The Poetic Music of Paraguay’s Agustín Barrios Mangoré

In 1898, at the age of 13, Agustín Barrios Mangoré began to study the guitar under Gustavo Sosa Escalada. Though he had not formally studied music until this time, Agustin had already composed his own guitar pieces. It was not long before he was recognized as a child prodigy for his brilliant aptitude in music. In 1901, Mr. Sosa Escalada convinced Augstin’s parents to allow their son to further his studies at the Capital’s National High School in Asunciòn, one of Paraguay’s oldest institutions of higher education.