Originally from Mexico City. He studied classical guitar at the Escuela Superior de Música del Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, under the guidance of maestro Alejandro Méndez. Later, he moved to Chicago to begin his studies in classical guitar with maestro Norman Ruiz, a professor at Columbia College, and Denis Azabagic, at Roosevelt University, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree with honors. As part of his musical education, he has taken masterclasses with world-renowned masters such as Eliot Fisk (USA), Sergio Assad (Brazil), Lorenzo Micheli (Italy), Oscar Ghiglia (Italy), among others. He studied the Universitario de Música Española “Musica en Compostela” course at the University of Galicia, Spain, under the direction of maestro José Luis Rodrigo.
Among his achievements, he has won thirteen international awards in guitar competitions in Mexico, the United States, and Europe, including: Southern Guitar Festival and Competition in South Carolina, USA, 1st Place; Sierra Nevada Guitar Festival and Competition in Reno, Nevada, USA, 1st Place; Illinois Guitar Festival in Chicago, USA, 1st Place; Wheaton Collage Guitar Festival and Competition, 1st Place; University of Colorado Guitar Festival and Competition in Boulder, USA, 2nd Place; University of Colorado Guitar Competition in Boulder, USA, Audience Prize, Boston International Guitar Festival and Competition 3rd Place; World Guitar Competition in Novi Sad, Serbia 3rd Place; International Guitar Festival of Colima Guitarromania 3rd Place, among others.
As a soloist, he has performed at numerous Guitar Festivals in North, Central, and South America, as well as in European countries in venues such as Jordan Hall at New England Conservatory in Boston, USA; Antiguo Colegio de San Idelfonso in Mexico City, Mexico; Teatro Municipal in Caracas, Venezuela; Sala de Conciertos de la Universidad Pedagógica Nacional in Bogotá, Colombia; Teatro Gran Mariscal in Sucre, Bolivia; Bösendorfer Hall in Salzburg, Austria; Maison de l’América Latine in Paris, France; among others. His performances have also been featured on Radio and Television programs such as Univision Chicago, ABC News in Milwaukee, USA, and WBEZ 91.5 FM Chicago Public Radio, to name a few.
His album called “Tales of the Journey” is dedicated to the undocumented Latin community, containing works from the Baroque to the contemporary period, as well as original works for piano and a world premiere of the work Kabalka by composer Orestis Kalampalikis. He has also recorded in collaboration with local artists from Chicago on the album called Pinsel Sountrack 2, where most of the artists involved in social movements are found. He was the host of the program called Inmimusic on CAN TV where he interviewed guitarists from around the world.
He currently directs the Latin American Guitar Festival of Chicago and is also active in teaching as a classical guitar teacher at Muchin College and Orozco Community Academy of Arts. He is part of the team of teachers at the organization Lead Guitar to teach guitar classes in public schools and continues with his master’s studies at Roosevelt University in the City of Chicago. Iván has his own guitar studio where he provides affordable private lessons for the community.