The passion for music and language, the curiosity about the world and its people, and the love for communication are the three aspects that shape Juan Antonio’s professional journey. For more than 35 years, he has been developing and perfecting this recipe, which has made him a global reference in the dissemination of music rooted in the heritage of the peoples.
In addition to his consistent work across various media, primarily radio, Juan Antonio is the founder and administrator of the global network of specialized disseminators Transglobal World Music Chart, as well as the LIMúR (Iberian Roots Music Chart). He is a regular jury member at international music competitions and has given talks about world music at events in Europe and Asia.
Currently, Juan Antonio produces Mundofonías, a radio program with two weekly one-hour broadcasts, aired on more than 50 stations in 18 countries across Europe and the Americas. He also produces Mil mundos on Radio Clásica and Mil mundos en Radio 5, both on Radio Nacional de España (Spanish National Radio). Additionally, on Radio 5, he hosts El palabrero, a program about something that’s always on everyone’s lips: words.
(Text: Araceli Tzigane)
- Bachelor in Information Sciences, specialisation in Audio and Visual Image Sciences, Universidad Complutense de Madrid
- Master’s degree in Radio RNE (Radio Nacional de España / Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
- On the radio airwaves since 1987
- RNE’s (Spain’s National Radio) contributor in 1994 and from 2008 until now
- Contributor for the national radios of Belgium (RTBF) and Colombia (RNC)
- In specialised press since 1991 (1)
- In charge of the World Music and Flamenco sections at AudioClásica magazine (1997-2008)
- Author of the Pequeña Guía de los Instrumentos del Mundo (Little Guide about the Instruments of the World), in collaboration with Fundéu
- Compiler and author of the liner notes of The Ultimate Guide to Spanish Folk and The Best of Transglobal World Music Chart 2020 (ARC Music)
- Singer, guitar, flute and percussion player, composer and producer at Les Croque-Notes, Mopongo and aVoleo.
- DJ at Círculo de Bellas Artes, Suristán, Gruta 77, Café de La Palma, Lamala…
Current radio programs:
- 1987-Now: Sailing through one thousand radio airwaves since 1987 (2)
- 2009-Now: –> Mundofonías (formerly on Radio Exterior–RNE; currently on 51 radio stations in 18 countries) – Continuation of Mapamundi (2001-2009)
- 2012-Now: El Palabrero (Radio 5–RNE)
- 2016-Now: Mil Mundos (Radio Clásica-RNE)
- 2024-Now: Mil mundos en Radio 5 (Radio 5-RNE)
Highlighted previous radio programs and collaborations on radio:
- 1991-1995: Insospechópolis (Onda Verde)
- 1991-1994: Collaborations on El Club de la Noche (Cadena SER); Vente Conmigo (Radio 1-RNE); Diario Hablado Cultural, Españoles en el Mundo, Vacaciones en España (Radio Exterior-RNE)…
- 1994–1998: Levando Anclas (Efe Radio–Agencia Efe) (3)
- 2001–2009: Mapamundi (Radio Círculo, Radio Universidad de Guanajuato, Rádio Filispim, Ràdio País…)
- 2007–2015: Collaborations on Le Monde Est un Village radio show (La Première-RTBF, Belgium)
- 2008–2010: Collaborations on Travesías radio show (Radio Exterior–RNE)
- 2009: O Tragasons (Rádio Filispim, Radio ELA, FM LaTribu Buenos Aires)
- 2012–2013: Portugaleando (Radio 5-RNE)
- 2013–2017: En Concierto (Radio 5-RNE)
- 2019: Temas de Música: Gamelán (Radio Clásica-RNE)
- 2018-2021: Collaborations on Músicas del Mundo radio show (Radio Nacional de Colombia)
- 2019-2021: A la Fuente (Radio Clásica-RNE)
- 2018-2022 La Ruta de las Especias (Radio Clásica–RNE)
Conferences, lectures, panel discussions, interviews… about world music:
- Sharq Taronalari (Samarkand, Uzbekistan)
- Indonesian Music Expo (Ubud, Bali, Indonesia)
- Journey to Korean Music (Seoul, South Korea)
- Jeonju Sori International Festival (Jeonju, South Korea)
- Bahkshi Art Festival (Termez, Uzbekistán)
- Globaltica (Gdynia, Poland)
- Iberian Festival Awards (Portugal)
- Festival de Música Visual Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain)
- Czech Music Crossroads (Ostrava, Czech Republic)
- ArtForum Without Borders (Balchik, Bulgaria)
- ArtForum Without Borders (Albena, Bulgaria)
- Conservatories, high schools, cultural centres…
- Interviewed on Spain’s National Radio (Radio 3 and Radio 5), Bulgarian National Radio, Slovakian National Radio , Rádio Galega, Euskadi Irratia, Aragón Radio, Onda Madrid, The Telegraph (India), El Espectador (Colombia), Sori TV (Korea)…
- Event presenter at: Plaza Mayor de Madrid, Centro Cultural Conde Duque (Madrid), Parapanda Folk…
Creator and administrator:
- Transglobal World Music Chart (network of +60 specialised journalists on world music from the 5 continents), co-creator and co-administrator
- LIMúR (Iberian Roots Music Chart), creator and administrator
Member of the jury (past and present):
- Transglobal World Music Chart (international), co-creator and co-administrator
- LIMúR (Iberian Roots Music Chart, international), creator and administrator
- Aga Khan Music Awards (international), nominator
- Russian World Music Awards (Russia)
- Sori Frontier Award (South Korea)
- Premios MIN de la Música Independiente (Spain)
- Iberian Festival Awards (Portugal / Spain)
- Folk Spot Denmark (Denmark)
- Premio Andrea Parodi (Italy)
- WOMEX Label Awards (international), as member and administrator of the Transglobal World Music Chart
- The Afro Pépites Show (international), member of the Committee
- Premio Audiciones (Fundación Canal, Spain)
- fRoots Critics Poll Albums of the Year (UK)
- Premio Leyenda del Flamenco (Spain), advisor
- Transglobal World Music Festival Awards (international), evaluator
- Transglobal World Music Hall of Fame (international), judge in all three categories
- Balkan World Music Charts
Awards:
- Comunicando al Son 2016 (given by the festival Al Son de la Subbética, Spain)
- The 27th Miguel Delibes National Journalism Award, granted to Radio 5 for its programs about languages and words, including El palabrero by Juan Antonio Vázquez.
Programmer / Program advisor:
- Advisory Board for the Opening Ceremony of WOMEX 2017 (Katowice, Poland)
- Festival Bons Sons (Portugal)
- Mundofonías series (Café Teatro de Valdemoro, Madrid)
- Escalamundos series (La Escalera de Jacob, Madrid)
- Sábados de Músicas del Mundo -World Music Saturdays- (Sala Colonial, Madrid)
(1): El País, Popular 1, World Music 1, Música Global, Rock Sound, Tierra, Ritmos del Mundo, Batonga!, Interfolk, La Más Bella, Interferencias, Publituris, Musicasdelmundo.com…
(2): Radio 1 (RNE), Radio Clásica (RNE), Radio 5 (RNE), Radio Exterior de España (RNE), EFE Radio, Cadena SER, La Première (RTBF, Belgium), Radio Nacional de Colombia, Tele K, Radio Iris, Radio Las Águilas, Onda Verde, Onda Latina, Radio Resistencia, Radio Fórum Getafe, RKR Las Rozas, Radio ELO, Radio ELA, Radio Círculo, Rádio Filispim, FM La Tribu, M21 Radio…, plus all the stations broadcasting (and that have broadcasted) Mundofonías (+50) and Levando anclas (+80).
(3): This programme was broadcasted on more than 80 radio stations in Spain and America.