John Williams

Master Of The Classical Guitar

"John Williams is best known as a classical
guitarist, but has explored many different
musical traditions

He is one of the finest classical guitarists of all time. Even though he has delved into other areas of guitar and music that wouldn't be regarded as "classical guitar", he nevertheless remains as one of its most proficient players.

Indeed, some people say, by varying the repertoire to include music from "all walks of life" has probably ensured the instruments' survival as a viable long-term popular classical instrument.

John Williams was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1941. His parents had migrated from England but ended up going back there some years later. This was in no small part due to the policies of the then conservative Menzies government who didn't fit with the Bohemian ideals of the Williams'.

Although Williams was taught guitar by Segovia he was actually first taught by his own father Len, who was a pretty dab hand at the guitar, particularly jazz.

John Williams Sidebar - Did You Know? Williams' father, Len, spent the latter part of his life researching monkeys. He even owned a monkey sanctuary in Cornwall, England.

His tuition began at the age of seven. By the age of eleven Williams had impressed Segovia who convinced his father to send him to the Academia Musicale Chigiana de Sienna in Italy.

It was here that Segovia ran his famous "Summer Schools" and John Williams won a scholarship there for the next five years.

Indeed, at the request of his fellow students, he gave the first solo recital by a student of any instrument, so highly was his playing regarded.

Williams also studied piano and music theory at the Royal College of Music in London.

According to Maurice Summerfield he gave his debut performance in the Wigmore Hall in London in 1958...

Check out this great little video on Google of John Williams playing Barrios- Mangore on Google (Note: Press "play" button then pause it so it loads properly. Then press "play" again when fully loaded. It should take several minutes to load)...

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Williams continues to successfully tour around the world to this day. He has played in all types of ensembles as well as solo situations and can be regarded as one of the guitar greats of any epoch and any style.

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