Thanks for checking out our 2022 Flamenco Fest!
If you missed this year, keep an eye on this page for information on next year’s Fest.
End of July!
Read about what we did this year (2022) below
Contact
Questions about the Fest? Send us an email!
Events
- July 20th: Flamenco Films: A Curated Collection
- July 25th: Nuevo Night: Juneyt on Princess St.
- July 27th: History of Flamenco: A Presentation
- July 30th: Flamenco in the Market Concert
- July 31st & August 1st: Workshops
- July 24th – 30th: Taste of Flamenco
Coming from out of town?
Courtyard Waterloo St. Jacobs is offering a discount for FlamFest-goers.
Courtyard deal info
- Rooms available July 30 & 31 at special rate of $129 plus taxes and fees per night
- Up to 4 people per room
- While rooms last
- Remember – your booking is eligible for the Ontario Staycation Tax Credit for 2022. Details here.
Click each icon for more info on that event.
International guests
*Note: Click an artist’s picture to read their full bio on their website. Only the first paragraph is displayed here.
Irene Álvarez
Born in Triana, Seville (1975), flamenco dancer Irene Álvarez began her training at the age of 9 under the guidance of the renowned Maestra Matilde Coral, as well as at the Real Conservatorio de Danza de Sevilla. In addition to obtaining her diploma in Classical Spanish Dance and Flamenco, Irene continued to improve her training by studying and working with well-known maestros of flamenco such as Javier Latorre, Isabel Bayón, Rubén Olmo and Manuel Betanzos to name a few. She acted as assistant to maestra Isabel Bayon in the Flamenco Festival Jerez in the years 2009, 2010, 2012, 2018. She now combines her love for the stage with her job as a teacher and choreographer for the flamenco department at Codarts, Rotterdam.
Alexander Gavilán
Flamenco guitarist Alexander Gavilán Preuss (Cologne, 1969) combines an orthodox technique with his own modern compositions. His playing is intense and virtuoso. He studied flamenco guitar at codarts Rotterdam with Paco Peña and in Seville with Niño de Pura and M.A. Cortes.
Since 1994 Alexander has been a guest on numerous European stages with various ensembles (including Philharmonie Krakow, Poland; Flamenco Festivals Düsseldorf and Freiburg, Germany; Concertgebouw Amsterdam; Royal Circus Brussels; Festival of Music of the 21st Century in Evora, Portugal; Guitar Festival Balatonfüred, Hungary; Flamenco Festival Rotterdam; Gypsy Festival Tilburg; Slovenian International Flamenco Festival and the Festivals “Iberica“ and “Khamoro“ in Tschechie, King’s Place, London).
In 2007 he produced the program "PASTORA" (with Ana Gomez, vocals; and Raul Cantizano, guitar), a tribute to the singer Niña de los Peines (Zuiderpershuis Antwerp) and in 2008 "12 Tiempos de Amor" (with dancer Federico Ordoñez) for Odand.
Since 2006 he has been performing concerts while holding a position as a teacher of flamenco guitar at Codarts Rotterdam, where he works closely with the artistic director Paco Peña and is also involved in founding new projects with guitarist Dani de Morón and singer Arcangel.
Alfonso Cid
Alfonso Mogaburo Cid was born on September 25th, 1969 and raised in Seville, the heartland of Flamenco music. His mother, an amateur singer from Triana, a Flamenco enclave in Seville, and his grandfather, an aficionado of Flamenco were his earliest influences. He also had the opportunity of attending the activities of one the most significant Flamenco clubs in Andalusia, the Peña Flamenca Torres-Macarena since 1987. There he had the wonderful opportunity of attending performances by some the greatest flamenco artists of all times: José Mercé, Fernanda and Bernarda de Utrera, Chocolate, Chano Lobato, Rancapino, El Pele as well as the dancer Javier Latorre and Carmen Ledesma among many others. He also was a member as flute player of the resident flamenco fusion band of the Peña Torres-Macarrena called "Al Baño María¨ which toured throughout Andalusia in venues such as "La Carbonería" and festivals in Málaga, Alcalá de Guadaira, Utrera and Lebrija...
Resident performers
*Note: Click an artist’s picture to read their full bio on their website. Only the first paragraph is displayed here.
Julian Berg
It was at Codarts Conservatory in The Netherlands where Julian refined his skills as a dance accompanist through the formal guitar accompaniment classes and through extra-curricular training. During the summers, he would seek out additional training in the heartland of flamenco, in Andalusia, Spain. Summer programs included training at the Academy of Cristina Herren, and at a summer intensive with flamenco guitarist and composer, Gerardo Nuñez, to name a few. While at Codarts, Julian was under the direction of instructors such as: world renowned guitarist, Paco Peña; dancers, Irene Álvarez and “Flamenkika;” flamenco singer, Carmen Fernandez; and flamenco guitarists, Alexander Gávilan, and Ricardo Mendeville. At Codarts, he was also given the opportunity to receive guest workshops with some of the finest flamenco artists on the international circuit, such as Diego del Morao, Chiquelo, José Manuel León, and Arcángel. Through the Conservatory training, Julian was also exposed to formal composition classes which ignited an interest studying Baroque style composition. He continues to develop his knowledge of composition and music theory through self-study and mentorship with composition instructors when possible...
Claudia ‘Calú’ Aguirre
Claudia Aguirre’s training in Spanish dance began with one of Toronto’s flamenco and Spanish dance pioneers, at Paula Moreno’s School of Spanish Dance. She later spent several happy years training as a vocalist at Carmen Romero’s School of Flamenco Dance Arts. More recently, Claudia has taken classes with Toronto’s newest flamenca on scene—Maria Serrano—and was part of the musical ensemble in her academy’s 2017 showcase of Memorias de Tablao and for the company’s Toronto-debut of Por Derecho, 2019. In the interim of these endeavours, Claudia has gone on trips to Spain where she has taken classes with master flamenco dancers and singers, including Laura Roman, Soraya Clavijo, Jesus Corbacho, and taken workshops with visiting artists in Toronto, including Carmen Ledesma, Alba Serrano, and Ali de la Tota.
Apart from training in flamenco, Claudia has practiced various dance and music genres, including jazz vocals, musical theatre, Bollywood dance, hip-hop, bass guitar and upright bass. She holds a Certificate from the triple-threat Commercial Dance Program from George Brown College, as well as a Bachelor’s and a Master’s Degree from York University’s Department of Dance, with a Minor in Music...
Juneyt Yetkiner
Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, Juneyt is a self-taught musician and has been playing Flamenco & Nuevo-Flamenco Guitar for 15 years. Drawn to the passion and raw emotion of music, he has played alongside and opened for many well-known musicians such as Liona Boyd, Santana, Dobie Brothers, Alex Cuba, John McDermott and many more throughout his career.
Juneyt regularly donates his time for many charity organisations, performing over 50 charity events annually.
Juneyt has performed as a studio guitarist on more than 15 albums and numerous festivals in Europe, Asia, South & North America also opened for many world-renowned musicians such as Liona Boyd, John McDermott, Alex Cuba, Doobie Brothers, Santana and many more.
He is the Musical and Educational Director for H20 Congo Movement, President of Chris Lane Foundation for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Cancer; Juneyt regularly donates his time for many charity organisations, performing over 50 charity events annually.
Achievements:
Juneyt has been nominated & won the 2017 Toronto Independent Music Awards, & 2019 Waterloo Region Arts Awards. has been a five-time nominee for Waterloo Region Arts Awards (2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2019); He has composed music for two television documentaries and won 23 Diamond Readers Choice Awards (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021).
Günhan Özmen
Beginning his life of music, which he was curious about and interested in at a very young age, with the violin, Gunhan has worked in various music groups and ensembles since the age of 8.
During his high school years, he met Gazi University lecturer Prof.Dr.Gülçin Yahya, who instructed him for for years on musical theory, playing the oud, and solfege.
After graduating from high school, he earned entry into the Classical Turkish Music Violin Program at the Kocatepe University State Conservatory’s Turkish Art Music Department where he trained to become a connoisseur of the instrument he loved so much.
After 4 years of undergraduate education, his talents with his violin earned him recognition and renown.
Later on, he had the opportunity to accompany the world-renown violin virtuoso, Göksel Baktagir, at his recital.
In 2009, he completed his undergraduate education at the Gazi University‘s Conservatory, and started his Master’s in Music Education at the same institution, graduating with distinction in 2011.
Alongside producing his own music, album, and event projects, Özmen continues his musical career by working with many famous and local artists.
Thank you for your interest in the Grand River Flamenco Fest (formerly the KW Flamenco Fest)!
The Grand River Flamenco Fest is a non-profit registered in Ontario.
Read about the Fest
The Grand River Flamenco Fest was founded by two committed flamenco enthusiasts: Claudia Aguirre & Julian Berg, a.k.a. CalúJules. In 2016, the couple moved to Waterloo and brought with them their love of the art form. Julian had studied flamenco guitar at Codarts Conservatory in the Netherlands, and Claudia had been studying the dance since her adolescence. They noticed that KW’s small but budding flamenco community needed more support for it to grow, and so founded the Little KW Flamenco Fest in hopes of garnering more interest.
Through the Fest, they have worked alongside guest artists: Welsh dancer, now primarily living in Spain, Josie Sinnadurai; Ronaldo Monge from Puerto Rico / Chicago; guitarist, David Sinclair—a Wilfrid Laurier music alumnus now a resident of Spain; and local nuevo flamenco sensation, Juneyt Yetkiner. In spite of the pandemic, the Fest has kept operating during these past two years with virtual workshops, a digital dance competition, a dance video release, outdoor “pop-up” shows, and more.
We recently incorporated into official not-for-profit status with the new name of The Grand River Flamenco Fest. This year’s guests once again include Juneyt, who will this time be performing a concert of his own, accompanied by violinist, Günhan. Then, for the Flamenco in the Market main stage show, we’ll be featuring Julian Berg’s former instructors from Codarts Conservatory: Irene Álvarez and Alexander Gavilán; as well as New York based Spanish singer and flautist, Alfonso Cid. This will be followed by a weekend of workshops at the Neruda Arts Centre in St. Jacobs. Additional events include a flamenco history presentation at the Kitchener Public Library, a flamenco films night at the Twin Princess Cinema, and a “Taste of Flamenco” restaurant campaign in which local restaurants will feature Spanish-inspired dishes and drinks as part of our Fest.
We hope you can join us!
