Laura Young (4)

Classical guitarist from Toronto, Canada. Born in Toronto 1962 of Russian and Irish heritage, Laura began her study of music at the age of seven and became an educated student of the guitar when she was nine years old. With a rare passion and intensity, she applied herself to technical mastery of the instrument, building on the exceptional musicality evident from the moment she began to play. From the time she was just a young girl and at every step of her career, Laura has been recognized as a gifted artist; winning prestigious prizes at international competitions such as the “Andrés Segovia” in Palma de Mallorca, Spain and the “Jacinto e Inocencio Guererro” in Madrid, Spain, among many others. At the University of Toronto, Laura earned her Music Degree under the direction of Eli Kassner. Grants from Canada’s national arts organizations – the Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council – provided an opportunity for Laura to continue her studies with some of the world’s finest guitarists, including David Russel and Leo Brouwer. Studying with Hubert Kaeppel at the Hochshule in Cologne, Germany she received her Master’s Degree. As a soloist Laura has given widely acclaimed performances, offering profound and often daring programs in concert halls around the world, from the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Germany to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada to the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, Spain. She’s also a regularly invited performer and teacher in International Guitar Festivals: Iserlohne, Germany; Toronto, Canada; Ezstergom, Hungary; Gdansk, Poland; Cologne, Germany; and Volos, Greece – to name but a few. In addition to her solo career, Laura was a founding member of the very successful Trio De Cologne, which performed throughout the 1990’s in Europe and the Americas. Laura is currently working in duo with the Greek-Canadian singer Frances Pappas in the ensemble Lagrimosa Belta which presents pieces written for them by composers such as Helmut Jasbar, Feliu Gasull, Stefan Hakenberg all based on contemporary explorations of traditional folk music. From 1997 – 2001, Laura was the founder and Artistic Director of the Amsterdam International Guitar Festival. Laura Young was awarded professorship at the Escuela Superior de Musica en Catalunya (ESMUC) in Barcelona, Spain in 2003.