Ian Watt
November 7th 2014
Programme
Sonata BWV 1001 J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Fantasy on themes from Britten’s Gloriana John McLeod (b.1934)
Larghetto and Allegro, K. 229 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Variations on a theme of Mozart, Op. 9 Fernando Sor (1778-1839)
Intermission
Sueño en la Floresta Agustín Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944)
Vals Op. 8, No. 4
Fandanguillo, Op. 36 Joaquin Turina (1882-1949)
Suite Española, Op. 47 Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909)
Biography
Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Ian Watt has appeared as a recitalist throughout Europe and world, including the USA, China, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine, Denmark, Holland, Estonia, and Belgium, and has performed concertos with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra and Aberdeen Sinfonietta. In addition to solo concerts, Watt regularly works as a chamber musician on both guitar and lute. He particularly enjoys working with singers and has recently performed with Stephen Chambers, Diana Gouglina, Magid Al-Bushra and Ronan Busfield. A lecturer in guitar at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Watt is also increasingly in demand as a teacher, regularly giving masterclasses internationally, most recently in China (at the Central Conservatory in Beijing), Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
As well as his performances on BBC Radio, Watt has been seen and heard on television and radio stations in the USA, Austria and Holland and has recorded two solo albums, Invocación – Impressions of Spain and Britten, Walton, McLeod, Wilson and Dowland with Nimbus Records, both of which have received critical acclaim.
A keen advocate of contemporary music, Watt has worked extensively with John McLeod, premiering all of his guitar works (including the premiere recording of Fantasy on themes from Britten’s Gloriana) as well as preparing them for publication. Watt also has an interest in performing rarely heard works and in 2009, he took part in Peter Maxwell Davies’ 75th birthday celebration concerts in Glasgow, giving a performance of the ‘Dark Angels’ song cycle for voice and guitar in the composer’s presence. More recently, Watt has begun to promote music by the late Scottish composer Thomas Wilson, making the first recording of his 1980 composition, Dreammusic.
Watt’s awards and prizes include 1st prizes at the Heinsberg International Guitar Competition 2011 and the ‘Westfalian Guitar Spring’ International Competition 2010 (both Germany) and 2nd prizes at the Parkening International Guitar Competition (USA), 2009 and the Vienna International Guitar Competition ‘Homage to Karl Scheit’ 2010. Recent highlights include giving a performance of Benjamin Britten’s Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 at the 67th Aldeburgh Festival on the stage of the Jubilee Hall, 50 years after its premiere there by Julian Bream.
Concert Reviews
‘…a guitarist of outstanding skill and originality.’ – Classical Guitar, 2010
‘…a star in the ascendant.’ – Aberdeen Press and Journal, 2010
‘...dazzlingly virtuosic...’ – The Herald, 2010
‘…astoundingly atmospheric playing...’ – The Herald, 2008
‘...bravura technical brilliance and passion...’ Aberdeen Press and Journal, May 2012
‘...stylish bravura performance...mesmerising to watch...’ Bachtrack, August 2013
Programme
Sonata BWV 1001 J. S. Bach (1685-1750)
Fantasy on themes from Britten’s Gloriana John McLeod (b.1934)
Larghetto and Allegro, K. 229 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Variations on a theme of Mozart, Op. 9 Fernando Sor (1778-1839)
Intermission
Sueño en la Floresta Agustín Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944)
Vals Op. 8, No. 4
Fandanguillo, Op. 36 Joaquin Turina (1882-1949)
Suite Española, Op. 47 Isaac Albéniz (1860-1909)
Biography
Born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Ian Watt has appeared as a recitalist throughout Europe and world, including the USA, China, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Ukraine, Denmark, Holland, Estonia, and Belgium, and has performed concertos with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia, Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra and Aberdeen Sinfonietta. In addition to solo concerts, Watt regularly works as a chamber musician on both guitar and lute. He particularly enjoys working with singers and has recently performed with Stephen Chambers, Diana Gouglina, Magid Al-Bushra and Ronan Busfield. A lecturer in guitar at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Watt is also increasingly in demand as a teacher, regularly giving masterclasses internationally, most recently in China (at the Central Conservatory in Beijing), Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
As well as his performances on BBC Radio, Watt has been seen and heard on television and radio stations in the USA, Austria and Holland and has recorded two solo albums, Invocación – Impressions of Spain and Britten, Walton, McLeod, Wilson and Dowland with Nimbus Records, both of which have received critical acclaim.
A keen advocate of contemporary music, Watt has worked extensively with John McLeod, premiering all of his guitar works (including the premiere recording of Fantasy on themes from Britten’s Gloriana) as well as preparing them for publication. Watt also has an interest in performing rarely heard works and in 2009, he took part in Peter Maxwell Davies’ 75th birthday celebration concerts in Glasgow, giving a performance of the ‘Dark Angels’ song cycle for voice and guitar in the composer’s presence. More recently, Watt has begun to promote music by the late Scottish composer Thomas Wilson, making the first recording of his 1980 composition, Dreammusic.
Watt’s awards and prizes include 1st prizes at the Heinsberg International Guitar Competition 2011 and the ‘Westfalian Guitar Spring’ International Competition 2010 (both Germany) and 2nd prizes at the Parkening International Guitar Competition (USA), 2009 and the Vienna International Guitar Competition ‘Homage to Karl Scheit’ 2010. Recent highlights include giving a performance of Benjamin Britten’s Nocturnal after John Dowland, Op. 70 at the 67th Aldeburgh Festival on the stage of the Jubilee Hall, 50 years after its premiere there by Julian Bream.
Concert Reviews
‘…a guitarist of outstanding skill and originality.’ – Classical Guitar, 2010
‘…a star in the ascendant.’ – Aberdeen Press and Journal, 2010
‘...dazzlingly virtuosic...’ – The Herald, 2010
‘…astoundingly atmospheric playing...’ – The Herald, 2008
‘...bravura technical brilliance and passion...’ Aberdeen Press and Journal, May 2012
‘...stylish bravura performance...mesmerising to watch...’ Bachtrack, August 2013