Andrew Blanch Announces Australia/New Zealand Tour

Andrew Blanch is at the forefront of young Australian musicians taking their place on the international music stage. The Sydney-based guitarist has won major prizes in ten music competitions both nationally and internationally, including First Prize at the Melbourne International Guitar Competition in 2016.

His debut solo CD Spanish Guitar Music was released last year to international acclaim, with the USA's Soundboard Magazine declaring: "This is one of the best debut albums I have ever heard".

He has scheduled a series of concerts in the coming months in concert venues such as the Utzon Room of the Sydney Opera House (as part of the Classical Guitar Festival Sydney), Melba Hall in Melbourne (as part of the Melbourne International Guitar Festival), as well as smaller and very intimate house concerts.

"I performed in the Sydney Opera House's Concert Hall in 2010 as part of the 'Encore Series' showcasing a selection of the best HSC music performances," says Andrew. "I only performed one piece however, but 7 years later I'm returning for a full solo recital in the Utzon Room.

"I have only recently returned from six years living and studying in Canberra, as well as a short stint in Paris," he adds. "So to move back to my hometown and perform in one of Australia's most iconic venues, a venue I'm lucky enough to see across the harbour on a daily basis on my morning run, is a little heart-warming."

But he sees an importance in balancing higher profile concerts with performances that are more community based: "House concerts are a lovely way to enjoy music both as performer and as audience member - and I have been both many times.

"It's a very intimate context, and one particularly suited to the beautiful timbres of the guitar. The recent surge in the popularity of house concerts these last few years heralds a return to the ways the classical guitar used to be enjoyed in the 19th century, in small 'salon' style concerts - as opposed to the trend post-Segovia of the classical guitar in the big concert hall."

For many of his concerts he'll be perform the program he curated called From Latin America and Beyond:

"The first half is dedicated exclusively to South American music, while the second half goes 'beyond' as they say with works by JS Bach, Ross Edwards, and Francisco Tarrega. The concert provides a smattering of the guitar's beloved favourites, mixed in with a number of works likely to be entirely new to even hardcore classical guitar aficionados - but of striking beauty nonetheless. I've tried to pace the concert with a good balance of the energetic and virtuosic, and the sensitive and introspective."

Andrew has a Bachelor of Music with first-class honours from the Australian National University under the tutelage of Timothy Kain and currently lives in Sydney.

NZ DIARY

25 August, WELLINGTON
SOLO RECITAL From Latin America and Beyond
Presented by New Zealand School of Music

26 August, WELLINGTON
MASTERCLASS New Zealand School of Music

30 August, NEW PLYMOUTH
House concert
Presented by New Plymouth Classical Guitar Society

2 September, 7:30pm
CHRISTCHURCH
Hohepa, 23 Barrington Street
SOLO RECITAL From Latin America and Beyond
Presented by Christchurch Classical Guitar Society
BOOKINGS LINK

3 September, 7:30pm
TIMARU
South Canterbury Community College
SOLO RECITAL From Latin America and Beyond
Presented by Timaru Classical Guitar Society

AUSTRALIAN DIARY

9 September, 7:30pm
BRISBANE, QLD
Magda Community Artz, 80 Boundary Road, Bardon
SOLO RECITAL From Latin America and Beyond
Presented by Guitar Brisbane
Tickets: $25 / $20
BOOKINGS LINK

20 September
MELBOURNE, VIC
Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
MASTERCLASS
Presented by Melbourne Conservatorium of Music
FREE

24 September, 2:30pm
MELBOURNE, VIC
Melba Hall, Melbourne University
SOLO RECITAL, 1 hour
Presented by Melbourne International Guitar Festival
Tickets: $50 / $45 concession / $60 at the door (card only)
BOOKINGS LINK

1 October, 3pm
HOBART, TAS
Landsdowne Crescent School Hall
SOLO RECITAL From Latin America and Beyond
Presented by Hobart Classical Guitar Society
Tickets: $ 25 / $10, door sales only

28 October
ADELAIDE, SA
House Concert
PRIVATE EVENT

17 November, 7.30pm
SYDNEY, NSW
Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House
SOLO RECITAL From Latin America and Beyond

Presented by Classical Guitar Festival Sydney
Tickets: $55 / $49 concession, or Early Bird $42.79 (until 16 Sept)
BOOKINGS LINK

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