Born in Caracas, Guevara began his musical studies in the well-known System of Youth and Children’s Orchestras of Venezuela at the age of nine. He received double bass classes with professors Jesús Zambrano and Néstor Blanco, the latter of whom was a student of master Ludwig Streicher. In the years of 2000 and 2001, respectively, he attended the “Interlochen Arts Camp” summer course in Michigan (USA), and from there he entered into the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, having received double bass classes with teachers Laurent Hurst, a professor at the University of Indiana, and Winston Budrow, a professor at the University of Michigan. In the year of 2002, he began his studies at the National Experimental University of the Arts (UNEARTE) in the subject of Instrumental Execution.  That very same year, he was selected by competitive examination to form part of the line of double basses in Venezuela’s Simón Bolívar Symphonic Orchestra, of which he is currently a member, and with which he has gone on several tours throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia. He has received master classes from teachers such as Janne Saksala and Nabil Shehata, both members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, and Waldemar Schwindt, of the Gewandhaus Orchestra of Leipzig.  At present, Juan Manuel is completing his Master’s degree studies at the Berklee College of Music in the city of Valencia.