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Western Australia

Alan Banks. Classical guitar Magazine describes Alan Banks as "a guitarist of truly outstanding ability… without a doubt a distinguished new talent". His playing has been described by critics as "Flawless" and "…drawing gasps of amazement from the audience". Alan has performed extensively in Australia including performances at the 1999 Darwin International Guitar Festival and Concerto performances with the WA Symphony Orchestra. He has also recorded for ABC Classic FM Radio and performed on Australian TV documentary, "Postcards". In September 2000 Alan was awarded a grant by the Australia Council for the Arts enabling to pursue his career in Europe. Since September 2000 Alan has studied with world-renowned Spanish/English guitarist Carlos Bonell and given performances throughout the UK and in Europe. In September this year Alan gave a stunning London debut at St Martin-in-the-fields, Trafalgar Square where he was called back to the stage an amazing six times!

Duncan Gardiner. Duncan started learning the guitar at the age of 9. In 2004 Duncan received the Licentiate of Music Diploma with distinction from the AMEB winning the J.B. Vincent memorial prize for being the most outstanding candidate. Duncan enjoys participating with a wide range and chamber music groups as well as being a member of Perth based acclaimed guitar orchestra, Guitarstrophe!. Duncan's recent concerto engagements included performances of the Villa-Lobos guitar concerto with the Fremantle Symphony Orchestra, a performance of the Vivaldi lute concerto in D with the WAYO Collegium string orchestra, the Carulli guitar concerto with the Cherubini string quartet, and a performance of the Nigel Westlake 'Antarctica Suite' with the Perth Camerata as well as several other performances of the same work with piano reduction.

Milica Ilic. Milica has been described as 'a rising star in the world of classical guitar music'. Ever since accompanying the world famous tenor, Mr Jose Carreras, with Singapore Symphony Orchestra in Singapore and Angkor Wat (Cambodia), Milica has had a busy schedule of performances. This First Class Honours Music Graduate, from the University of Western Australia, has completed her music studies under the guidance of the renowned guitar teacher Mr Casey. Moreover, in 2000-2001 period, Milica successfully completed a four month program of music studies with Czech guitar virtuoso Stepan Rak, Professor of Guitar at the Academy of Musical Arts in Prague.

Duo Lenz . Ruth Lenz - Richard Lenz, Internationally Acclaimed Classical Guitar Duo. Gitarr och Luta wrote ... One of the most together Guitar Duos I have ever heard, about Duo Lenz. It is their unique stage presence and skill that has led this dynamic duo to appear in numerous recitals and tour many countries, performing their broad and exciting repertoire on Early Romantic and Modern Classical Guitars.

Jonathan Paget. Recently returned from an extensive sojourn in the U.S., Jonathan Paget now teaches at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, the University of Western Australia, and at various schools around Perth.

Anthony Garcia. Australian Guitarist / Composer Anthony Garcia is regarded as a musician with enormous creativity, technical mastery and artistic expression. He holds a deep appreciation for the line that connects all musical genres into a timeless spiral, something that is subsequently reflected in his compositional style. Works such as The Merida Suite and The Tyalgum Suite both demonstrate an amalgam of folk music with jazz, classical and contemporary styles that create an original yet accessible new sound. Anthony has performed extensively both in Australia and Mexico as a soloist, with orchestras, and in a range of ensembles including folkloric groups. While in Mexico he was privileged to perform in a number of exotic locations such as the Mayan ruins of Uxmal. Since returning to Australia he has performed at the "Tyalgum Classical Music Festival", the Byron Bay Arts Centre, in the series "Music on the Water", for the "Friends of the ABC" and performed recently for the first time, a full program of his own music at the 4MBS Performance Theatre. The CD "Desde Merida" has been receiving airplay on the ABC Classic FM "Drive" program. His first CD of original work will be released in August/September 2004. Anthony recently received a grant from the federally funded Contemporary Music Touring Program initiative where he performed and gave workshops throughout rural NSW and QLD during September 2004. 2005 is developing into an exciting year for Anthony. He has been invited to perform at the Sydney Guitar Societies annual "Summer School" in January 2005, February will take him across the country to Perth where he will perform on behalf of the WA Guitar Society a recital of his own compositions and has been invited to give a number of educational workshops to music teachers of Western Australia focusing on improvisation and his "one world one one music" methodology. In March he will be performing at the Frankston International Guitar Festival and then home again to perform in Brisbane in April 2005.

Guitar ensembles

GUITARSTROPHE! The Western Australian Guitar Ensemble Inc. has become the world benchmark for both large guitar ensembles, and musical youth groups alike. Guitarstrophe! has introduced a level of musicianship and refinement to the guitar ensemble idiom which has for a long time been regarded as unattainable by musicians of all persuasions, including guitarists. The members of Guitarstrophe! are high school and tertiary students. Apart from the odd true blue Australian its membership has a variety of cultural and ethnic backgrounds such as Austrian, Bosnian, British, Canadian, Colombian, Dutch, Estonian, Indonesian, Irish, Italian, Greek, Malaysian, Serbian, Singaporean and Sri Lankan. Guitarstrophe! is therefore a melting pot of cultures, and accordingly a microcosm of what society should be; everyone working for the common good. This diversity seems to contribute to the group’s success. The age of the members range from 12 to 24 years, but despite this they are identified as one of the leaders in the guitar ensemble genre, irrespective of age.

International

Try viewing some of the world's international guitarists, such as those listed below.

Ana Vidovic. Though barely twenty three years of age, Ana has already won an impressive number of prizes and international competitions all over the world. Those include first prizes in the Albert Augustine International Competition in Bath, England, the Fernando Sor competition in Rome, Italy and the Francisco Tarrega competition in Benicasim, Spain. Other top prizes include the Eurovision Competition for Young Artists,the Mauro Giuliani competition in Italy, the Printemps de la Guitare in Belgium and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York.

Saffire, The Australian Guitar Quartet. The members of Saffire - The Australian Guitar Quartet are four of the most successful and talented guitarists that Australia has produced - Gareth Koch, Antony Field, Karin Schaupp and Slava Grigoryan. The group formed spontaneously in 2002 for a large outdoor concert, playing to some 2000 people. Based on the success of this concert and their synergy as an ensemble, the four soloists decided that Saffire should become a permanent ensemble.

DUO46. New music for guitar and violin