John Goulart

Classical Guitarist

Biography

John Goulart first took up the Classical Guitar at age 17. His private studies soon led him to Wilfrid Laurier University where he graduated with his Bachelor of Music Performance. His principle teachers were Tibor Puskas and Lynne Gangbar. He then went on to study with Manuel Barrueco at the Manhattan School where he graduated with a Master of Music Performance degree. He continued his studies at the Banff Centre for the Arts where he was awarded the Andres Segovia Scholarship and the Jenny Belzberg scholarship. At this point he began his competitive carreer in which he won five major prizes on three continents. He was also awarded several Alberta Foundation grants to compete and perform abroad.

John has appeared with several of Canada's leading orchestras including the Calgary Philharmonic, Regina Symphony, Northern Chamber Orchestra, the Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestre de Concerts Populaire (Montreal Symphony). As a recitalist, he has appeared in major centres across Canada, the United States, Europe, South America and Japan. He has toured the Azores, Portugal sponsored by the Portuguese government and has appeared frequently as guest artist in several major Portuguese summer festivals. Many of these have been broadcast on Portuguese radio and television. Other concerts in Chile, for the 4th International Guitar Festival at Vina del Mar; and in Japan, for the Canadian Embassy; and at Oberlin College, for the Great Lakes Festival, have been highlights in a sparkling career.

John has also established himself as a choral conductor in recent years. He has been musical director of Bow Valley Chorus since it’s inception and has performed major choral works including Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Mozart’s Requiem and his Mass in C Minor, John Rutter’s Requiem, Haydn’s Lord Nelson Mass and Faure’s Requiem.

 

As a recording artist, John has several releases to his credit. His first release Intimate Recital was selected as best recording of 1995 by CKUA Radio, nominated for an Alberta Recording Industry Association Award (ARIA) and praised by Sound and Vision Magazine as "Sonically outstanding and musically satisfying". His second release Take 2 was also nominated for an ARIA as well as being short-listed in 1996 for a JUNO Nomination. His third release Toward the Millennium won an ARIA for Best Classical Artist on Record. His subsequent recording Malagueña also won an ARIA and is also available through Indie Pool distribution. His most recent recording CONCERTOS features music for guitar and string orchestra. All of his recordings have received extensive airplay on CKUA Radio in Alberta and across Canada on the CBC Radio Network.

John now lives in Banff and continues to tour, record, adjudicate, and conduct masterclasses across Canada and abroad.

 

Performing in the Azores Portugal