Giro Alvarado

PAUL GENE "GIRO" C. ALVARADO II

Giro, is a 15-year-old Filipino guitarist and composer from San Mateo, Rizal. Youngest of 3 children of Paul Gene D. Alvarado and Grace C. Alvardo. He is currently in 3rd year high school majoring in guitar at the Berea Arts and Sciences High School in Cainta.

Giro picked-up the guitar out of boredom due to a three-day power outage when he was twelve with the help of his elder sisters. He was heavily influenced by the Beatles during his early guitar years. But he also liked a wide spectrum of music including the Everly Brothers and Filipino artists VST & Co., APO, Ruben Tagalog among others before he fell in love with the guitar.

Giro learned his music from his elementary school music teacher, Levi Salicio, at the Kids' World Christian Academy. His first classical guitar lessons were given by Rudy Astillero (UST Conservatory of Music) at the RJ Academy of Music. He went on to study at the U.P. College of Music Extension Program in the summer of 2011 under the tutelage of Prof. Lester Demetillo. In Berea, Giro's guitar skills are being honed by Guike Panmei who is his music teacher and conductor of the Berea Guitar Ensemble.

Giro is a member of the Berea Guitar Ensemble which has gone on tour in 2011 in some provinces. He has played as a member of the Festival Guitar Orchestra at the CCP during the Philippine International Guitar Festival in 2011 and 2012. He is a Regional Winner for Region 4A and a finalist for Guitar Competition Category-B (High School Div.) in the NAMCYA (National Music Competition for Young Artists Foundation) 2012. The finals to be held on November 21, 2012 at the CCP Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino.

Giro is also a composer for guitar, and is most proficient in composing in the style of traditional "kundiman" and "harana". His compositions are inspired by his own experiences and by nature. He also composes pop tagalog and english songs.

Giro plays a Bartolex SMC 6-string Student Model, and a vintage 10-string hybrid guitar constructed by two respected Filipino luthiers, Leonardo Apa and Armando "Tabo" Derecho.

Giro hopes to enter the U.P. College of Music and major in guitar and composition.