On March 25th, a Spanish guitar filled a room built for intimacy. At Silvana in New York City, where good food and conversation share the air with live music, guitarist Sandy Ortega brought a setlist of original compositions shaped by centuries of Andalusian tradition and just enough New York City edge to keep the room guessing.
Silvana has a very specific atmosphere. Have you performed there before, or is March 25th your first time on that stage?
I have been there numerous times. The same goes for The Shrine — they are sister venues. It is kind of like gigging at these venues. As for the atmosphere, it is very intimate. There is good food, people talk, and I have no problem with that. YES March 25th!
What does the setlist for March 25th look like — how many pieces, and is there a thread connecting them?
The set list is about ten or eleven songs, all of my own compositions. My whole repertoire consists of my original work. The thread connecting them is a sense of progression — an unfolding that happens as I compose. My hands are not my own; they belong to a higher power.
Is there a moment in the set you’re most looking forward to — a specific piece or transition that you know will hit differently in that room?
I get extremely excited about my compositions, and this really connects with the audience. Yes, I can sense when a composition will hit differently — and when that happens, the result is cheers and “wow” reactions.
What does your day look like on a performance day? Is there a ritual before you pick up the guitar?
My day is really quiet — no practice, just focus leading into the concert. Then I pack up and head to the venue with that same focus. There’s an intensity in the air — not nervousness, but pure intensity.
Spanish guitar carries centuries of geography in its sound — Andalusia, Seville, Granada. When you play in New York, does the city ever bleed into the music, or does the guitar always belong somewhere else?
GREAT QUESTION! Yes this requires some unique thought. It is important. There are centuries behind this sound — it goes back to early Christianity. Spain was great in the Orthodox Church. This is my main influence, along with Andalusia; I am Andalusian. But sometimes I add a little bit of that New York City energy as well.
You’ve described complete control on stage. Has anything ever genuinely surprised you mid-performance — something from the audience or the room that shifted the direction of the night?
Funny — once someone just shouted, “Upbeat!” I was like, what? It actually affected me. I do keep my songs upbeat, though. Yes, I have complete control down to every note.
Outside of Spanish guitar, is there any music, any genre, any era, that has quietly shaped the way you think about composition?
Another great question — they’re all great, actually. I’m really into this. I have a song with a jazz feel, number 40 in the repertoire — it just came out. I also intentionally added a touch of rock into song number 18. I love rock & roll.
After Silvana on March 25th, where does the year take you?
Rehearsals begin in about ten days for a collaboration with a professional dancer with a Lincoln Center and Metropolitan Opera background. I play Spanish guitar, and she dances. WOW!!! AM I EXCITED? Absolutely. Also, the promotion company MPT Agency is taking me to new heights — definitely a career maker. THANK YOU!!!
