Meet Yalil Guerra of Northridge

Today we’d like to introduce you to Yalil Guerra.

Hi Yalil, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I began my musical journey at an early age, growing up in a deeply musical family. My parents, the renowned Cuban vocal duo Rosell y Cary, gave me the most important gift of all: music. Alongside my sister Yamila, I began performing and touring throughout Cuba as a child, an experience that shaped both my artistic identity and my understanding of music as a living, shared language.

I later pursued formal training at the National School of Music in Havana, graduating in 1991. Even before completing my studies, I began to gain international recognition: in 1990, at just 16 years old, I was awarded Runner-Up and a Special Prize at the Classical Guitar Competition in Kraków, Poland.

In 1993, I moved to Spain to continue my studies at the Superior Conservatory of Music in Madrid, further deepening my classical guitar and compositional training. In 2000, I relocated to the United States, where I spent over 15 years working at Univision Networks as a producer, composer, and arranger, gaining extensive experience in media, production, and large-scale music creation.

My academic path continued alongside my professional career. In 2016, I earned a Master’s degree from Shepherd University, and in 2021 I completed my Ph.D. in Composition and Music Theory at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

I am a Latin GRAMMY® Award winner and eight-time nominee as a composer and producer. Through my label, RYCY Productions, I have amassed a total of fourteen nominations and earned two awards as an independent artist and record producer. My work has also been recognized with major honors, including the Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship, Cintas Foundation Fellowship, Lalo Schifrin Scholarship, and Family Wise Scholarship.

As a creative leader and entrepreneur, I founded the Guerra String Orchestra (GSO), where I serve as Artistic Director and Conductor, as well as the Hispano String Quartet (HSQ), ensembles dedicated to expanding the string repertoire and elevating Ibero-American and underrepresented voices within classical music. I also serve as Musical Director of the Yamila Cuban Latin Band. Together, these projects reflect my commitment to artistic excellence, cultural dialogue, and community engagement.

Through my independent label, RYCY Productions, I have produced and released dozens of albums across classical and contemporary genres, contributing to a body of work that has received international recognition.

In parallel, I have maintained an active career as an educator. I currently serve on the faculty of Los Angeles College of Music, Pasadena City College, Ventura College, Moorpark College, Antelope Valley College, and the College of the Canyons, and have previously taught at UCLA, Shepherd University, University of La Verne, and Cal Poly Pomona.

Beyond performance, composition, and teaching, I regularly publish essays and cultural commentary in Diario Las Américas and other platforms, addressing music, identity, history, and the evolving realities of today’s music industry.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Nothing in my journey has been easy or linear. Along the way, I encountered countless rejections and doors that never opened, which compelled me to build my artistic identity and professional brand entirely from scratch. I did not inherit a recognizable last name to carry forward as an artist; my parents’ stage name was a combination of their first names rather than a family surname. As a result, I had to earn visibility, credibility, and recognition on my own—step by step, project by project.

In addition, I left my homeland and began again from zero in Spain, and later once more in the United States, moving through different cities in both countries. Each relocation meant rebuilding networks, audiences, and opportunities, but it also shaped my artistic voice, resilience, and sense of purpose.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What sets me apart as a composer is that my work does not belong to a single category. I move fluidly between classical music, film music, and Cuban popular music, not as separate paths but as interconnected languages that shape a unified artistic voice. Rhythm, form, orchestration, and narrative function as shared tools across everything I write, allowing each genre to inform and enrich the others.

I am known not only for my compositional work, but also for building platforms rather than waiting for permission. I founded the Guerra String Orchestra (GSO), where I serve as Artistic Director and Conductor, with a mission to expand the string repertoire and champion underrepresented voices in classical music. I also founded the Hispano String Quartet, born from the need for an ensemble of Hispanic classical musicians fluent in both Western classical tradition and Hispanic musical language. These projects reflect a core belief of mine: composers have a responsibility not only to create music, but to create the spaces where that music can live and be heard.

At the same time, I remain deeply connected to my Cuban roots. In Los Angeles, I serve as Musical Director of the Yamila Cuban Latin Band, led by my sister, Yamila Guerra. Through this project, we continue a family tradition that bridges generations, genres, and communities, performing at major cultural and community events while preserving and evolving Cuban popular music.

What I am most proud of is sustaining a career that balances artistic excellence, cultural identity, and real-world impact. My work is grounded equally in scholarship and practice: rigorous academic training informs the structure and depth of my music, while decades of experience in performance, production, and media ensure it communicates honestly and effectively. I write from lived experience rather than trends or formulas, and that balance—between discipline and emotion, tradition and innovation—is what truly defines my work.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
My principal mentors have always been my parents, the Cuban vocal duo Rosell y Cary. They instilled in me not only musical foundations but also the human values, discipline, and artistic integrity that shaped my personality and musical taste from the very beginning.

Equally essential in my artistic life is my sister, Yamila Guerra, whose creativity, intuition, and strength continue to surprise and inspire me. She has been a constant creative force and a deep source of motivation throughout my journey.

I also want to acknowledge the central role my wife plays in my life and career. Her unwavering support has been fundamental to everything I do. She not only believes in my music but actively participates in my artistic path, performing in my musical endeavors and standing beside me through every creative challenge and achievement.

Beyond my family, I have been fortunate to learn from and collaborate with remarkable mentors and colleagues who contributed profoundly to my development. Among them are Aurelio de la Vega, Jorge Luis Zamora, Gabriel Estarellas, Ian Krouse, David Lefkowitz, Daniel Vega, and many more. Each of them shaped my thinking, discipline, and confidence as an artist in unique and lasting ways.

Finally, I am deeply grateful to the many artists—past and present—who have entrusted their talent and vision to me. Their confidence has reinforced my belief that music is ultimately built on collaboration, trust, and shared purpose.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.yalilguerra.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yalilguerracomposer/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yalilguerrafanpage
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yalilguerra/
• Twitter: https://x.com/YalilGuerra
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/rycyproductions