Composer and guitarist, born in Dominican Republic (“D.R.”) on March 7, 1980. Ocaña became a Spanish citizen in 2007. From an early age, he discovered his love for music. At the age of 5 he started taking piano and violin lessons, and at 12 he began playing what is today his main instrument, the guitar. He studied at the National Conservatory of Music of the D.R. with the recognized guitarist Rubén González. In 1998, he received a scholarship to study guitar and composition at Manhattanville College New York (“NY”). He has also studied guitar with Benjamin Verdery and composition with Ingram Marshall and Mary Ann Joyce. In NY he worked with important musical figures such as Elliot Magaziner (for many years he conducted the Frank Sinatra Orchestra). While at Manhattanville College, Ocaña received the “Senior Josephine Morgan Award” from the music department for his professional and academic achievements. In 2002, after finishing his studies in NY, he decided to live in Madrid where he studied composition with Jesus Torres and guitar with Jose Luis Merlín.
In 1999 and 2001, he offered the opening act for Gonzalo Rubalcaba at the National Theater of D.R. In 2001, he recorded his first album titled “A Paso de Cebra” (Zebra’s Pace) along with the pianist Sebastian Lerner. In 2003, he offered the opening act for Egberto Gismonti at the National Theater of D.R. For this event, Ocaña integrated the percussion in his music having the pleasure to perform with Guarionex Aquino. In 2004, he received two important awards for his guitar compositions, the “Francisco Tárrega Award” in Spain and the “Casa de Teatro Award” in D.R.
Ocaña performs his music at important concert halls in Spain: Casa de América, El Círculo de Bellas Artes, La Casa de La Moneda, La Fídula, Rincón del Arte Nuevo and Clamores. Between 2005-2006 he presented over 50 concerts in Spain.
In the summer of 2006, he released his second album titled “Anthony Ocaña” which is a compilation of compositions he wrote between 2003 and 2006. Several Dominican artists where invited to participate in this album: Guarionex Aquino, Esar Simó, Sebastián Lerner, Isidro Bobadilla and Maridalia Hernández. In February 2007, he performed at the prestigious “Palacio Foz” in Lisbon, Portugal; this concert was retransmitted throughout Portugal´s National Radio. In March 2007, Ocaña presented an important tour in D. R. In November 2007, he participated in the “Jazz Festival of Madrid”.
In 2008, Ocaña released his album “Solo”, and was chosen to participate in the Circuitos de Música Injuve (Youth Music Circuit, sponsored by the Spanish National Institute for Youth). At the same time he worked on different projects such as a Homage to Henry Purcell (www.24strings.com) and AmericAME (www.americame.blogspot.com).
In 2009, Ocaña was invited to participate at the prestigious “Iberoamerican Guitar Festival” in Washington D.C. and the “Chamber Music Festival” of Villaviciosa de Odón. He also presented his music in Paris.
On August of 2009, he presented two important concerts in the D.R. at the prestigious “Palacio de Bellas Artes” of Santo Domingo and at “Centro León” of Santiago de los Caballeros. After completing these two concerts, he recorded his fourth album, “Wet Fields” which will be released with a bonus album that will contain the concert he performed in “Palacio de Bellas Artes”. This double album will be released in October, 2009.
