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PAUL
GALBRAITH’s recording of the Complete Bach Violin Sonatas
and Partitas (Delos) was nominated for a 1998 GRAMMY AWARD in the category
of Best Solo Instrumental Album.
This 2-CD set was also chosen as one of the two best CDs
of 1998 by Gramophone Magazine, which called it “a landmark in the
history of guitar recordings.” It received a “Four Star”
rating in Stereo Review, and reached the TOP 10 on Billboard’s classical
charts.
Galbraith has been featured twice on National Public Radio’s “All
Things Considered” and numerous times on “Performance Today.”
He made his New York début at the Frick Collection, receiving a
rave review in the New York Times;
a subsequent NYC engagement on Lincoln Center’s “Great Performances”
series was sold out. Recent and forthcoming North American recitals include
NYC, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, St. Louis,
Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Portland, Eugene, Seattle, Miami,
Baltimore, Buffalo, Amherst, Milwaukee, San Antonio, San Juan, Puerto
Rico, and Cuernavaca, Mexico.
In addition, tours of Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Germany,
Italy, Hungary, and the Netherlands are among Mr. Galbraith’s international
activities. During the Bach Year (2000) he was featured artist at the
Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver and Carmel Bach Festivals.
Recent orchestral engagements in the U.S. include concertos with the
Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony
and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, among others.
Galbraith and the St. Petersburg String Quartet gave the World Premiere
in March 2003 at Stanford University of a new work, “Rhapsody for
Guitar and String Quartet,” that they co-commissioned
from the acclaimed Georgian composer Zurab Nadarejshvili.
Galbraith’s most recent CDs, on the Delos label, are the Bach Lute
Su
ites, Paul Galbraith Plays Haydn (featuring Galbraith’s arrangements
of four keyboard sonatas), and “In Every Lake the Moon Shines Full”–folk
tunes from many countries. Forthcoming is CD of arrangements of piano
music by Debussy and Ravel.
Galbraith's unique playing position was first revealed at the Edinburgh
Festival in 1989. His guitar (designed in collaboration with the late
luthier David Rubio) is supported by a metal endpin, similar to that of
a cello, that rests on a wooden resonance box. The instrument has two
extra strings, one high, one low. Both the guitar's extraordinary design
and Galbraith’s playing style are considered groundbreaking development
in the history of the instrument, increasing its range to an unprecedented
extent.
At the age of 17, Galbraith won the Silver Medal at the Segovia
International Guitar Competition. Andrés Segovia, who was present,
called his playing "magnificent." This award helped launch an
international career including engagements with some of the finest orchestras
in Britain and Europe (Royal Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Europe,
BBC Philharmonic, Scottish Symphony
Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Orchestra, Scottish
Baroque Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra and Scottish
Chamber Orchestra among them).
He toured the U.S. as soloist with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, and
performed in Prague’s Dvorák Hall with the National Chamber
Orchestra of Chile. His international touring has also brought him to
Canada, Spain, Italy, Greece, Norway, Hungary, Brazil, China, India and
Iceland.
Born in Scotland, Galbraith has lived in Malawi, Greece, London, and,
for the last five years, Brazil. He was a founding member of the Brazilian
Guitar Quartet, playing with them until summer of 2003. His principal
teacher, since 1983, has been the Greek conductor, pianist and philosopher
George
Hadjinikos.
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