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ORLANDO CASTRO - Director

Orlando Castro was born and developed his artistic talents in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico.
He has been performing professionally since 17 years of age in classical, jazz, Afro-Cuban
and all Latin American styles.  Orlando is a successful singer, guitarist, harmonica player and
Afro-Cuban Percussionist and has had many performances in Mexico and throughout Latin
America.  In addition to his performing career, he shares his time and talent teaching the
youth throughout Mexico and California where he was for many years the Music Director of
Rondalla Alisal and Executive Director of the Alisal Center for the Fine Arts.  Beginning this
year, Orlando has taken the position of Music Director for the Mexican Heritage Arts
Corporation, leading music education to schools throughout the bay area with a cultural and
folkloric emphasis.

Orlando Castro is also an accomplished songwriter having penned songs for Luis Miguel, two
of which were on the breakthrough album, "Aries" (WEA 1993), which won the 1994
Grammy Award for best "Latin Pop Album."  Additionally, Tower of Power played on "Que
Nivel De Mujer", yet another one of Orlando's songs on the "Aries" album.  That same year,
Orlando won the coveted BMI's 1994 Song Of The Year award for the song, "Suave", sung
by Luis Miguel. During the same interval in Spain his songs were listed #11 on the billboard
and also peaked at #1 in Argentina with a Platinum Album.
As a solo artist and interpreter of his own works, Orlando is bursting with energy and passion
with full voice and sounds that include his virtuosic harmonica playing accompanied by his
own guitar.
In his latest concert on May 25, 2012, CNN i-Report, wrote “singer-songwriter Orlando
Castro thrilled and captivated the audience with his show "Cuando mi Tierra me Llama".