About this vendor
Dr. Guido Sanchez Portuguez, Guitarist, is based in Urbana-Champaign, IL where he is a Professor of Music and Director of Guitar Studies at the University of Illinois. This internationally acclaimed, award winning guitarist can provide music for your wedding ceremony, reception, cocktail hour, or even a romantic proposal moment. Guido’s musical versatility and diverse background allow him to offer both a traditional, classical repertoire and non-traditional wedding alternatives performed on steel-string acoustic or electric guitar, Latin-based themes, and more.
As a classically-trained guitarist and composer with three degrees in guitar, Guido has been performing more than three decades, playing and arranging a vast and diverse array of musical selections that range from traditional (e.g. Mendelssohn’s “Wedding March”, Bach/Gounod’s “Ave Maria”, or Pachelbel’s Canon in D) to customized requests from couples (e.g. Dan Fogelberg’s “Longer”, Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”, or Jason Mraz’ “I’m Yours”).
With Guido, couples can request any song, any style, on any guitar for their special day. That’s because Guido has performed at a professional level in multiple genres. He was the lead guitarist for a thrash-metal band in Latin America in the early 90s; he was also the bassist for a Country music group in the United States; he regularly performs classical music as a soloist, in ensembles, and with symphony orchestras; and Guido recorded and produced albums with grammy-winning vocalists. To learn more about Guido, read an extended biography and listen to albums on his website, GuidoGuitar.com.
Details
Business Attributes
- Hispanic or Latinx-owned Business
Instruments
- Bass
- Guitar
- Ukulele
- Vocals
Music Genres
- Caribbean
- Classical
- Country
- Flamenco
- Folk
- Jazz
Music Services
- Live Music
- Sound Equipment
Wedding Activities
- Rehearsals & Parties
- Rehearsal Dinner
- Welcome Party
- Wedding
- Ceremony
- Cocktail Hour
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Reviews
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5
out of 5.04 reviews
Dr. Guido Sanchez Portuguez performed at our outdoor wedding this past weekend. The music provided the perfect ambiance as guests were arriving and during dinner. Multiple guests a...
sked how I managed to acquire such a talented musician. My favorite was “Where in the heck did she find this guy? He’s incredible!”
We had a professional band playing at the after party, they were setting up during dinner. The band members commented on what a great musician Dr. Guido is. I know what I like, but I think comments from other musicians validates his talent.
I can not forget to mention his assistant Susie. She was exceptionally responsive and accommodating throughout the booking and planning phase, but we learned what a true gem she is on the day of the event.
Unfortunately, it rained on the day of the wedding and we were unable to start setting up for the 6 pm ceremony until 5 pm. We had 3-4 people available to set up and decorate instead of the 9 available earlier in the day. And...those available did not know the plan. (3 were young men)
It was Susie to the rescue. She jumped right in going WAY above and beyond what anyone would have expected. She helped (guided) them through the table decor. It was perfect for what decorations actually made it to them. From the reports I received from multiple family members, “She saved the day!” I can’t thank her enough.
I don’t think you can beat this duo for talent or willingness to make your special event exactly what you envision.
We hired Guido to play both the Ceremony and some of the rehearsal for our son's wedding. We provided Guido some of our requests, and he composed wonderful renditions that flowed ...
seamlessly, all instrumental. What we found most impactful for our event was the care and time Guido took to understand what we wanted and matching the volume to the atmosphere. He played with passion and grace, which made our requests come alive. It was hard not getting emotional while walking down the aisle and during the ceremony. Guido is someone that must be on your list if you are looking for instrumental music without having a full band. He will make your event more special through his renditions and guitar style. We would hire him again in a heartbeat for other events where we would like guitar music behind the scenes, yet right up front for our guests.We hired Guido to play both the Ceremony and some of the rehearsal for our son's wedding. We provided Guido some of our requests, and he composed wonderful renditions that flowed seamlessly, all instrumental. What we found most impactful for our event was the care and time Guido took to understand what we wanted and matching the volume to the atmosphere. He brings his own equipment and tunes for the venue to make sure all guests have the same experience. He played with passion and grace, which made our requests come alive. It was hard not getting emotional while walking down the aisle and during the ceremony. Guido is someone that must be on your list if you are looking for instrumental music without having a full band. He will make your event more special through his renditions and guitar style. We would hire him again in a heartbeat for other events where we would like guitar music behind the scenes, yet right up front for our guests.
Guido performed the music for our wedding ceremony in June and truly made it a day we will remember for the rest of our lives! His skill and expertise with the guitar cannot be emp...
hasized enough with mere words. He was flexible, understanding, and EXTREMELY patient with all of our requests and put in the time to both perfect and exceed all of our expectations. There were a number of things we would have gone back and changed for our wedding day, but choosing Guido to perform the music for the ceremony is one of the very few things that is set in stone!
We felt really lucky that Guido was even available to play for us because we knew he is a phenomenal guitarist. Even in the midst of his busy schedule, he took the time to meet wit...
h us to understand our vision for the wedding and specific songs we wanted him to play. He also had a good array of song suggestions because we didn't know where to start. He accommodated our request every step of the way and took initiatives to coordinate with the other musician that participated in the rehearsal and ceremony because we didn't have a DJ for the wedding. Thanks to his effort and professionalism, the ceremony went without a hitch even thought it was an outdoor wedding in the middle of summer. We highly recommend Guido to other couples!
Contact
guidoguitar.com, Champaign, IL | Illinois, Indiana, Urbana Champaign
Guido Sanchez Portuguez, Guitarist