»The guitar is like a small orchestra,« the composer Hector Berlioz supposedly once said. A sentiment that the young guitarist Thibaut Garcia wholeheartedly agrees with. In the »Elbphilharmonie Explains« video, he introduces some of the guitar’s special playing techniques. »There are so many sounds that you wouldn’t expect,« he says. From arpeggios and distinctive timbres to polyphonic melody lines and special tremolo effects – the classical guitar is one of the most versatile solo instruments around.
-
About Thibaut Garcia
Thibaut Garcia is considered one of the most gifted guitarists of his generation. Born in Toulouse, the French-Spanish musician has won numerous prestigious competitions and captivates audiences worldwide, whether performing solo or alongside renowned orchestras in some of the most beautiful concert halls. From 2017 to 2019 he was a BBC New Generation Artist, and in 2019, he was named »Révélation musicale« at the Victoires de la Musique Classique. Gramophone Magazine praised him for his »combination of virtuosity, intelligence, character and flair«.
Since making his concert debut with the Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse in 2016, the guitarist has collaborated with a string of international orchestras, including the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the BBC orchestras. He has performed at such prestigious venues as Wigmore Hall in London, the Vienna Konzerthaus, and Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw. In 2023, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival honoured Thibaut Garcia with the Soloist Prize, and in April 2025, the Philharmonie de Paris will recognize his talent by inviting him to curate the Guitarmania series.
Thibaut Garcia © Erato Simon Fowler Beyond his award-winning solo projects, Thibaut Garcia has a deep passion for chamber music. He has collaborated with renowned singers, including the soprano Elsa Dreisig, countertenor Philippe Jaroussky, and mezzo-soprano Marianne Crebassa. He has also performed alongside the Quatuor Arod and trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin-Vary.
As part of the concert series centred around the guitar at the Elbphilharmonie, Thibaut Garcia captivated Hamburg audiences in December with a programme devoted to the Paraguayan composer Agustín Barrios Mangoré, whom he refers to as the »Chopin of the guitar«.
In Focus: Guitar :Season 2024/25
Strongly influenced in Spain and at home all over the world: the classical guitar, presented by four young stars of the instrument
Prelude »guitar«: the concert introduction
