Carlos Núñez

A prominent figure in contemporary Atlantic music, Galician Carlos Núñez is from Vigo in northwest Spain. He turned early to the Galician gaita and various flutes before pursuing classical training at the Madrid Conservatory. Spotted at a young age by the Irish group The Chieftains, he joined their tours and contributed to several recordings, which established him on the international Celtic scene. From the mid-1990s he embarked on a career under his own name, notably with the album “A irmandade das estrelas” (1996) and later “Os amores libres” (1999), blending Galician repertoire, Celtic folk, early music and Mediterranean influences. His work highlights the links between Galicia, Ireland, Brittany and Scotland while incorporating dialogues with flamenco, classical music and certain Latin American traditions, within an arranged, acoustic folk aesthetic open to expanded ensembles and chamber formations. Present at numerous world-music festivals and concert stages across Europe, the Americas and Japan, Carlos Núñez has developed a style in which traditional melodies are frequently rewritten, orchestrated or extended by his own compositions, while retaining a strong dance quality and controlled improvisation.