Manolo Sanlúcar (Manuel Muñoz Alcón) is a flamenco composer and guitarist born in Sanlúcar de Barrameda (Cadiz) in 1945. He is considered one of the most important Spanish composers of present times, and together with Paco de Lucía, Serranito, and Vicente Amigo, one of the main figures in the evolution of the flamenco guitar in recent years.

His first teacher was his father, Isidro Sanlúcar, a baker and old style guitarist, who frequently came home with people who were fond of cante and playing; from his childhood he was exceptionally skilled to follow in his steps. His brothers also decided on the same vocation, among them Isidro.

He soon began to research, aware that the guitar had infinite possibilities that had hardly been explored. The most ambitious of his contributions to the art has been his constant striving to integrate flamenco in symphonic music. Several works of the greatest interest which have placed his name among the great composers of our time include: Fantasía para guitarra y orquesta, Trebujena, Medea and Soleá, showing his attempts to merge his primary focus in music, and which toured the world as a ballet; Tauromagia or Aljibe. Some of them were fortunately recorded.

"I wish the experts in universal music to understand that they may approach flamenco, so they do not consider it something tribal and topical, so they see a branch of music in flamenco that allows very profound musical analysis and has extraordinary poetic and musical quality".

Discussing it further, he later declared,

"Flamenco is a philosophy, the way of thinking and feeling of a whole people and its historical tradition. That is why I feel the need to tell more things about flamenco with other sounds and I take to the orchestra and try to get the orchestra to play siguiriyas, but take note, not for the orchestra to accompany siguiriyas and a singer, but for the orchestra to take on the feeling of the flamenco and, as if it were a sole instrument, to tell that spirit and magic sound of flamenco".

Manolo Sanlúcar also composed a sort of flamenco opera on an idea by Lebrijano, to be played on the stage, although it has not yet been produced: Ven y Sígueme.

Two of his most critically acclaimed records are Tauromagia (1988), and Locura de Brisa y Trino. (2000) He has performed in some films.

He was awarded Spain's Premio Nacional de Música for interpretation in 2000.

Dr. Juan Serrano is a flamenco guitarist who has played concerts and made recordings throughout the world. He has devoted much of his life to giving concerts and teaching flamenco guitar in the United States.

Serrano was born in Córdoba, Spain, in 1935. At the age of 9, he studied guitar with his father, Antonio del Lunar, a professional guitarist. Serrano made his professional debut at age 13, and soon earned a reputation throughout Spain and Europe as a gifted musician. He performed and recorded with flamenco musical, dance, and theatrical companies. At this time Serrano also started his solo career. His home town of Córdoba was so proud of his accomplishments that they replaced the bell in the town clock with recordings of his guitar playing.

In 1961 Serrano accepted an invitation to come to America and perform on the Ed Sullivan Show. The success of this performance led to numerous solo flamenco guitar concerts and more TV appearances, then a recording contract with Elektra Records, who released his US debut album "Ole, la mano!" in 1962. The New York Times said Serrano had "ten dexterous fingers that often sound like twenty... a breathtaking technician who can wring rhythmic dance fury out of fandangos and zapateados. He is a lyric sentimentalist, who can make the strings cry." Serrano made the US his home, where he achieved renown as an instructor. In Feb. 1968 he was the featured cover photo artist for Guitar Player magazine.

Along with others such as Sabicas and Mario Escudero, Serrano's virtuosity helped establish solo flamenco guitar as a viable concert instrument beyond the borders of Spain.

He developed the guitar program at California State University, Fresno, and headed the guitar department until his retirement. In addition to his teaching duties, Serrano is much sought after as a performer, for master classes and as a guest lecturer on the history of Flamenco. Serrano is the only flamenco guitarist in the world with a doctorate in humane letters and a tenured faculty position at a major university.

Córdoba also awarded Serrano the "Potro de Oro". This prestigious honor is awarded once every ten years; Serrano and Paco Peña are the only guitarists ever to be so honored. Serrano received the Page One Ball from the Newspaper Guild of New York for his outstanding performances. He was also awarded the Medalla de Oro from the Spanish Academy of Fine Arts, the Catedra de Flamencologia from Jerez, Spain, and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Fairfield University in Fairfield, Connecticut. The city of Fresno has bestowed on Serrano the "Fabulous Fresnan" and "Horizon" awards.

Juan Serrano currently lives in Longwood, Florida

Authored several guitar instruction books for Mel Bay Publications.

Awarded the Medalla de Oro from the Spanish Academy of Fine Arts, the Catedra de Flamencologia from Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.