ARTIST BIO

Born in the province of Vera Cruz Mexico, Zaira Meneses began musical studies at the age of 7. Her unique talents led to participation in the chamber choir of the IPE conducted by Ana Elgarte and Jose Antonio Perez. She soon revealed an extraordinary double talent as singer and guitarist, and during her years of guitar study, she was the recipient of numerous prizes for guitar performances both nationally and internationally. Beginning in 1998 she participated in outreach concerts for children in Vera Cruz, Puebla, Villa Hermosa, and other cities in her native Mexico.

That same year she also won first prize in the Paracho Michoacán International Guitar Competition and honorable mention in the National Guitar Competition of Xalapa. One year later she won the Competition of Guanajuato, Mexico and in the same year, was awarded a scholarship to the “Paco Marin” International Guitar Competition. Zaira Meneses has participated in numerous international guitar festivals, participated in master classes led by Ivan Rijos, Roberto Aussel, Manuel Barruenco, Eliot Fisk, Kosta Kotfiolis, and Joaquin Clerch among others. She has distinguished herself not only as a soloist, but also as a founding member of the Orquesta de Guitarras of Xalapa with which she has toured throughout Mexico and abroad under the Baton of the legendary Alfonso Moreno. She performs widely as a guitar soloist and as a member of various chamber music to public and critical acclaim in both Europe and the America’s. Zaira performs with the 2001 Classical Guitar Strings – Light.