BIO

Leonela Alejandro is an award-winning classical guitarist from Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, recognized for her dynamic artistry, technical brilliance, and captivating stage presence. Winner of the Rose Augustine Grand Prize at the 2024 Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition, she has quickly emerged as one of the leading young guitarists of her generation.

Leonela has performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe, appearing at festivals and concert series including the Latino Arts Guitar Festival, Florida Guitar Festival, Southern Guitar Festival, Louisville Guitar Society, Orange County Guitar Circle, and the José Tomás Villa de Petrer Guitar Festival in Spain. Her performances have earned praise for their intensity, musicality, and expressive power.

An accomplished competitor, Leonela has received top prizes in more than a dozen national and international competitions. Her numerous first-place awards include victories at the Louisville Guitar Festival, Appalachian State Guitar Festival, Columbus State University Guitar Symposium, Indiana Guitar Festival, and Chicago Guitar Festival. Internationally, she has also been recognized at competitions such as Domaine Forget de Charlevoix, Ciudad de Coria International Guitar Competition, and the Iserlohn International Guitar Competition in Germany.

Leonela began her formal musical training at the age of seven and later studied with several prominent Puerto Rican teachers including Jomel Rivera, Julio Reyes, and Rey Nieves. At sixteen, she was admitted to the Conservatory of Music of Puerto Rico, where she studied with Maestro Iván Rijos. She later completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee under Cuban virtuoso René Izquierdo and earned her graduate degree at Columbus State University, studying with Dr. Andrew Zohn.

In addition to her success as a recitalist, Leonela has distinguished herself as a concerto soloist. She has appeared with the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra in performances of Vivaldi’s Lute Concerto and Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Guitar Concerto No. 1, and recently premiered Atanas Ourkouzounov’s Concertino for Guitar, Percussion and Strings. She has also appeared as a mandolin soloist with the Schwob School of Music Wind Ensemble.

Leonela Alejandro is an Augustine Strings Ambassador and performs on guitars by Stephan Connor and Martin Blackwell.