Teresa Laiz
Conductor
Castanet Virtuoso, Performer, Composer, and Educator.
Born in Madrid in 1966, Teresa Laiz has dedicated over three decades to the art of the castanets. Her journey began through intensive training in Spanish Dance under celebrated masters such as Víctor Ullate, Ana Mercedes, Rafael de Córdoba, Candela Soto, La Tani, El Farruquito, Juan Carlos Lérida, and Belén Maya. Until 2003, her professional focus was primarily on Spanish Dance and Flamenco, after which she began creating multidisciplinary performances inspired by the works of Federico García Lorca—integrating theater, music, dance, and castanets.
A turning point in her artistic path came in 2005, when she met Maestro José de Udaeta, who introduced her to the world of Concert Castanets. Their collaboration led to several joint performances, and in 2006, Teresa Laiz embarked on a solo career. Since then, she has composed original castanet scores and performed a wide range of repertoires—including classical, Spanish, and folk—distinguished by their virtuosity and emotional intensity.
An experienced and passionate educator, Teresa has been teaching since 1987. Her expertise spans Classical Ballet, Spanish Dance, Flamenco, Creative and Ballroom Dance, and Castanets. She has taught at numerous institutions, including the prestigious “Amor de Dios” Flamenco and Spanish Dance Center in Madrid. Currently, she is on faculty at the School of Performing Arts Ma non troppo in Madrid.
Teresa’s performance career includes appearances on major radio and television channels (TVE, Telecinco, Cuatro TV, Telemadrid, Rai TV, Canal Nord Catalunya, TV Costa Brava, and more), and on stages across Spain, Italy, France, Austria, and the United States. She has been featured at distinguished festivals such as the International Festival of Porta Ferrada, Festival des Articulés (France), the Catalunya Against Cancer Festival, and the International Castanets Festival, which she founded in 2009—the world’s first and only festival devoted entirely to castanets in all styles.
She has collaborated with a diverse range of musical ensembles, from intimate piano or guitar duos to full symphony orchestras. Her notable performances include appearances at the Liria Palace, the National Auditorium of Spain, Plaza Mayor in Madrid, the Musikverein in Vienna, and Carnegie Hall in New York.
Her stage partners have included world-renowned artists such as Montserrat Martí Caballé, Luis Santana, Marika Spadafino, Carmen Solís, Nancy Fabiola Herrera, Aquiles Machado, Sílvia Pérez Cruz, Clara Montes, José de Udaeta, Antonio Reyes, Adrián Galia, and Sergio Bernal.
Teresa is a two-time winner of the Progressive Musicians International Music Competition, in both the Soloist and Ensemble categories, earning her performances at Carnegie Hall in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, she and soprano Marta Casas won First Prize in the Fanny Mendelssohn International Competition (Professional Chamber Music category).
Her discography includes the solo album Repicando el Alma (2007), as well as collaborations on albums such as Parlem-ne (2008, with Santi Vendrell), Canciones del comer y del beber (2010, with Els que canten), and “Bellas Promesas” (2022, with La Firu). She also performed on the soundtrack of The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, directed by Terry Gilliam, with music by Roque Baños.
As an author, she published Castanet Method by Teresa Laiz, Vol. 1, available on Amazon, and continues to develop further volumes. She also completed formal studies in orchestral conducting at the Navarro Lara School of Orchestra and Band Conducting.
Teresa is the founder and director of the O.I.R. (Orchestra of Rare Instruments) and the Castanets Choir of Madrid. In 2019, she launched the Online Castanets School, offering digital instruction to students worldwide. In 2023, she established the Teresa Laiz International Castanets Competition, which will hold its third edition in February 2025.
In concert, Teresa redefines the castanets as a solo instrument capable of expressing the depth and breadth of musical tradition—from Baroque masters such as Bach and Scarlatti to Spanish composers like Albéniz and Falla, to Catalan, flamenco, jazz, pop, and international folk music. She performs her own original scores, bringing renewed visibility and artistic prestige to this deeply rooted, yet often overlooked, instrument of Spanish culture.
Today, she continues to compose, teach, perform internationally, and lead efforts to preserve and elevate the art of castanets. She is currently preparing the 11th International Castanets Festival and the 3rd Teresa Laiz International Castanets Competition.
Nora Muñoz
Spanish Dance Artist and Castanet Soloist
From an early age, Nora Muñoz began her artistic training in Classical Ballet, Spanish Dance, and Mexican Folklore. She later specialized in Stylized Spanish Dance, Spanish Classical, and Flamenco, studying under renowned Mexican master Oscar Tarriba through the teachings of Ana María Sánchez.
Her formation has been enriched through masterclasses, workshops, and seminars with acclaimed teachers from both Mexico and Spain, deepening her technique and expressive artistry.
Nora has performed as a guest artist in various Flamenco productions and Spanish Classical Dance concerts, and appeared in the opera Carmen at the Apollo Art Performance in California, USA.
As an educator, she has taught Spanish Dance, introductory Flamenco, and Castanets for both public institutions and private organizations, while also directing her own Spanish Dance studio.
In 2023, Nora was awarded Second Prize as one of the four finalists in the 1st Teresa Laiz International Castanet Competition. That same year, she earned her Degree in Concert Castanets from the Teresa Laiz International Castanet School in Spain, a member of the International Dance Council CID–UNESCO.
Currently, she is a member of the Castanet Choir of Madrid, under the direction of Teresa Laiz, where she performs both as a soloist and ensemble artist.
Florencia Fourcade
Dance Educator, Composer, Choreographer, and Castanet Soloist
Florencia Fourcade is an accomplished dance teacher, composer, choreographer, and castanet soloist with over two decades of experience. Since 2000, she has taught at the Elina Molina Estrella Dance School, where she leads classes in Castanets, Classical Ballet, Contemporary Dance, Flamenco, and Spanish Dance. In 2020, she was appointed Director of the school, where she continues to inspire and mentor new generations of dancers.
In 2024, she graduated from the Teresa Laiz International Castanet School, Spain, where she now also serves as a faculty member. Her dual role as performer and educator reflects her commitment to the development of the concert castanet as a solo instrument.
Florencia is a soloist member of the Castanet Choir of Madrid, under the direction of Teresa Laiz, contributing to performances that elevate the castanets in both traditional and contemporary repertoires.
She is also the co-founder of the International Castanet Foundation “Castamusic”, an initiative dedicated to promoting the cultural and artistic value of the castanets worldwide.
Her artistic contributions have been formally recognized by the Senate of Mendoza for her work in cultural development. She has appeared in major events and venues across Argentina, Spain, and New York, earning praise for her expressive performances and original compositions.
In February 2025, Florencia was awarded First Prize in the Concert Castanet Category at the III Teresa Laiz International Castanet Competition, further solidifying her position as a leading figure in this unique musical discipline.
Isabel Alarcón
Dancer and Castanet Soloist
Isabel Alarcón is a Spanish dancer from Madrid, currently based in Seville, Andalucía. A graduate of the prestigious Carmen Amaya Professional Conservatory in Spanish Dance and Flamenco, she was later awarded a scholarship at the Cristina Heeren Foundation of Flamenco Art, where she studied with renowned masters such as Milagros Menjíbar and Javier Barón.
Her talent has been recognized in major flamenco competitions: she was a finalist in the Ubrique Flamenco Competition 2024, as well as in the Federation of Peñas of Málaga (2024) and Seville (2023). In 2024, she won the II Tablao Competition of Casa de la Memoria, one of Seville’s most respected flamenco venues.
In February 2025, she was awarded First Prize in the Category of Castanets for Dance Accompaniment at the III Teresa Laiz International Castanet Competition, highlighting her excellence in this specialized art form.
Isabel has performed on some of Spain’s most iconic stages, including the Royal Theatre of Spain, Gran Teatre del Liceu in Barcelona, and the National Auditorium of Music in Madrid. She is a frequent performer in tablaos and peñas across Andalucía, and also appears as a castanet soloist with orchestras, bringing the rich tradition of Spanish dance and music to concert stages.
Her choreography is deeply rooted in traditional forms, yet transformed by her personal artistry into an elegant, refined, and uniquely expressive style.
Bárbara Martín
Legal Expert, Social Leader, and Castanet Enthusiast
Bárbara Martín holds degrees in Politics and Administration from the Spanish Open University (2018) and Law from the University of Granada (1997). She has also pursued advanced academic and professional training, including:
Master’s in Legal Practices and Procedures (2000)
Master’s in Managing Small and Medium-Sized Companies (1998)
Master’s in Fundraising Management for Non-Profit Organizations (2022)
XI Strategic Management and Social Leadership Program, IESE – University of Navarra (2021)
Her expertise in European and disability law is reinforced by her participation in several specialized programs, including:
15th Intensive Seminar on the European Union, College of Europe, Bruges (2008)
Institutions of the European Union, Spanish Diplomatic School (2007)
International Disability Summer School on the CRPD, National University of Ireland (2012)
Course on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Spanish Open University (2011)
Since 2015, Bárbara has served as Vice-President of the European Blind Union (EBU). She currently leads the Coordination Unit for Institutional Agreements and External Collaborations at ONCE, a role she has held since 2019.
Fluent in Spanish, English, and Italian, Bárbara is also deeply passionate about the arts. In 2021, she began her castanet studies at the Teresa Laiz International Castanet School, joining the Madrid Castanets Choir in 2022. On September 24, 2023, she became the President of the Teresa Laiz Fan Club, a role that reflects her joy in supporting and celebrating this unique musical art form.
Pilar Vita
Castanet Performer and Flamenco Arts Enthusiast
Pilar Vita, born in Granada, holds a degree in Pharmacy and an MBA, and has completed postgraduate studies at the University of Cambridge. Alongside her academic and professional accomplishments, she has maintained a lifelong passion for traditional flamenco music, singing, and dance, which she began exploring at an early age through classes and amateur performance groups.
Pilar has been playing castanets for over 30 years, and in 2022, she deepened her artistic journey by studying under acclaimed castanet soloist and teacher Teresa Laiz. That same year, she joined the Madrid Castanets Choir, founded and directed by Teresa Laiz, where she performs in repertoires spanning classical, Spanish, and popular music.
With the Choir, Pilar has performed in distinguished venues such as the Teatro Flamenco Madrid, Teatro Lara, Teatro Reina Victoria (as part of the IX and X International Castanets Festivals), the Royal Monastery of Santa María de El Paular, San Ildefonso Church, and St. Michael’s Church in Brihuega (Guadalajara).
She continues to expand her knowledge of flamenco through the Flamenco Vivo program—a comprehensive study of flamenco theory and practice offered by the Flamencology Department of the University of Córdoba.
Pilar is also a student member of the International Dance Council CID – UNESCO, reflecting her commitment to lifelong learning and international artistic exchange.
She remains an active member of the Castanet Choir of Madrid, contributing to the revitalization and visibility of castanets as a concert instrument.
Megan Lee
Performer and Member of the Castanet Choir of Madrid
Megan Lee is a New York native whose artistic journey began with the study of piano and ballet, leading to early performances in ballets, operas, and musicals. At the age of 17, she joined the Atlanta Ballet Company, and later appeared in New York summer stock and off-Broadway productions.
Her career took her abroad to France, where she toured for several years with a French musical group, blending her love of music and stage performance.
After some time away from the stage, Megan rediscovered the joy of music and movement through her participation in Teresa Laiz’s Castanet Choir, an unexpected and fulfilling return to her artistic roots. She continues to explore the expressive power of castanets as part of this unique ensemble.