John Williams

About

Official Site: http://www.johnwilliamsguitar.com/

One of the most versatile and respected guitarists in the world, John Williams has explored, expanded and personally inspired a modern renaissance for the classical guitar through his international concert appearances and best-selling recordings. When he made his first appearances in the United States some forty years ago, Williams signed an exclusive contract with CBS Masterworks, which is now Sony Classical.

Many of his recordings for the label, including John Williams Plays Vivaldi Concertos and The Seville Concert, are best sellers. His latest album, The Magic Box (SK/SS 89433), is a creative celebration of the music of the different cultures of Africa. Williams will be touring in the U.S.

in May and June this year, in performances in Philadelphia; Princeton NJ; St. Louis and Chicago that will include selections from The Magic Box. He returns in October with his group John Williams and Friends, playing Impressions of Africa (including music from The Magic Box) with performances in Atlanta; University of Arizona; Irvine CA; San Francisco; Seattle; Boulder; Santa Fe; Kansas City; Ann Arbor and Boston.

Among the recent highlights of his discography is Classic Williams – Romance of the Guitar (SK 89141), a new collection of some of John Williams' greatest performances, including three new arrangements of Fauré’s Pavane, Simon & Garfunkel's folk hit El Condor Pasa and the traditional Romance for Guitar and Orchestra. Other recent releases from the guitarist include a disc featuring an early nineteenth-century guitar concerto by Italian composer Mauro Giuliani, coupled with an arrangement of Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata (SK 63385), and The Guitarist (SK 60586), a recording that features Williams as composer as well as soloist. Other recent highlights of his extensive discography include The Black Decameron (SK 63173), a disc of guitar music by Cuban composer Leo Brouwer; The Mantis & the Moon (SK 62007), a duet recording with guitarist Timothy Kain; and John Williams Plays the Movies (SK 63000), an album of popular film themes in arrangements for guitar and orchestra, including Schindler’s List, The Mission and The Deer Hunter.

Williams has a long history of noteworthy collaborations, and those with Julian Bream, Itzhak Perlman, André Previn, Cleo Laine and John Dankworth have been particularly fruitful. He has also been involved with the groups SKY, John Williams and Friends, Attacca, The National Youth Jazz Orchestra with Paul Hart, the Chilean group Inti-Illimani and separate collaborations with Paco Peña and Richard Harvey. In addition, the guitarist's talents have stimulated many composers to write for him, including Stephen Dodgson, André Previn, Peter Sculthorpe, Steve Gray, Richard Harvey, Paul Hart and Toru Takemitsu.

Williams' performing activities continue unabated. In 2000, Williams toured the Pacific Rim with performances of both concertos and recitals in Hong Kong, Beijing and Australia. In March 2000 he performed with Inti Illimani and Paco Peña in Europe, and in May of 2000 he played in Cuba for the first time. In 2001 John Williams and Friends toured Australia, the United Kingdom and Europe, and Williams joined Inti Illimani and Paco Peña again in Chile and Argentina. In 2002 John Williams and Friends will be playing Impressions of Africa in Germany and again in the U.K., where they will be featured in the BBC Proms.

John Williams was born in Melbourne, Australia, where he was taught the guitar by his father. Later he attended summer courses with Segovia at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy, and studied music at the Royal College of Music in London. He has lived in London since 1952. He plays tennis (badly), chess (quite good), table tennis (better), badminton and snooker (not so good), and he likes talking (about anything).

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