Acclaimed as an innovative artist, Tomás Martín is one of the most captivating and outstanding castanet soloists of today. His virtuosity and the new approach he brings to castanets has sparked the interest of contemporary composers in creating works for this instrument.

 

In January 2025, he will make his debut at the Cartagena International Music Festival ( Colombia) with the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra and with Thierry Fischer as conductor, performing the "Four scenes from the Spanish Suite for castanets and orchestra" (Albéniz/Chaviano), a work that was commissioned and premiered at the 34th León Spanish Music Festival. In addition, at this same festival, he collaborated with the Nous Quartet and guitarist Rafael Aguirre, performing Boccherini's Fandango.

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In March 2025, he premiered Sonatas (84–88) and Fandango for castanets and orchestra by Antonio Soler, arranged by Flores Chaviano, with the Stat Sibiu Philharmonic (Romania). This extensive and demanding score represents both an artistic challenge and a valuable contribution to the repertoire of the castanets as a solo instrument.

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That the same summer (2025), he took part as a castanets soloist in a concert tour with the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra, performing a program entirely devoted to Spanish music, conducted by Maestro José Luis López Antón—an artistically ambitious project with significant projection.

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In July 2026, he will premiere “El mirlo blanco: Six Dances for Castanets and Orchestra—Dance of the Miller’s Wife, Dance of the Miller, Dance of Terror, Ritual Fire Dance, Dance No. 2, and Dance No. 1 from La vida breve” by Manuel de Falla/Martín, a work commissioned by the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the birth of our most illustrious composer, alongside Maestro Sylvain Gasançon.

 

He has collaborated with conductors such as Alejandro Posada, Roberto González-Monjas, Thierry Fischer, Damiano Tognetti, Lucas Macías, Giancarlo Marcianò, and Oliver Díaz, and with orchestras including the Sicilian Symphony Orchestra, the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra, the State Philharmonic of Sibiu, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, the Málaga Philharmonic Orchestra, the Iberacademy Symphony Orchestra (Medellín), the Pitești Philharmonic (Romania), the Oviedo Filarmonía Orchestra, the City of León Orchestra, the La Mancha Philharmonic Orchestra and the Primitiva de Llíria Band.

 

He has also appeared at festivals such as the 35th Ponferrada International Guitar Festival and the 38th León Spanish Music Festival alongside guitarist Javier Verdugo (Martín-Verdugo Duo), the 33rd Medina del Campo International Music Week (with Sexteto iberyCAS), and with the Iberia Marimba Ensemble.

 

Conductor and founder of the CAMerata IberyCAS, which combines the classical string orchestra and castanets as a solo instrument, its main objective is to spread the Spanish chamber repertoire. In the 2020/2026 seasons he has premiered works dedicated to him by the composers as: Flores Chaviano, Israel López Estelche, María José Cordero, José Zárate and Joaquín Gericó. His performances have been broadcast on Radio Clásica, Televisión Española and on the AllegroHD Channel specialized in classical music for Latin America. He has recorded the album “ Esencias ” dedicated to Spanish music together with the Camerata Clásica de Ponferrada.

 

Born in Madrid (1970), he is currently Assistant Timpani Soloist in the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra, Professor of Percussion at the Castilla y León Conservatory (1995-2023). In addition, he has a diploma in Articular Osteopathy and therapeutic massage, specializing in the treatment and recovery of musicians affected by musculoskeletal injuries. PhD from the University of Valladolid. He plays with Jale black granadillo castanets sizes 5-8 .