Young Artist Platform 2022-23
Awardees
New players. New music. New experiences
IGF is pleased to announce this year’s YAP awardees.
Congratulations to all of them and we look forward to working with them in the 2022-23 season
Zoe Barnett
Zoe Barnett is a classical guitarist who is currently studying at the Royal College of Music for a Master of Performance where she is generously supported by the Derek Butler Trust.
She is continuing her studies under the tutelage of Gary Ryan and Christopher Stell.
Zoe has performed in numerous concert halls across Europe and China such as Wigmore Hall, Sala Maria Cristina Malaga, and Shanghai Grand Theatre
She made her concerto debut in 2018 and is looking forward to playing with the Orpington Symphony Orchestra in 2023.
Michael Matthews
Born the UK, Michael Matthews’ flamboyant and expressive performances are placing him at the forefront of the young generation. He has been praised for a rigorous technique alongside his natural creativity by leading figures in the field.
He brings a new identity to traditional repertoire as well as verve and dynamism to contemporary and lesser-known works.
He has performed in recitals, masterclasses, and competitions across the country and abroad. Michael has received lessons and masterclasses from Rob Johns, Michael Lewin, Stephen Goss, Elizabeth Kenny, Graham Anthony Devine, Tilman Hoppstock, Roberto Aussel and Fabio Zanon. In 2019-2020 he studied at the Segovia Guitar Academy with Paolo Pegoraro and continues his postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music. Recent projects include a programme for voice and guitar with soprano Holly Teague, and a commission from composer Martin Bussey. Michael has a keen interest in historical performance and regularly includes performances on the baroque guitar in his recitals.
Michael has received awards from leading trusts, competitions, and organisations in the UK, allowing him to give widespread recitals, masterclasses and outreach projects at Brighton Festival, King’s Lynn Festival, St James’s Church Piccadilly, St George’s Bristol, St Andrews University, and the Wigmore Hall. In 2018 he was selected by the Concordia Foundation and Tillett Trust. Since 2020 his career and studies are supported by Talent Unlimited, Help Musicians UK and the Countess of Munster Trust.
Samrat Majumder
Samrat Majumder is a Scottish-Indian classical guitarist. Currently studying at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague with Professor Enno Voorhorst, Samrat previously studied with Professor Allan Neave at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Prior to higher education, Samrat studied with Peter Stewart.
Internationally, Samrat has won prizes in competitions across Europe. These include 1st Prize at the XVII Harmonia Cordis International Guitar Competition (Romania, 2022), 1st Prize at the XVII Twents Festival International Guitar Competition (The Netherlands, 2022), and 1st Prize and Audience Award at the III Aalborg International Guitar Competition (Denmark, 2021).
In 2021, Samrat co-founded the Classical Guitar Reach Foundation of India (CGRFI) with Srijit Mukherjee, an organisation that supports classical guitarists from India through music education projects.
Samrat performs with a Michael Gee Classical Guitar.
Gus McQuade
Classical guitarist Gus McQuade was born and educated in Leamington Spa. He recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music, London, with First Class Honours (BMus) and will continue to study there under Professor Michael Lewin on the Masters course funded by a number of scholarships, including a Help Musicians Postgraduate Award and the Drake Calleja Trust.
Recent awards include the Timothy Gibson and Blyth Watson Prizes (2022), and runner-up in both the Leicester Music Competition (2022) and the Royal Classics Guitar Concerto Prize (2020). Gus was named joint winner of the Musicians’ Company’s prestigious New Elizabethan Award 2022/23 with his duo partner, Eleanor Grant (singer and double bassist). They will make their debut at the Wigmore Hall in February 2023.
Gus has performed in masterclasses with some of the world’s leading guitarists, including David Russell, Fabio Zanon, Roberto Aussel and Xuefei Yang and has regularly featured in the Royal Academy of Music’s concert series. Notable performances include Lorenzo Palomo’s Madrigal y Cinco Canciones Serfadíes (UK premiere) and Sofia Gubaidulina’s Repentance for three guitars, cello and bass. Gus is passionate about expanding the guitar repertoire and is a keen arranger, writing for both guitar chamber ensemble and solo guitar.
Morris Begg Duo
The Morris Begg Duo of Ross Morris (guitar) and Ines Mayhew-Begg (voice) began working together three years ago during their undergraduate degrees at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. They have already shown their shared enjoyment of the intimate and expressive nature of voice and guitar in several exciting concerts and are described as ‘delivering their programmes with freshness and charm’. As Live Music Now artists have performed for St Giles Cathedral and the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh.
The pair enjoy presenting a diverse range of repertoire from late Italian Renaissance lute music to 20th century Spanish songs. They are very excited to be making their debut as International Guitar Foundation Young Artists.
