TMA149 Members

Founder of the Vancouver Classical Guitar Festival, Luis Angel Medina is an avid performer and teacher across North America. He is the recipient of the Silver Medal from the 2017 Vancouver International Music Competition and holds a Masters degree from the University of Georgia in Athens. Luis’s career has taken him to perform in various cities in Europe, China and all over North America.

Luis was born in the city of Guadalajara, Mexico and began his formal studies in music theory and ear training at the age of fourteen when he enrolled in the Music Diploma at the University of Guadalajara. He then moved to Vancouver, Canada, where he began another Diploma at the Capilano University and won numerous awards and scholarships. He concluded his Bachelors of Music in Guitar performance at the University of British Columbia where he was part of the Dean’s List every year during his studies.

He has now graduated from the Masters degree at the University of Georgia in Athens under the mentorship and guidance of guitarist Dr. Daniel Bolshoy where he functioned as Guitar Teacher Assistant. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Director’s Excellence Award which recognizes students for excellence in musicianship, scholarship, leadership, and service, also passing his final oral examinations with distinctions. Among his roles at the University are teaching Guitar classes for non-music university students and individual guidance to other students pursuing a Bachelors in Guitar Performance at UGA.

Luis is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) program at the University of Toronto, where he is conducting research on the life and music of the prolific contemporary Mexican composer, Julio Cesar Oliva, under the guidance of acclaimed Canadian guitarist Dr. Jeffrey McFadden. As part of his Doctoral studies, he is currently furthering his guitar expertise with world-renown guitarist Jorge Caballero. Luis has taken lessons in masterclasses with some of the best guitarists in the world, such as David Russell, Roland Dyens, Rene Izquierdo, Jason Vieaux, Jerome Ducharme, Iliana Matos, Denis Azabagic, Marc Teicholz, and more. He continues to promote the guitar through public events and performances as well as through his active involvement with the Toronto Guitar Society, where he serves as Director of Operations.

He was featured in the International City Music Talents concert held at the prestigious Playhouse Theatre in Vancouver. He has made appearances as a soloist, performing Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s first guitar concerto with A Little Night Music Orchestra and other occasions and also been invited to play for the Tri-Cities Guitar Society in Washington, USA with his duet partner Alec Pearson, head of the guitar department at the University of British Columbia. He has been featured in some of the most prestigious guitar societies in Canada, such as the Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto guitar societies. Luis is also very active across Canada directing guitar ensembles, at various festivals teaching and performing. Luis’s aims are to inspire others by sharing his love for music, and to bring the classical guitar to the larger community.

Luis has been recently appointed as Guitar Instructor at Capilano University. He is a highly successful teacher with over 30 students who have won numerous first and second places in various local competitions. He himself has been awarded top prizes in local competitions and selected to compete for the provincial level at the Kiwanis Music Festival. Luis has high expectations of his students as he is very dedicated and demands daily commitment, respectful and cooperative attitude. He also prepares students for the Royal Conservatory of Music certificate program.