Born in 1985 in Daimiel (Ciudad Real), Manuel Blanco began his trumpet studies very early with Martin Baeza Rubio and José María Ortí Soriano. He currently also receives musical advice from the international concert artist Reinhold Friedrich, showing these three teachers a special interest in their human and professional preparation.

He has won several competitions such as the City of Xátiva, Calviá, Moixent, Jeju (South Korea)... but his great international achievement came after winning the 1st prize at the prestigious ARD Music Competition in Munich 2011, obtaining the highest rating in the history of the competition. This award has only been awarded to two other trumpet players in its 62 editions before Manuel Blanco, with Maurice André being the first to win it in 1963. Blanco is considered to be his legitimate heir.

Since 2006 he has been the principal trumpet of the Spanish National Orchestra.

He has worked as a solo trumpet in first-class orchestras such as Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Philharmonic Radio France, Gustav Mahler Jugend Orchester, European Youth Orchestra, Berlin Staatsoper, Arturo Toscanini Philharmonic, Mozart Bologna Orchestra, Orchestra Teatro alla Scala Milan, Orquesta Santa Cecilia in Rome,... with conductors such as Claudio Abbado, Mariss Jansons, Riccardo Muti, Rafael Früin de Burgos, Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Zubin Mehta, Daniel Barenboim, Yuri Temirkanov, Semyon Bychkov, Riccardo Chailly, Gustavo Dudamel, Andris Nelsons, Josep Pons, Alejandro Posadas, Paul Goodwin, Juanjo Mena, David Afkham, Pablo Heras-Casado, George Pehlivanian, Markus Bosch, Antonio Méndez, Kachun Wong etc.

As a concert player, he has played with the Bavarian Radio Orchestra, Munich Radio Orchestra, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Colombian National Symphony Orchestra, Czech Radio Orchestra, Lithuanian State Symphony Orchestra, Nürnberg Symphoniker, Budapest Chamber Orchestra, Jeju Philharmonic Orchestra, Camerata XXI, Philarmonisches Orchester Würzburg at Mozarfest, Capella Symphonic Orchestra (St.Petersburg), Hofer Symphoniker, Niederrheinische Sinfoniker, Norddeutsch Philharmonie Rostock, Mining Symphony Orchestra, Spanish National Orchestra, Navarra Symphony Orchestra, RTVE Symphony Orchestra, Bilbao Symphony Orchestra, Valencia Municipal Orchestra, and others.

Since 2016, one of his most exciting projects has begun as part of his pedagogical vocation, the “MBTrumpetAcademy”, where he currently brings together the best young talent in the trumpet.

In 2017, his first CD was released, Fearless, recorded for DECCA accompanied by the Spanish National Orchestra under the baton of Josep Pons. Received with great expectation both by critics and the public, this record is a demonstration of the wide repertoire that Blanco can face, including works from all over the history of music, from Haydn to Zimmermann.

In 2018 he was named Favorite Son of Castilla-La Mancha for his great talent and musical virtuosity and in 2019 the City of Daimiel Medal of Honor in recognition of his brilliant career.

In 2019, he received another prestigious award worldwide with the first special prize in the Manhattan International Music Competition.

He teaches the trumpet chair at the prestigious Reina Sofía School of Music, the Conservatorio Superior del Liceu de Barcelona and the Escuela Superior Musical Arts, as well as being a visiting professor at the GMJO.

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