Edina Balczo – Classical & Flamenco Guitarist

I am an award-winning classical and flamenco guitarist and currently the only female flamenco guitarist in the UK. With over 25 years of playing experience and 15 years of teaching, I’ve developed a unique style that blends flamenco, classical, and Spanish guitar traditions.

I began my journey as a self-taught guitarist, but after hearing the beautiful playing of Paco de Lucía, I became passionate about flamenco. I went on to study privately with renowned flamenco guitarists, including Andras Varga, Francisco Antonio, Ramón Ruiz, and Ricardo Marlow, as well as exploring jazz with Adrian Miller and improvisation with Quist. These influences shaped my distinctive and versatile sound.

In 2018, I became a registered guitar tutor, certified by the University of West London (Grade 8 Acoustic Guitar, Distinction). As a performer, I play at 50–100 live events each year and have held a residency at The Ritz London. I have performed at promotional events and campaigns for major brands, including La Española Olive Oil, Cruzcampo, Estrella Galicia, YouTube, and Google, among many others.

I was also invited to appear on the BBC Sounds “Add to Playlist” radio show as a flamenco expert, where I spoke about the artistry and traditions of flamenco guitar.

I am in partnership with the following brands:

Courses & Albums

Beyond performing, I run a successful YouTube channel, The Spanish Guitar Hub, which is approaching 100,000 subscribers. Over the past 20 years, I’ve built a thriving global community, sharing tutorials, performances, and insights into Spanish and flamenco guitar. This has led me to create a series of highly rated guitar courses, available both as video lessons and printed books, with tens of thousands of students worldwide and consistently five-star reviews.

Guitar Courses

  • Spanish Guitar Strumming Techniques (2018, 2nd Edition 2024)
  • Songs for Spanish and Classical Guitar (2020)
  • Play Solos in Spanish and Flamenco Guitar (2021)
  • Music Theory: Learn to Read Rhythm – From Beginners to Mastery (2021)
  • Learn Guitar Chords with Songs and Exercises: Major, Minor & Barre Chords (2022)
  • Learn Guitar Chords with Songs and Exercises: The 7th Chords (2023)
  • 18 Christmas Songs for Classical, Acoustic & Fingerstyle Guitar (2023)
  • Learn to Improvise on Guitar with Exercises (2024)

Album Releases

  • De Fuego – Bluebird (2012)
  • De Fuego – Davide (2015)
  • Edina Balczo – Songs for Spanish and Classical Guitar (2020)
  • De Fuego – Hyperfocus (2023)
  • Edina Balczo – 18 Christmas Songs for Classical, Acoustic & Fingerstyle Guitar (2023)

Other Projects

You can book me or see me performing with the following projects. I am also doing session works and recording sessions for various artists.

De Fuego

Winners of the UK Lukas Latin Awards 2019, De Fuego is a multi award-winning Spanish guitar duo playing energetic instrumental flamenco and rumba music.
 
Performing on average 15 festivals a year De Fuego has played at Glastonbury Festival, Shambala, Secret Garden Party, The Big Feastival, Henley Festival, Rhythm Tree Festival, Sziget Fesztival (HU), Meadows in the Mountains (BU), Vegfest, to name a few, and renounded music venues such as Spice of Life (Soho, London), Green Note (Camden, London), The Ritzy (Brixton, London) as regular guests. De Fuego has also headlined a number of UK festivals and performed across Europe including Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and Hungary.

They have received glowing reviews by many magazines, including The Times, Fatea Magazine, Songlines, F-roots, appeared on BBC Radio, Resonance FM Radio, EFE Spain International and Thames TV. De Fuego have released 3 full length albums: Bluebird (2012), Davide (2015), and Hyperfocus (2023).

https://defuego.co.uk/

Flamenco con Gusto

Solo flamenco guitar accompanied with dance.
 
Danielle’s early training in Ballet and in Musical Theatre have served her well over the many years that she has since dedicated to Flamenco: she teaches Flamenco dance and song to young and old, she offers Taster Clases and demonstrations at schools, colleges, Hen Parties and Care Homes, and she also directs and choreographs ‘Flamenco Musical Dramas’ – her next project is a flamenco adaptation of Romeo & Juliet!