If a flute could talk and sing, it would certainly be in the voice of Nestor Torres, for he speaks through his instrument. Equally fluent in Jazz, Classical and Latin idioms, his fluid versatility sets him apart.
Born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Mr. Torres moved to NYC with his family in his teenage years and went on to study at Mannes School of Music and later at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. At that time, he was also working in the hottest Latin Dance clubs in the city, where he learned to improvise in the style of a Cuban Dance music called ‘Charanga’, which helped to shape and develop Nestor’s melodic and danceable sound. In the 80s, Nestor moved to Miami, and since then he has - and continues to - tour all over the world. He has performed and recorded with the likes of Ricky Martin, Tito Puente, Herbie Hancock, and Gloria Estefan, as well as concerts with the New World, Cleveland and Singapore Symphony Orchestras. The Flautist has released 18 CDs so far, earning 4 Latin Grammy nominations, a Grammy nomination and 1 Latin Grammy Award for his CD ‘This Side of Paradise’, a bittersweet victory given the fact that the Awards’ ceremony was scheduled for 9/11/2001. That experience inspired him to record the album“Dances, Prayers & Meditations For Peace” which signaled a new departure. The album includes his compositions “Saint Peter’s Prayer” and “The Lotus Sutra of the Wonderful Law”, which Torres performed at lectures given by the Dalai Lama in Miami in 2004 and 2010. Nestor Torres’s recordings are a testament to his broad versatility; from his Salsa and Latin Jazz roots in Nouveau Latino, through traditional Jazz in “Jazz Flute Traditions”, to his first classical album, “Del Caribe, Soy”, a smooth jazz single, “Thank you Willie”, and his most recent production, “Dominican Suite”, his own original sound permeates everything he plays. But there is more to Nestor Torres beyond his music. From Dubai to Medellín, Hiroshima to Jordan, Nestor has spoken as an Ambassador of Culture and Peace alongside authors like Deepak Chopra and Brian Weiss. With Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Oscar Arias, he has discussed the ways in which music and the arts are vital to a culture of peace, while his artistry and sense of mission gained him an audience with HRH Prince El Hassan bin Talal to exchange ideas for establishing a “Parliament of Culture”. For These efforts, in addition to his achievements in the studio and on the stage, Torres has received numerous awards and commendations, including two honorary doctorates for his commitment to youth, education, and cultural exchanges. |