Carlos José Castro received the prestigious Latin Grammy award in the category of "Best
Composer Contemporary Classical Music" in 2008 for his Concierto del Sol (recorded by guitarist
Mario Ulloa with the Orquesta Filarmónica de Costa Rica, directed by Marvin Araya). He is also a
three-time winner of the National Music Prize Aquileo J. Echeverría, the highest award given by
the Ministry of Culture of Costa Rica. His music sweeps all genres: orchestral, concerto, chamber,
theatre, as well as music for solo guitar, and has been performed in Cuba, Mexico, the United
States, Germany, Poland, Spain, France, Italy, and Costa Rica. Carlos José Castro studied at the
Conservatorio Castella, the Universidad de Costa Rica, and the CIDESIN (Interamerican Center
for Instrumental Studies). His teachers include Benjamín Gutiérrez, Rand Steiger, Blas Emilio
Atehortúa, Leo Brouwer, David Vayo, and Bernal Flores. He currently teaches musical theory at
the Instituto Nacional de la Música and the University of Costa Rica, a work he combines with
freelance composing, music producing, and scriptwriting.



Acknowledgments



I wish to thank Carlos José Castro for the gift of this wonderful sonata and, most importantly, for
the close friendship I have enjoyed for many years with him and his remarkable family. Carlos
left it to me to decide on fingerings; however, he knows the guitar very well, and therefore every
note fell into place easily and idiomatically without much effort on my part. I also appreciate the
conscientious help of guitarist Brendan Lake for proofreading and helpful editorial suggestions.
The cover art image is of an original oil painting by Mario Castro Coto, the composer’s cousin, who
was born in the Limon Province of Costa Rica in 1953. A graduate of the School of Arts, University
of Costa Rica, he became the most distinguished Costa Rican painter specializing in portrayals of
Afro-Costa Rican women of the Caribbean coast. His works are found in collections in Europe, the
United States, and Latin America, with exhibitions in the most important private and public Costa
Rican art galleries.



Frank Koonce
May 2009