He began his music studies in the public school system at the age of eleven. It was not until he attended Vidal M. Trevino Magnet School of Fine Arts and Communication, that he began taking cello lessons with Ms. Stacy Weill. After graduating, he attended the West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where he furthered his cello studies with Professor Emmanuel Lopez and conducting with Dr. Douglas Morrison. In 2008, he acquired his Bachelor’s Degree with an emphasis in Music Education. In 2010, Guillermo received his first Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where he was selected to be the Strings Initiative Graduate Assistant for 2008-2010 school year. There, he was under the tutelage of the cello Professor Dr. Wesley Baldwin and conducting mentor James Fellenbaum. As a Strings Initiative Graduate Assistant, he worked in the Knoxville Community Outreach Strings Program.
Guillermo was honored to be one of three to receive the Outstanding Soloist Award in the Blue Bonnet Music Festival held in San Antonio, Texas. Other honors include performing in the Special and Honors Student Recitals at the West Texas A&M University. Repertoire for this included the Lalo Cello Concerto, Haydn Cello Concerto and Brahms Sonata No. 1. In 2017, Guillermo won the Concerto Competition at the University of Nevada, Reno and Reno Pops Orchestra in collaboration with his fellow colleague, Maya Dimitroff. They were featured performing Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Cellos in G minor with both orchestras.
Additionally, Guillermo has performed with various orchestras in Texas, Tennessee, Nevada and California. He currently performs with the Lake Charles Symphony Orchestra, Brazosport Symphony, and Houston Latin Philharmonic. As a chamber musician, he is the co-founder and cellist of Amaretto String Quartet and has performed in the Nightingale String Quartet, Palo Duro Quartet, WTAMU Quartet, and the Trio di Nozze. He is also the founder of the Amarillo Cello Choir, Laredo Cello Choir, and Reno Cello Choir, with whom he has performed the Villa-Lobos Bachianas Brasileiras No. 1, the Vivaldi Concerto Grosso and more.
In past summers, he has participated in several music festivals around the U.S. In 2002, he was a cello instructor for the Vidal M. Trevino Summer Strings Camp. In 2005, he was a Teaching Assistant at the Interlochen Center for the Arts Summer Camp in Interlochen, Michigan. In 2006, he was part of the Quartet in Residence at the American Festival for the Arts in Houston, Texas. He also held an Apprenticeship at the Hot Springs Music Festival in Hot Springs, Arkansas for two consecutive years. In 2009, he was a Chamber Coach Instructor at the WTAMU Strings Institute, and was the Discovery Strings Program Director and Cello Coach at the Oak Ridge Summer Conservatory. He also participated in the 2008 and 2009 Tennessee Cello Workshop, held in Knoxville, Tennessee. In 2014, he participated again in the Hot Springs Musical Festival. In 2016, he was a cello instructor for the Reno Pops Orchestra Summer Camp. Currently, Mr. Teniente works at the International Cello Institute which is held at St. Olaf College, in Northfield MN.
