Néstor Garnica, born in 1972 in La Banda, Santiago del Estero, Argentina, is a violinist and folk singer whose career began at the age of fourteen when he joined Los Manseros Santiagueños. His early training was expanded by a scholarship from the Universidad Nacional de Tucumán in 1994, which allowed him to study in Germany and later at the Conservatorio de Rotterdam, where he performed with diverse ensembles including the Orquesta Típica de Tango de Rotterdam and Grupo Mariachi “Tierra Caliente.” In 2002 he released his debut solo album La Fiesta del Violinero, followed by …Y Sigue la Fiesta (2004), Aves de Libertad (2005), Violinero del Tiempo (2008), and Lunita del Violinero(2015); each record featured original compositions and reinforced his reputation as a leading folkloric violinist. Throughout his career, Néstor Garnica collaborated with artists such as Mercedes Sosa, Chango Nieto, and Los Auténticos Decadentes, and he toured extensively across Argentina and Europe. His performances earned him multiple “Consagración” awards at festivals including La Salamanca in 2003, Cosquín in 2004, and the Lapacho in Bolivia in 2009. In 2015 the Legislative Chamber of Santiago del Estero named him “Embajador Cultural,” recognizing his contribution to Argentine folk music. Néstor Garnica continued to record and perform, maintaining a significant presence in the folk music scene.
