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Ernesto Bitetti

Classical guitarist and pedagogue

Ernesto Bitetti (Rosario, Argentina, 1943) is an Argentine classical guitarist and pedagogue who later became a naturalized Spanish citizen. He is internationally recognized for his achievements as a performer, recording artist, and teacher. He was the founder and Chair of the Guitar Department at the Jacobs School of Music, Indiana University, serving in that position from 1989 to 2020.

Biography

Early years and musical education

Monument to the Flag, Rosario

Ernesto Bitetti was born in Rosario, Argentina, on July 20, 1943. At the age of five, he attended a screening of the film El último payador with his grandmother. The film portrayed the life of José Betinotti, and the sound of the guitar in the movie awakened his interest in the instrument, prompting him to ask his parents to buy him his first guitar.

He began his musical studies with the classical guitarists Graciela Pomponio and Jorge Martínez Zárate, graduates of the National Conservatory of Buenos Aires who were living and teaching in Rosario at the time. At the age of fifteen, he made his first trip to Europe with his teachers. Upon his return to Argentina, he won First Prize at the Sociedad Hebraica de Buenos Aires Competition, a milestone since it was the first time the award had ever been presented to a classical guitarist.

During his late teenage years, between the ages of seventeen and eighteen, he strengthened his technical abilities through study sessions lasting up to twelve hours a day. In 1961, he enrolled at the Higher Institute of Music of the National University of the Littoral, in Santa Fe. There he completed a curriculum consisting of forty-four subjects, including four years of piano, one year of flute, six months of cello, as well as courses in choral conducting, art history, literature, music theory, musical form and analysis, and counterpoint. He graduated after four years of study.

Move to Europe and professional career

In August 1965, Bitetti moved to Europe. He subsequently embarked on a year-long concert tour throughout the United States, Central America, and Europe. His professional career flourished in Spain, where he signed a recording contract with Hispavox, the country’s leading record label at the time. This agreement led to numerous television appearances, recitals, and performances with orchestras. The international distribution of his recordings resulted in invitations to perform in Japan, the United States, and major European capitals.

After marrying his wife, Graciela, he settled permanently in Madrid, Spain, in 1968, from where he developed his international career. Particularly noteworthy was the 1970–1971 concert season, during which he gave more than eighty concerts on a world tour that included Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, India, Thailand, Iran, the Soviet Union, the United States, Canada, and the principal capitals of Europe.

Academic career at Indiana University

Indiana University
Indiana University

In 1980, during a concert tour in the United States, Bitetti was invited by the renowned cellist János Starker to perform a recital at Indiana University, followed by a summer workshop in 1981. In 1988, after performing at an International Music Festival in Caracas, Venezuela, he met Dr. Charles Webb, Dean of the Indiana University School of Music (later renamed the Jacobs School of Music). Dr. Webb proposed that he establish a guitar program, as the guitar was the only major instrument not yet represented at the institution.

Bitetti accepted the appointment in August 1989. The development of the curriculum took three years, during which he designed and implemented Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctoral degree programs. Many of the students enrolled came from countries including Norway, Italy, Taiwan, China, Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey, Canada, Costa Rica, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, South Korea, and the United States. He also introduced a system of elective courses to optimize the institution’s resources and provide funding for graduate scholarships. The program later expanded to include courses in Guitar History, Pedagogy, Arranging, and Guitar Ensembles. In addition, he founded the Indiana International Guitar Festival and Competition, an annual event that attracts competitors from numerous countries in three divisions: Open, Senior Youth, and Junior Youth. Bitetti remained Chair of the Guitar Department until his retirement in 2020.

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Works and legacy

Repertoire

Ernesto Bitetti with his guitar

Ernesto Bitetti’s repertoire encompasses more than four centuries of music, from the Renaissance to contemporary compositions. It includes original works for solo guitar, chamber music, concertos for guitar and orchestra, and numerous transcriptions. He is especially renowned for his interpretations of Spanish guitar music, as well as the works of Johann Sebastian Bach and Heitor Villa-Lobos. Throughout his career, he has also promoted Argentine music internationally, performing works such as Alfonsina y el Mar by Ariel Ramírez, compositions by Astor Piazzolla, and the Concierto para la Guitarra Criolla, written especially for him by Waldo de los Ríos. In addition to his performing career, Bitetti has contributed significantly to the guitar repertoire through his editorial work. He prepared revised editions and fingerings for numerous publications issued by leading music publishers, including Ricordi and Unión Musical Española.

Works dedicated to Ernesto Bitetti

Many distinguished composers chose Ernesto Bitetti as the dedicatee or first performer of their works, recognizing his extraordinary technical mastery and musical artistry. Among the composers who dedicated works to him are: Joaquín Rodrigo, Federico Moreno Torroba, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, John W. Duarte, Ángelo Gilardino, José Buenagu, Waldo de los Ríos, Antón García Abril, Tomás Marco, Astor Piazzolla, José Cura and Francisco Cano. These composers regarded Bitetti as their inspiring muse, capable not only of overcoming the technical challenges of their compositions but also of communicating their artistic vision with exceptional musical sensitivity.

Recitals and orchestral performances

Throughout his career, Ernesto Bitetti has performed extensively as a soloist with major orchestras in some of the world’s most prestigious concert halls.

His appearances have included performances at the Musikverein in Vienna, Lincoln Center in New York, the Bolshoi Theatre in St. Petersburg, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Barbican Centre in London, the Metropolitan Festival Hall in Tokyo, Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires, Salle Pleyel in Paris, Sydney Town Hall, Manila City Hall, Teatro Real in Madrid, the Rome Opera House, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., as well as important venues in Bonn, Munich, Jerusalem, and Hamburg.

As a concerto soloist, he has appeared with internationally renowned chamber orchestras, including: English Chamber Orchestra, Israel Chamber Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Zagreb soloists, Northern Sinfonia, Prague Chamber Orchestra and Slovak Chamber Orchestra. He has also performed with numerous symphony and philharmonic orchestras throughout Europe, the Americas, Asia, Oceania, and Africa.

Selected orchestras

Europe
  • Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
  • Hamburg Radio Orchestra
  • Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
  • Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Aachen Symphony Orchestra
  • Liège Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Dubrovnik Symphony Orchestra
  • Spanish National Orchestra
  • RTVE Symphony Orchestra
  • Barcelona Symphony and Catalonia National Orchestra
  • Valencia Orchestra
  • Bilbao Symphony Orchestra
  • Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Residentie Orchestra (The Hague)
  • Philharmonia Orchestra
  • London Symphony Orchestra
  • Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra
  • BBC Symphony Orchestra
  • Orchestra of Teatro di San Carlo (Naples)
  • Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
  • Camerata Bern
  • Orchestre Lamoureux
The Americas
  • Buenos Aires Philharmonic Orchestra
  • National Symphony Orchestra of Argentina
  • São Paulo State Symphony Orchestra
  • Santiago Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Bogotá Philharmonic Orchestra
  • National Symphony Orchestra of Colombia
  • National Symphony Orchestra of Ecuador
  • St. Louis Symphony Orchestra
  • Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
  • Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra
  • National Symphony Orchestra of Guatemala
  • State of Mexico Symphony Orchestra
  • National Symphony Orchestra of Panama
  • National Symphony Orchestra of Peru
Asia, Oceania and Africa
  • Australian Chamber Orchestra
  • Sydney Symphony Orchestra
  • Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Israel Chamber Orchestra
  • Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra
  • Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Ensemble Kanazawa
  • Istanbul State Symphony Orchestra
  • Presidential Symphony Orchestra of Turkey
  • İzmir State Symphony Orchestra
  • Cape Town Symphony Orchestra
  • Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra
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Discography

Ernesto Bitetti record cover
“Música para usted” record cover with Ernesto Bitetti

Ernesto Bitetti began his recording career in 1967 with his first recording of Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez, coupled with Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Concerto in D Major. During the following years, he maintained an active recording schedule, producing approximately two LPs annually devoted primarily to Spanish, Italian, and South American repertoire.

Many of his solo recordings were made during late-night sessions in the Parish Church of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, whose acoustics were particularly well suited to guitar recording.

Throughout his career he recorded for leading classical music labels, including Hispavox, EMI Classics (now Warner Classics), and Deutsche Grammophon.

His recordings have received international distribution and critical acclaim, reinforcing his reputation as one of the leading classical guitarists of his generation.

Selected recordings

  • Ernesto Bitetti: Grandes Compositores Españoles: Aranjuez (1967).
  • Ernesto Bitetti: Albeniz y Falla. EMI Classics 7 64685 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti Concertos: Castelnuovo Tedesco, Halffter, García Abril. EMI Classics 7 64797 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez, Fantasía Para un Gentilhombre. Philharmonia Orchestra, EMI Classics 7243 5 69965 2 6.
  • Ernesto Bitetti Gaspar Sanz: Complete Works. EMI Classics 5 66023 2 (2 CD).
  • Ernesto Bitetti Vivaldi, Weiss, Bach. Solistas de Zagreb, EMI Classics 7 64682 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti: 4 Siglos de Música española. EMI Classics 7 64684 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti: 4 Siglos de Música Italiana. EMI Classics 7 64683 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti: La Guitarra española (Albéniz, Buenagu, Falla, Granados, Moreno Torroba, Segovia, Tárrega, Turina). EMI Classics 5 85987 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti: Antología de la Guitarra Clásica. EMI Classics 7 64614 2 (2 CD).
  • Ernesto Bitetti: Páginas Célebres. EMI Classics 7 67602 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti: Concierto Para la Guitarra Criolla: Waldo de los Ríos Y Obras de Albeniz, Moreno Torroba y García Abril. EMI Classics 5 66930 2.
  • Ernesto Bitetti: Una Guitarra, Dos Mundos. Deutsche Grammophon 435 288-2.
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Television and media appearances

Ernesto Bitetti on television

As his international career developed and Spain became his permanent residence in the late 1960s, Ernesto Bitetti became a regular guest on cultural television programs and musical broadcasts in both Spain and Argentina.

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he appeared frequently on Spanish National Television (TVE), participating in numerous programs dedicated to classical music and the performing arts. Among the most notable were:

  • Fantástico (TVE, 1979), hosted by José María Íñigo, where he performed works including Alfonsina y el Mar, Cavatina, and João Pernambuco’s Sonido de Carrillones.
  • Música desde el Real Sitio de Aranjuez (TVE2, 1983), a production that received the Award for Best Concert Direction at the Prague International Television Festival.
  • Música para Usted (TVE, 1984), 15 programs dedicated to the wide guitar repertoire.
  • Recital at the Casa-Museo de Colón (TVE2, 1988), recorded in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.
  • Expo ’92 Seville, where he performed alongside Plácido Domingo before an audience of approximately 50,000 spectators during the opening celebrations of the Universal Exposition at La Cartuja Stadium.

His performances with the RTVE Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Enrique García Asensio, were also regularly broadcast on Spanish television.

His interpretation of Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez was featured in the soundtrack of Carlos Saura’s film The Garden of Delights (El jardín de las delicias), introducing his artistry to an even wider audience.

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Awards and honors

Throughout his career, Ernesto Bitetti has received numerous awards and distinctions in recognition of his artistic achievements and his contribution to the international prestige of the classical guitar.

Among the most significant are:

  • 1969 – Golden Guitar Award, presented at the International Music Festival of Italy.
  • 1970 – Award for Outstanding Artistic Performance (Japan).
  • 1971 – Order of the Bronze Conqueror (Argentina).
  • 1975 – Annual Award of the Argentine Society of Authors.
  • 1976 – Award for Best Performance of the 1975–1976 Season, presented by the Association of Latin Entertainment Critics (ACE), New York.
  • 1976–1988 – Member of the Authors’ Societies of Argentina and Spain.
  • 1979 – Spanish National Music Award, presented by the Ministry of Culture for his recording of Antón García Abril’s Concierto Aguediano with the English Chamber Orchestra.
  • 1983 – Spanish National Record Award, presented by the Ministry of Culture for the first complete recording of the guitar works of Gaspar Sanz.
  • 1986 – Annual Award of the Spanish Society of Authors(SGAE)
  • 1999 – Konex Award – Diploma of Merit, as Best Plucked String Instrumentalist (Argentina).
  • 2009 – Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by the Spanish Association of Performing Artists (AIE).
  • 2009 – Tribute concert organized by the Tomás Marco Musical Society at the Casino de Madrid, with the participation of Antón García Abril, Enrique García Asensio, Fernando Puchol, José Cura, and Tomás Marco.
  • 2023 – Gala tribute celebrating his eightieth birthday at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando, with the participation of distinguished guest artists.
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Artistic philosophy

Throughout his career, Ernesto Bitetti has expressed his views on music, artistic interpretation, and musical education in numerous interviews. The following statements reflect the principles that have guided his artistic life:

«I do not believe in a single school of guitar playing. Every guitarist is different, and every teacher should guide students according to their own physical characteristics and artistic personality.»

«From an early age, musicians should receive a complete musical education—technique, theory, history, and ear training. The instrument is merely the means through which the written score comes to life.»

«Discipline and dedication are indispensable. Every musician reaches a stage in life when there is no substitute for practice, practice, and more practice.»

«Talent is essential, but so are charisma, individuality, and the good fortune of being in the right place at the right time.»

«Music education should awaken curiosity and enthusiasm. Too often, music classes fail to inspire young people, causing them to see concerts as something distant or uninteresting. The guitar, however, has a unique ability to connect naturally with younger generations.»

«The performer recreates the music. By bringing individuality to a work while remaining faithful to its essence, an artist may even go beyond what the composer originally imagined. Technique alone is never enough; true interpretation requires profound musical understanding.»

Outside the world of music, Bitetti has long enjoyed football and other sports, which he regards as a welcome balance to his artistic life. He is also an accomplished amateur painter, and many of his paintings are displayed in his own home as well as in the homes of family members and close friends.

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