Manuel Santapau began his musical journey in his family environment, where his sister taught him the first chords on the cello. This intimate and close beginning marked the beginning of his career.

A chance encounter with maestro Marçal Cervera changed the course of his life. Under the maestro's guidance, he enriched his technique and deepened his knowledge of the art of playing the cello, developing his skill and sensitivity.

Winner of various national and international cello and chamber music competitions in cities such as Manresa, Almería, Barcelona, Cartagena and Alicante.

At the same time, his curious spirit and open mind led him to explore new musical horizons. In the field of contemporary music, he collaborated with the Grup Instrumental de Valencia and the Ensemble d'Arts, and was a founding member of the Ensemble Espai Sonor.

This ensemble not only allowed him to develop a deep knowledge of current forms of musical expression, but also led him to participate in important international festivals. These include Música Nova in Sao Paulo, the SMASH Festival in Salamanca, ENSEMS in Valencia, the Opus Festival in Bordeaux, Mostra Sonora in Valencia, the Espirales Cycle in Paris and the Klang Cycle in Helsinki.

Her encounters with renowned composers such as Jose Manuel López López, Voro García, Luís de Pablo, Héctor Parra, Alberto Posadas, Aureliano Cattaneo, Elena Mendoza and Georg Friedrich Haas had a profound impact on her artistic development. Such was the admiration she aroused in the community of composers that figures such as Voro García, Miguel Ángel Berbis, Àngela Gómez and David Moliner dedicated works for solo cello to her, further expanding her repertoire and interpretive challenges.

In the pedagogical field, he was a professor at the Conservatorio Superior de Castellón and currently teaches at the Escuela Superior de Música de Alto Rendimiento (ESMAR). In addition, he is the Artistic Director of CellosMagics, a festival dedicated to the dissemination of the cello in its pedagogical and musical aspects, demonstrating his commitment to the training of new generations of musicians.

In addition to being the solo cello player of the Castellón Symphony Orchestra, he is Professor of cello at the "Óscar Esplà" Conservatory of Music in Alicante, where he currently teaches.

He has also made important academic contributions. He holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the Universitat Illes Balears, combining his love of music with a deep understanding of the human brain.