As a result of winning the  Agustin Barrios Competition in 1982 Renato was granted a scholarship to study with maestro Andrés Segovia in Madrid, Spain. From 1983 to 1986 Renato attended master classes with Sila Godoy, Narciso Yepes, Andres Segovia, Jose Tomás, Ernesto Bitetti, Alirio Diaz, David Russell and Eliot Fisk. 

In 1986 moved to Montevideo, Uruguay, to study with Abel Carlevaro.  Studied guitar and harmony in London with Bernard Oram at the  Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1988. 

Renato played in numerous radio and television programs and has toured extensively during the late 80s and early 90s receiving the highest critical acclaims in over 20 countries. 

Has produced 4 CDs and a guitar video and teaches guitar privately in Asuncion and through his website to students in over 60 countries.

He has a BA degree in English and is fluent in English, Spanish and Italian.

He is married to Belén since 1990 with whom he has 8 beautiful children.
 

• My Other Biography

I was literally enlightened in Madrid in 1984. I met José, a tenor who sung with a local choir. He was a happy fellow and seemed to have no trouble accepting that music was his profession and all that he had to do was his very best. He had no "paper dreams", all he focused on was the next performance at a small town Church somewhere in Spain.

We would talk for hours at a time and I could tell from his words that he was at peace.
One memorable Sunday he invited me to attend  Mass near "Plaza Mayor"  at an old Baroque Church, on one of those Madrid streets that seem to be suspended in time. It had been a long time since I had last attended Mass, but I could never say no to José because he earned my complete trust through a deep friendship. He even told me that a great Spanish organist played Bach there on Sunday's Service. How could I possibly say no? We arrived 10 minutes early and we could hear those majestic chords echoing through the narrow streets 3 blocks from the main entrance to the Church. You can only imagine what it was like entering what seemed the "ultimate cathedral", my nostrils filled with candle and my sight and ears totally ecstatic.  I was still daydreaming around when José got on his knees and put his hands together. I was beginning to understand what no words could have explained better. 

I would have liked to imitate José but all I could imitate was his posture, not his intimacy with the Almighty. I wanted to ask him so many questions but it would have been a sacrilege to interrupt him at that point. I turned around and saw the pipes of this 17th century organ and an unforgettable Toccata coming out of them. I felt simply great. A priest was confessing at the far right end of the Church and he must have seen my mixture of indescribable wondering. He made a gesture with his hand like saying "the confessionary is available". I walked the 20 steps towards the confessionary and a thousand things must have gone through my mind. I knelt and told the Priest, "Father I have not confessed in over 5 years, I came with a friend, I am a musician from Italy...", I had just finished muttering these words when he interrupted me saying "Do you practice many hours a day?", I answered "...yes Father I do", he said these words which would forever change the course of my life : "Offer every hour of your practice to God and you will be giving glory to God, sanctify your profession because that is what God calls you to do".

A long confession followed,  I will skip the details, and the greatest peace filled my soul. 

Today, more than 23 years after, I still go back to those words and hold on to them, and they comfort me more and more with each passing day.