Ian Watt
Fort Worth
7:30pm Thursday, April 11, 2013
The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth
Dallas
7:30pm Friday, April 12, 2013
Saint Monica Catholic Church
Ian Watt has given many recitals and solo appearances throughout Europe, in venues such as the ‘Schubert Hall’ (Vienna Concert House), St John’s, Smith Square (London), King’s Place (London), the Queen Elizabeth Hall (South Bank Centre, London) and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. Watt has also given concerts at cultural festivals such as the Mikulov International Guitar Festival (Czech Republic), Kutna Hora International Guitar Festival (Czech Republic) the International Guitar Festival (London), ‘Sound’ Festival (Aberdeen) and the Big Guitar Weekend (Glasgow). His wide repertoire encompasses music from the renaissance to the present.
As well as in the United Kingdom, Watt has performed in the USA, China, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Holland, Estonia, Norway and Belgium and as a concerto soloist, he has recently performed with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, the City of London Sinfonia, Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra, Glasgow Chamber Orchestra and Aberdeen Sinfonietta. His international awards and prizes include 1st prize at the Heinsberg International Guitar Competition 2011, 1st prize at the ‘Westfalian Guitar Spring’ International Competition 2010 in Germany, silver medal at the Parkening International Guitar Competition 2009 in Malibu, 2nd prize and the Vienna International Guitar Competition ‘Homage to Karl Scheit’ 2010, and 3rd prize at the Koblenz International Guitar Competition 2011. An enthusiastic chamber musician, Watt has a particular interest in the voice and guitar repertoire and regards performing with singers as one of his favourite musical activities.
As a keen advocate of contemporary music, particularly in expanding his instrument’s repertoire, Watt has collaborated with composers such as Gordon McPherson, Rory Boyle and most recently John McLeod, whose Guitar Concerto (dedicated to Watt and the composer’s first work for the instrument) he premiered in March 2010. Watt also took part in the Peter Maxwell Davies 75th birthday celebration concerts in Glasgow in November 2009, giving a performance of the rarely heard ‘Dark Angels’ song cycle for voice and guitar in the composer’s presence.
As well as his performances on BBC Radio, Watt was featured in a BBC 2 documentary which included a performance of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez and his performances have also been seen and heard on television and radio stations in the USA, Austria and Holland. The 2011-12 season will see him give his first concerts in Ukraine (a solo recital at the National Philharmonic Hall in Kiev) and Denmark as well as a return to China, Germany and the USA. His debut album, Invocación – Impressions of Spain, was released by Nimbus Alliance in November 2011. Ian Watt is a D’Addario artist.
Ian can be contacted via his agent at http://www.wix.com/daisyh/classical-musicians-scotland#!__strings/ian-watt for concerts in Scotland or directly for the rest of the world, through either the contact page on this site, by his e mail address – wattian@btinternet.com or by phone at +44(0)7904124035.
Press quotes
Concert Reviews
‘…possessed a musicality and charisma – a temperament, even – that allows one to transcend the bonds of an instrumental community’ – Soundboard (U.S.A), 2009
‘Time stopped in this interpretation and the concentration of young Ian Watt’s guitar playing acted like a zoom lens on pain and reflection.’ – The Herald (Scotland), 2009
‘…Ian Watt is a star in the ascendant.’ – Aberdeen Press and Journal (Scotland), 2010
‘…an eighteen year old phenom.’ – Soundboard (U.S.A.), 2009
‘Watt gave a dazzlingly virtuosic performance, most excitingly in the cadenza of the final movement which he had contributed.’ – The Herald (Scotland), 2010
‘…a guitarist of outstanding skill and originality.’ – Classical Guitar (U.K.), 2010
‘…astoundingly atmospheric playing in Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez…’ – The Herald (Scotland), 2008
‘Flawless, passionate and driven…’ – Aberdeen Press and Journal (Scotland), 2006
CD reviews
‘…in a field of ever-increasing size, this disc is outstanding.’ – Zane Turner, Music Web International
‘Ian Watt uses all the right punctuations in all the right places, making the musical construct a stellar example of his ardor, his genius and his excellence.’ – Christie Grimstad, ConcertoNet.com
Ian Watt Concert Program
Sonata in A minor (orig. G minor) BWV 1001 Johann Sebastian Bach*
Adagio
Fugue
Siciliano
Presto
Fantasy of themes from Britten’s Gloriana (2012) John McLeod
Five Bagatelles William Walton
Allegro
Lento
Alla cubana
IV
Con slancio
Intermission
Suite Compostelana Federico Mompou
Preludio
Coral
Cuna
Recitativo
Cancion
Muneira
Cadiz, Op. 47/4 Isaac Albeniz*
Mallorca, Op. 202
Seguidillas, Op. 232/5
*transcribed by Ian Watt