Ambassadors
Beata Będkowska Huang
Classical guitarist
Beata Będkowska Huang is a Polish classical guitarist. She regularly gives master classes and performs concerts as a soloist in Europe and in North America. In 1990 she graduated with a distinction from the Music Academy in Katowice. After that, she studied in Freiburg, where in 1996 she obtained the prestigious diploma “Concertstage”, awarded only to the most promising students. She took master classes from such prominent guitarists, as David Russell, Thomas Müller-Pering and David Starobin. She is a winner of many major prizes in guitar competitions, such as the International Guitar Competition in Tychy or in Gargnano (Italy).
Peppino D’Agostino
Fingerstyle guitarist
Peppino D’Agostino is a fingerstyle guitarist from Italy. He began his career in the early 1980s. He has given concerts in over 30 countries and has performed on the major stages in the world. He has collaborated with such artists, as Tommy Emmanuel, Sergio Assad, Carlos Reyes or David Tanenbaum. He performs with the group Pacific Guitar Ensemble. He has been repeatedly highly acclaimed by reputable music magazines (such as “Acoustic Guitar”, “Guitar Player”). His repertoire also features works for classical guitar, which makes him a link between acoustic guitar and classical guitar. Besides touring he also works as a teacher, among others, together with the legendary Martin Taylor.
Saša Dejanović
Classical guitarist
Saša Dejanović is a classical guitarist born in Bosnia and Herzegovina. He studied at the Music Academy in Zagreb, in the class taught by Darko Petrinjak and at Academia Internazionale Superiore di Musica in Italy, taught by Angelo Gilardino. He completed his degree in music at the Royal College of Music in London. He is a winner of numerous competitions. He has given concerts in many prestigious concert halls in the world. Critics have described him as the successor of Andrés Segovia and Narciso Yepes. He has taken part in numerous classical guitar festivals and workshops. At present, he organises the guitar festival The Sea & Guitars in Vrsar (Croatia).
Aniello Desiderio
Classical guitarist
Aniello Desiderio is an Italian classical guitarist. He was taught by B. B. D’Amario and Stefano Aruta and also took interpretation lessons from Leo Brouwer. In 1992 he completed with a distinction the Music Conservatoire in Alessandria. He has won 18 prizes in domestic and international guitar competitions. He performs as a soloist and with orchestra. He has performed on the major stages of the world (such as Carnegie Hall, Alte Opera, Opera House Wien). On John McLaughlin's request, he performed his concert Thieves and Poets during its European premiere. He teaches master courses and works as a lecturer at the Music University in Potenza (Italy).
Zoran Dukič
Classical guitarist
Zoran Dukič is a Croatian classical guitarist. He graduated from the Music Academy in Zagreb where he was taught by Darko Petrinjak, and then was awarded a diploma at Cologne Higher School of Music. He has won the highest number of prizes in guitar competitions, in the world. He is the only person to have won both competitions, in memory Andrés Segovia – in Granada and in Palma de Mallorca. He gives concerts as a soloist, with orchestra and as a chamber musician. His repertoire comprises compositions from various eras, Spanish music and Latino American music. He works as a teacher at the Royal Music Conservatoire in the Hague as well as at Escuela Superior de Musica in Barcelona.
Prof. Alina Gruszka
Music Academy in Katowice
Professor Alina Gruszka is a graduate of K. Szymanowski Music Academy in Katowice. She has been professionally connected with this school, where she has held the position of artistic and student affairs vice chancellor as well research and didactic affairs vice chancellor, consecutively. At present she is the head of the Guitar Department. From 1989 to 2014 she held the position of the artistic director of the International Festival Silesian Guitar Autumn in Tychy. She has been awarded numerous prizes and distinctions, including Gold Cross of Merit, which she received in 2005 from president of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski. She has written books and articles, and gives lectures. She sits on the jury of many international competitions.
Christian Haimel
Classical guitarist
Christian Haimel is an Austrian classical guitarist. He studied at Anton Bruckner University in Linz, which he graduated from in 2007 with a distinction. In 2014 he obtained a master's degree in classical guitar, with Latin honours (Summa cum Laude). He has attended master classes taught by such prominent musicians as David Russell, Manuel Barrueco, Leo Brouwer, Shin-ichi Fukuda or Roberto Aussel. He achieved international acclaim for the first time thanks to his participation in guitar competitions. He gives concerts as a soloist and a chamber musician. He has performed at many major music festivals.
Artur Lesicki
Jazz guitarist
Artur Lesicki is a Polish jazz guitarist and a composer. He has recorded over thirty albums. His album An Unbelievable Silence recorded together with the band Artur Lesicki Acoustic Harmony was hailed by the magazine “Gitara i Bas” as the best jazz recording of 2004. He has collaborated with Marek Napiórkowski, with whom he led the band Funky Groove, as well as with such artists as Urszula Dudziak, Katarzyna Groniec and Zbigniew Namysłowski. He has performed concerts at all major jazz festivals. As a session musician, he has recorded film scores and theatrical music, including the soundtrack to the film Papusza by Jan Kanty Pawluśkiewicz and the theatrical compositions by Leszek Możdżer.
Jorge Morel
Classical guitarist
Jorge Morel, born in Argentina as Jorge Scibona, is a classical guitarist and a guitar music composer. He studied at the famous Pablo Escobar Academy in Buenos Aires. He has performed in the major concert halls in the world, such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center in New York, Queen Elizabeth Hall in London and and Suntory Hall in Tokyo. He has shared the stage with such big names of jazz as Erroll Garner, Stan Kenton or Herbie Mann. Jorge Morel's original compositions and arrangements, overcoming the limitations related to style, technique or performing tradition, enriched the classical guitar repertoire immensely. His compositions are performed by many prominent musicians, such as John Williams, Chet Atkins, the Assad brothers, David Russell, Eliot Fisk, Vladislav Blaha and Krzysztof Pełech.
Marek Nosal
Guitarist, lecturer
Marek Nosal is a Polish guitarist, composer and teacher. He graduated with a distinction from the K. Szymanowski Music Academy in Katowice. In 2004 he received a Ph.D. degree and in 2014 he qualified as assistant professor. He is a winner of many international competitions. He performs as a soloist, with orchestra and in ensembles. He has done first performances of the works by Polish composers, such as Edward Bogusławski, Aleksander Lasoń and Aleksander Nowak. He has taken part in recordings for the radio and television. He gives lectures at Music Academy in Katowice. Since 2015 he has been the artistic director of the International Festival Silesian Guitar Autumn in Tychy.
Dávid Pavlovits
Classical guitarist
Dávid Pavlovits, a classical guitarist and a composer, who comes from Hungary, won his first prize in a guitar competition in Żory (Poland) after only three years of learning the instrument. He graduated from Darmstadt Academy of Music as well as Gutenberg University in Mainz. He took master classes from Leo Brouwer. He has won prizes in guitar and composing competitions. He obtained a Ph.D. Degree at the Music Academy in Cluj (Romania). He gives concerts all over the world and also writes music. He has recorded for the radio and television. He has performed solo recitals on many major stages, such as Carnegie Hall in New York.
Wojciech Pilichowski
Bass player
Wojciech Pilichowski is a Polish bass player, composer and arranger. He is known for collaborating with such artists as Jan Borysewicz, Wojciech Morawski, Edyta Górniak or Kasia Kowalska. As a session musician he has recorded over 200 albums. Moreover, he has released 8 solo albums, 4 concert albums and DVD material. He has been voted the best Polish bass player seven times in the poll conducted by the magazine “Guitar and Bass guitar”. He has won four times Play Box award, which is awarded by Polish Radio Broadcast. Currently he is involved in the projects Pilichowski Band, Borysewicz – Kukiz, Jan Bo, Woobie-Doobie. He is also a reputed teacher.
Carlos Piñana
Flamenco guitarist
Carlos Piñana is a Spanish flamenco guitarist, composer and teacher. He graduated from the Superior Conservatory of Music in Cartagena and Murcia University. Carlos received numerous awards in recognition of his dedication and work. He has performed in cities around the world, often playing with orchestras. In his special project the El Cuidado de una Esencia Suite, Carlos combines classical music with the temperament and lyricism of flamenco. He released seven albums, published score books, composed and interpreted music for movies, documentaries and shows. He is also an artistic director of the Murcia International Guitar Festival.
Petra Poláčková
Classical guitarist
Petra Poláčková, a Czech classical guitarist, graduated from the Music School in Pardubice. Currently, she is studying at Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst in Graz (Austria) under Paolo Pegoraro. She has participated in master courses taught by many famous guitarists (such as Gianpaolo Bandini, Leo Brouwer, Zoran Dukič, Pavel Steidl, Piotr Zaleski). In addition, she has been awarded a Merit Diploma from Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, where she studied in the class taught by Oscar Ghiglia. She has won numerous competitions in the Czech Republic and worldwide. She has performed at many major guitar festivals. She is a co-organiser of Guitar Festival Mikulov.
Leszek Potasiński
Classical guitarist
Leszek Potasiński is a Polish classical guitarist. He graduated from the Music Academy in Warsaw (nowadays the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music) and the Royal Music Conservatoire in Madrid, in the class taught by Jose Luis Rodrigo. He took master classes from such virtuosos as David Russell, Roberto Aussell or Costas Cotsiolis. He has won many prizes at international guitar competitions and festivals. As a soloist and a chamber musician he has performed in the prestigious concert halls across Europe. He has collaborated with many acclaimed artists, such as Marcin Olak, Ewa Małas Godlewska, Jorge Cardoso, Vadim Brodski, Jose Torres and Edyta Geppert. He is a highly regarded teacher.
Boško Radojković
Classical guitarist
Boško Radojković is a Serbian classical guitarist and a teacher. He studied in Belgrade in the class taught by Vera Ogrizović, and later completed a specialist course in the field of chamber music. He has won many prizes, mainly at chamber music competitions. He has given concerts, has taught master classes and has sat on the jury in international competitions. He has performed in the old music group Musica Antiqua. He has made recordings for the Serbian Radio and Television (RTS). In 2000 he founded Guitar Art Festival, and at present he is the president of that festival. He has also founded the Serbian Association of Classical Guitarists. As a valued teacher he has taught winners of many guitar competitions, domestic and worldwide.
Finn Elias Svit
Classical guitarist
Finn Elias Svit is a Danish classical guitarist. He graduated from Nordjysk Musikkonservatorium in Aalborg (Denmark). He has attended master courses taught by such names as Sonja Prunnbauer, Hubert Käppela and professor Per Oluf Johnson. He has given concerts in many countries in Europe and the USA. He performs as a soloist, with orchestra, as well as in duets and ensembles, among others with the violinist Jochen Brusch and the guitarist professor Bernard Hebb, in Trio Excelsa and Trio Canconetta. He has recorded for the radio and television. He regularly conducts master courses and workshops and sits on the jury of many European guitar festivals.
Marco Tamayo
Classical guitarist
Marco Tamayo is a Cuban classical guitarist, who lives in Austria, and who has been hailed as “Il Re della Chitarra” (King of guitar) by the Italian daily newspaper “La Stampa”. He performs as a soloist, with orchestra, in ensembles and in duets. He regularly gives concerts in a duet with his wife Anabel Montesinos and in a duet with the pianist Wolfgang Brunner. Besides giving concerts, he is also involved in musical education. He is the Artistic Director of the International Guitar Competition Michelle Pittaluga, the director of the publishing house Marco Tamayo Edition as well as the director of Salzburg Guitar Society.
Alexander Vinitsky
Classical guitarist
Alexander Vinitsky is a Russian classical and jazz guitarist, a composer and an arranger. He has an extensive repertoire and a unique style, described as “jazz played on a classical guitar”. He graduated from the Russian Music Academy (RAM). He gives a lot of concerts. He has performed on the major stages of Russia and Europe. He composes for a solo guitar, guitar with a chamber orchestra, symphony orchestra, for guitar with other instruments as well as for guitar duets and quartets. He has released 7 albums. He is a higly regarded teacher. He teaches master courses and seminars, as well as leads his own independent summer guitar school.
Piotr Zaleski
Classical guitarist, lecturer
Piotr Zaleski is a Polish classical guitarist and a teacher. He studied at Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt in Weimar. He has performed as a soloist with orchestra and in ensembles. He has taught master courses in Poland and abroad (including in Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and Austria). He has sat on the jury of many international guitar competitions. In 1980 he became a lecturer at the State Higher School of Music (nowadays Music Academy in Wrocław). He has also held the position of the dean of the Instrumental Department and the vice chancellor. In 2000 he was awarded the title of professor. He has also been awarded the medal “Meritorious for Polish Culture”.