This Saturday the Pharos Arts Foundation, in collaboration with the Embassy of Spain in Cyprus, will be presenting a guitar recital by the French guitarist Florian Larousse – First Prize winner of the 2014 Seville International Guitar Competition. At the Shoe Factory in Nicosia, Larousse – with his guitar in hand – will take us back and forth in time for an atmospheric and wide-ranging programme spanning from the poetic landscape of the English Renaissance (John Dowland) through the exotic and unconventional sounds of the Far East (Toru Takemitsu) to the dreamy and passionate tunes of Spain (Joaquin Turina and Fernando Sor).
Larousse began his study of the guitar at the age of eight with Philippe Vanderstichel. He continued his musical education under the tutelage of guitarist Pedro Ibanez at the Conservatoire National de Région de Paris and obtained the First Prize in 2006. Entering the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris the same year, he studied in Roland Dyens’s class until 2009 while also working intensively with Judicaël Perroy. In 2013, he graduated with a Masters degree from the Maastricht Conservatory, where he studied with Carlo Marchione.
His victories at the Guitar Foundation of America’s Competition in 2009 and at the Hubert Kappel Competition in Koblenz have assured him a large international audience with a 55-concert tour in 2010-2011 in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, as well as a CD recording with Naxos and a DVD recording with Melbay. His international awards also include First Prize at the José Tomás International Competition in 2007, First Prize at the Jan Edmund Jurkowski Memorial Guitar Competition in Tychy, Poland, and Second Prize at the Tokyo International Competition, among others.
In 2014, Larousse won the First Prize at the V Concurso Internacional de la Guitarra de Sevilla. His prize includes a recording with Contrastes Records.
On Saturday the guitarist will play Semper Dowland, Semper Dolens, Fantasy and Farewell by English Renaissance composer, lutenist and singer John Dowland. The programme also includes Introduction et Caprice by Swiss-born classical guitarist, concertinist and composer Giulio Regondi, Equinox and In the Woods by Japanese composer and writer of aesthetics and music theory Toru Takemitsu, Introduction et Variations sur un theme de Mozart by Spanish classical guitarist and composer Fernando Sor, and Sonata in D minor, Op.61 by Spanish composer of classical music Joaquin Turina.
Florian Larousse
The Pharos Arts Foundation presents a guitar recital with Florian Larousse. December 12. The Shoe Factory, Nicosia. 8.30pm. €15/10. Tel: 22-663871
