Octavio Hernández

Biography

He studied Computer Engineering at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, graduating with honours in 2000, but his true vocation led him to move to Barcelona in 2001, where he began his studies at the Taller de Músics with teachers such as Jordi Bonell, Vicenç Solsona, Santi Galán and Vicenç Martín, among others. Later on, he received the Diploma of Level of Specialist in Modern Music from the Institut Català de Noves Professions (INCANOP) in 2002, and in 2003 and 2004 he was awarded a scholarship by the Berklee School Of Music. In 2005, a stay in New York allowed him to study with the great guitarist Jonathan Kreisberg.

In 2009, Octavio Hernández entered the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC) and studied with professors such as Dani Pérez, Joan Monné, Agustí Fernández and Eladio Reinón, among others. He finished his degree in 2012 with a final degree project, which revolved around the music of Frank Zappa. The guitarist attended numerous masterclasses with musicians such as Lage Lund, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Miguel Zenón, Perico Sambeat, Bruce Saunders and also participated in the composition courses given by Guillermo Klein in Bellaterra.

In 2017 he published Tuna Happiness, his first album as a leader, in quintet formation and with his own music, whose reviews in specialised media have been exceptional. Moreover, his intense activity as a sideman has made him participate in numerous recordings such as Roots by Kike Perdomo, Eight Song For Nine Years by Takeo Takahashi, Hangin’Out with the Big Band of the Canary Islands, Tiebelé with Aridane Martín Quartet, Simbeque Vol I -a project of reinterpretation of the folklore of the Canary Islands-, Life Not Gets Duplicate and Toubab Soul with the Alma Afrobeat Ensemble and Psicolabis with Machacachakras by Pablo Selnik.

In the field of education, he has taught at various centres in Catalonia, at the Combo School in Granollers, the Blue Train in Sabadell and the Escola Tremolo in Barcelona, as well as being a teacher at the IV Seminario de Música Moderna in Tenerife with Chris Cheek, Joe Magnarelli, Demian Cabaud, Bruno Pedroso and Abe Rábade. He has also given masterclasses at Mousiké in La Laguna, Tenerife. He teaches electric guitar at the Taller de Músics Escuela Superior de Estudios Musicales.