Teppa and Roberto Koch, opening for David Valentin. In December 2010 Manuel is featured in Ismael Querales Venezuelan music ensemble in Istambul and Ankara, Turkey. November 2011 Manuel represents Venezuela in the Tatu International Percussion Festival in Sao Paulo, Brasil as a maracas soloist in the production for maracas and orchestra, Pataruco by Ricardo Lorenz. During this year he goes on tour in Europe and South America. He begins at the International Percussion Festival TOMARIMBANDO in the city of Tomar, Portugal, later he participates in a couple of concerts in Madrid, Spain ending his tour in Lima Per at their International Percussion Festival. In each festival he gave maraca workshops to all the participants and students. Manuel was selected from 2500 applicants worldwide as the only latinamerican to participate in the Unites States state departmente program OneBeat, program that brings 25 musicians from around the world to tour the east coast of the United States, starting in Florida and ending in New York. During this tour he participated in a number of workshops and concerts. On November 2013 at the Galeria de Arte Los Galpones, Manuel presents his proyect of contemporary music where he combines the organic, electronic and visual elements. On Dicember 2013 he was invited as a special guest in the Amigos Invisibles concert. On January 29th, 2014 Manuel opens the season of Noches de Guataca in teatro Trasnocho in Caracas. For this concert he invites a renowned singer Betzayda Machao and flamenco dancer Daniela Tugues offering the audience an innovative, edgy and unprecedented concert.

 Facebook:  Manuel Alejandro Rangel

Twitter:      @RangelManuel

Instagram: Manuel Maracas