VANCOUVER CLASSICAL GUITAR FESTIVAL
FACULTY
Dr. DANIEL BOLSHOY
Daniel Bolshoy is a Senior Lecturer in the Hugh Hodgson School of Music at the University of Georgia, where he directs the guitar program. An Israeli-Canadian guitarist, he has performed as a soloist with over sixty orchestras internationally including the Mexico City Philharmonic, the Volgograd Symphony (Russia), and the symphony orchestras of New Mexico, Modesto, Fresno, Vancouver, Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Kingston, Victoria, Okanagan, Saskatoon, Nova Scotia, as well as the Chamber Orchestras of Israel, Pennsilvania, Manitoba, Ottawa, The Northwest Sinfonietta, and many others.
He has recently completed a tour of concerts and master classes in China, including a residency at the Beijing central conservatory.
Similarly, he has been invited as faculty in residence at the Federal UniversitySimilarly, he has been invited as faculty in residence at the Federal University of Goias in Goiania, Brazil, the Rubin Academy of Music in Israel, the conservatories of Alessandria, Milan and Turin in Italy.
Dr. Bolshoy holds a D.M. Degree from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. He earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees at the University of Denver, where he studied with GFA hall of fame artist Ricardo Iznaola.
Bolshoy’s students have won scholarships to leading Universities and Conservatories and have won awards in competitions, including the The Guitar Foundation of America youth competitions, the Federation of Canadian Music Festivals, The Northwest, Louisville, Florida State, and Alabama competitions as well as the Parkening, and the Alessandria (Italy) International Guitar competitions.
For more information please visit: www.danielbolshoy.com
DAVID SOSSA
Acclaimed for his charisma and versatility, guitarist David Sossa has fascinated audiences internationally. As a soloist, David has performed in Japan, Italy, France, Spain, England, Canada, USA, Mexico, Cuba, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador.
David was born in Toronto, Canada, and grew up in Colombia. He received his early musical education from his teachers Humberto Montoya, on the
bandola and folk guitar and Gerardo Giraldo on the classical guitar. Later, he studied with Jairo Cardona, Jesus Marin, Roberto Fernandez, Dario Echeverri, and Daniel Bolshoy.
David played as first guitar at The Toronto Guitar Society Orchestra during the seasons 2011 to 2013. Among his recordings are a solo CD, which was released in December 2010 on the Salty Road label, getting over 1000 copies sold in just 2 months, his collaboration with various commercial CD recordings locally and internationally such as "The Anechoic Experience", and "Jumblesque" by Canadian composer Unthunk, and the music for two documentaries in Colombia.
Throughout his career, David has been recipient of numerous scholarships, among which are: Marie Elizabeth and William Adolphe Pal Jones (2014), Eleanor and James Wrigle (2014), Faculty of Graduate Award (2014), Faculty of Graduate Award (2013), TD Bank Financial Group Graduate Bursary (2013).
David holds a Bachelor of Music from Universidad de Antioquia and a Master of Music from the University of British Columbia. Currently, David is the Head of the Guitar Department at the British Columbia Conservatory of Music.
During his teaching career many of his students have participated in festivals and have won
competitions in Canada, USA, and Colombia. Frequently, David is invited to give lectures, workshops, and masterclasses overseas. David´s solo career has been featured in different interviews at some radio stations, TV shows and newspapers in five different countries. David is a D’Addarío Artist and plays on a 2013 Joshia de Jonge guitar and on a 2019 David Villegas guitar.
www.davidsossa.com
ALEC PEARSON
Alec Pearson enjoys a career based in Vancouver where he currently serves as sessional instructor of guitar at the University of British Columbia. Alec has performed both solo and in ensemble across Canada, Spain, Colombia, Greece and the U.S. He currently serves as president of the “Vancouver Classic Guitar Society” where he works to organize many concerts, lectures masterclasses and social events.
Alec holds the degree “Máster en Interpretación de Guitarra Clasica” from the Universitat d’Alacant in Alicante, Spain, where he studied with an array of the best guitarists in the world, including; David Russell, Pepe Romero, Manuel Barrueco, Roberto Aussel, Paul Galbraith and Fabio Zanon to list a few.
Prior to studying abroad, Alec earned a Masters degree from the University of British Columbia where he studied with internationally renowned Canadian guitarist and his longtime mentor Daniel Bolshoy. In 2012 he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Montreal. He was born and raised in Calgary where he first received exposure to the guitar under the tutelage of Jose Fermin. During his youth, he was an active member and performer in the Classical Guitar Society of Calgary and began his own teaching career at the age of 17.
LUIS ANGEL MEDINA
Directing the festival is Luis Medina, an avid performer and teacher across North America. He is the recipient of the Silver Medal from the 2017 Vancouver International Music Competition and holds a Masters degree from the University of Georgia in Athens. Luis’s career has taken him to perform in various cities in Europe, China and all over North America.
Luis Medina began his formal studies enrolling in the Music Diploma at the University of Guadalajara at the age of fifteen. He holds a Bachelor of Music in Guitar performance from University of British Columbia and a Music Diploma from Capilano University. He received his Masters of Music degree from the University of Georgia in Athens under the mentorship and guidance of acclaimed Canadian guitarist Dr. Daniel Bolshoy where he functioned as Guitar Teacher Assistant. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Director's Excellence Award which recognizes students for excellence in musicianship, scholarship, leadership, and service.
Luis is now back in the Lower Mainland where he continues to promote the guitar through teaching, performing and organizing public events that lead to the spread of music in the larger community with the aid of the Vancouver Classic Guitar Society. He has made appearances as soloist, performing Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s first guitar concerto with A Little Night Music Orchestra and other occasions. He currently serves as music director of the Elgar Strings. Luis aims to inspire others by sharing his love for music, and to bring the classical guitar to the larger community.