MUSE • Musicians United for Social Equity

Biography

Juan Carlos Rodriguez, born in Naranjito, Puerto Rico, is an active guitarist and conductor in the Musical Theater scene. His experience conducting and/or playing guitar includes Rent, Godspell, Annie, Peter Pan, La Cage Aux Folles, Footloose, Mary Poppins, Sister Act, Once on this Island, Spring Awakenings, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mamma Mia, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, Phantom of the Opera, Cabaret, Little Women and lately on the Puerto Rican cast of In the Heights, West Side Story and On Your Feet.

In 2021 he had his debut as a composer with the piece Cuatro: Un Musical, commissioned by the Institute of Culture of PR for its Legacy Project Series. 

He is currently the guitar player and background vocalist for the Grammy Winner, Ednita Nazario. A latin pop star with whom he has stepped on important venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, House of Blues, Lehman Center and in the Coliseum of Puerto Rico. 

As an independent musician, his list of collaborations with artists either on recording or live include Luis Fonsi, Beto Cuevas (La Ley), I’l Divo, Miss World Orchestra, José Feliciano, Lucecita Benítez, Olga Tañón, , Pandora, Ivy Queen, Tommy Torres, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Braulio, Black Guayaba, Danny Rivera, Roy Brown, Chucho Avellanet, Lissette, Orquesta Filarmónica, Cucco Peña, Symphonic Orchestra of Puerto Rico and others. 

He holds a Master’s Degree in Music Education from Cambridge College, Boston MA. For more than two decades he’s been working as a Professor in prestigious institutions such as Interamerican University of Puerto Rico and Universidad Sagrado Corazón where he taught Popular Guitar, Music Theory, History of Classical Music, Musical Ensembles and Music Production. He was also part of Colegio San Ignacio’s faculty, being a leader in the curricular design of it’s newest musical program for middle and high school students.