Sara Lilu & Alesander Peña
This musical duo was created in 2019 in the vibrant city of Barcelona. The connection between the two musicians emerged almost instantly, and their collaboration has led them to forge a distinctive sound that stands out on the jazz scene in Spain. They not only exhibit a high level of technical skill and conceptual solidity, but also maintain a deep connection with the most visceral essence of music.
Using jazz as a vehicular language, the duo manages to establish a dialogue in which the audience becomes an active participant. They combine their arrangements, sometimes intricate and sometimes simple sketches from which they build, with their ability to improvise. This enables each rendition to be exclusive and unrepeatable, fluently adapting to the particular circumstances of each concert. Sara Lilu & Alesander Peña will release their debut album as a duo this year, 2024.
Sara Lilu is a 22-year-old singer and songwriter from Tenerife. At 16, she headed to Madrid to study Baccalaureate of Performing Arts, together with piano studies at the EMC as an IEA Fellow. Upon meeting her mentor Celeste Alías in 2018, she convinced her to take the entrance exams of the Conservatori Liceu in Barcelona. There she chose and obtained one of the 2 grants awarded by the Ferrer-Salat Foundation to study the Higher Certificate of Jazz & Modern Music, which covered all of her course enrolment.
She has shared performances with artists such as Jorge Pardo, Pablo Selnik, Carme Canela, Albert Bover, Andrew Baker & Bill McHenry at diferenet venues of the country, especially in Catalonia and the Canary Islands. She is currently about to record her project featuring her own compositions, with influences of jazz, R&B, Indie and progressive rock.
Alesander Peña, or Sander, is a prominent guitarist and composer born in 1997 in Castro-Urdiales, Cantabria. He began his musical journey at the age of 8 in his picturesque hometown, playing in local bands and experimenting with recordings. At 18, his training in L’AULA introduced him to the world of jazz, which became his main passion.
At the age of 22, he continued his training at the Centro Superior de Música Liceu (Liceu Music College) with a scholarship from the Ferrer-Salat Foundation and guided by mentors such as Jaume Llombart and Dani Pérez. He developed & expounded his talent at iconic venues of Barcelona such as Jamboree, Gran Teatro del Liceu & La Pedrera, and extended his presence to places such as Madrid, Tenerife and Siena (Italy).
At present, Sander is furthering his musical career outside the academic field, focusing on his personal project “Sander Peña Group”. In addition, he participates in several groups and collaborates in performances and ensembles of prominent musicians of his city. An important step in his career is his next trip to Rio de Janeiro, where he plans to immerse himself in Brazilian culture and music through enriching studies and experiences.
Line-Up:
Sara Lilu: vocals
Alesander Peña: guitar
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