Julian Bream

This world-famous British guitarist and lutenist has greatly contributed to popularizing the guitar and sparking interest in the Renaissance lute. He was born in 1933 in London and has been involved with music since childhood. His father, a jazz guitarist, encouraged young Julian to play the piano and guitar. Upon hearing Django Reinhardt's playing, the boy fell in love with the instrument and received a classical guitar as a gift from his father at the age of 11. He was a prodigy. At the age of 12, he won a children's piano competition, which allowed him to study piano and cello at the Royal College of Music. His debut was a guitar recital in Chentelham two years later. After a remarkable performance at Wigmore Hall in 1951 and military service, Julian traveled giving concerts in many countries around the world. In 1960, he founded the Julian Bream Consort, an instrumental ensemble in which he plays the lute and mainly performs music from the Elizabethan era. Although the artist is primarily known for his interpretations of early music, it should not be forgotten that he also performs contemporary music on the guitar. Composers such as Takemitsu, Henze, and Britten have written pieces specifically for him. In 1984, he had a serious accident, after which it took a long time and a lot of effort for him to return to form. Julian Bream has collaborated on many wonderful projects, such as working on vocal and lute music from the Elizabethan era with Peter Pears and releasing two CDs with John Williams.