About Peter Argondizza
Peter Argondizza Biography
Guitarist Peter Argondizza was born in New York and was raised in Brooklyn and Long Island and started playing the guitar at the age of 11. Later he studied Indian Classical Music under the guidance of Sri Vasant Rai at the Alam School of Indian Classical Music in New York City. He studied classical guitar with Jerry Willard at Stonybrook University in New York, earning a BA in Music and a MM. During this time he was awarded a scholarship to study with Oscar Ghiglia at the Aspen Music School in Colorado in 1983. At Aspen he was guest guitar soloist in a performance of Hans Werner Henze’s ‘Kammermusik’ 1958. He later earned a MMA and Doctor of Musical Arts from Yale University whilst continuing his guitar studies with Eliot Fisk, Robert Guthrie and, primarily, Benjamin Verdery. He was awarded the Andres Segovia Scholarship to attend the Banff School of Fine Arts (Canada) winter cycle where he studied with Sharon Isbin and Leo Brouwer.
Currently a lecturer in Music at the University of Strathclyde, Dr Argondizza teaches guitar and coordinates the guitar department as well as teaching orchestration and music history. He has been the musical director of the University Guitar Ensemble since 1996 and is Artistic Director of the University’s annual “Guitarfest” and “Big Guitar Weekend” (with the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He also teaches guitar and lute at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. He is a specialist examiner for the Guildhall School of Music and has served as an adjudicator on international string competitions.
Committed to performing new music for the guitar, Peter has premiered several works in the United States, and Great Britain and has commissioned and premiered works by Sally Beamish, Edward McGuire, Thomas Wilson, Rory Boyle and Steve Davismoon. He has performed Poul Rouder’s ‘Psalmody’ for guitar and orchestra and Steve Reich’s ‘Electric Counterpoint’ for electric guitar and tape with the One Voice Music Ensemble in Edinburgh and as well as solo performances on the Sonic fusion Festival in 2006. Chamber music and orchestral appearances include performances with the Hebrides Ensemble, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Scottish Opera and the Scottish Ballet.
As a soloist he has performed throughout Scotland, England, Canada and the United States. His programmes are noted for their diversity and include his own transcriptions of works by J.S. Bach and F.J. Haydn. He has been a guest artist and tutor at the Dundee International Guitar Festival and the Edinburgh International Guitar International and has recently given master classes at the Mannes College of Music in New York City.
Recent concerto performances include Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ and ‘Fantasia’ as well as Malcolm Arnold’s Guitar Concerto.
You can highlight important information or announcements in text like this.
This list is empty.
Our users
Here you can describe a typical user and why this project is important to them. It is good to motivate your visitors so that they come back to your website.
History of project
In this part you can describe the project's history and give reasons for its creation. It is convinient to mention project milestones and honor participating people.