José Maldonado

José Gabriel Maldonado Suárez, DMA

Dr. Maldonado holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University. He started studying the guitar at a young age in the Programa de Cuerdas at the Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico (CMPR). He graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in classical guitar performance from the CMPR where he studied guitar with Luis Enrique Juliá and chamber music with Leonardo Egúrbida and Alberto Rodríguez. 

Dr. Maldonado then moved to New York to pursue a Master of Music degree and later a DMA at SUNY Stony Brook University where he studied classical guitar with Jerry Willard, chamber music with harpsichordist Arthur Haas, and early music analysis with the musicologist Sarah Fuller. Dr. Maldonado’s doctoral research focused on two genres of Puerto Rican music, Plena and Puerto Rican Danza, tracing the genres’ origins, explaining their socio-political connotations and using musical analysis to suggest a more accurate performance practice of these genres on the classical guitar. Maldonado presented the culmination of his research and musical analysis in his final doctoral prospectus and concert, which featured Sonata Op. 12 by Antoine de Lhoyer (performed on historical instruments), the Grand Duo Op. 86 for piano and guitar by Ferdinando Carulli (performed on historical instruments), the Prelude and Fugue BWV 997 by Johann Sebastian Bach, Salsa En Piñones for two guitars by Ernesto Cordero and Three Puerto Rican Danzas by Leonardo Egúrbida. 

As a performer and educator Dr. Maldonado has performed and/or presented lectures at Marshall University, Columbia University, The Long Island Guitar Festival at Post University, SUNY Stony Brook University, Middlebury College, Conservatorio de Música de Puerto Rico, CUNY John Jay College, and the Bloomingdale School of Music, among others. 

Currently, he forms part of the music faculty at CUNY John Jay College where he teaches courses in musical appreciation, music history, and guitar performance. Dr. Maldonado is a Resident Teaching Artist at Bloomingdale School of Music (BSM) where he directs the BSM Guitar Training Program, teaches guitar performance and chamber music classes. Dr. Maldonado has been the Artistic Director of the BSM Guitar Festival since 2013.