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Eduardo Fernandez
Eduardo Fernandez was born in 1952 in Uruguay; he began his guitar studies at age 7. His principal teachers were Abel Carlevaro, Guido Santórsola and Héctor Tosar. After winning prizes in several international competitions, the most notable being the 1972 Porto Alegre (Brazil) and 1975 Radio France (Paris) competitions, he won first prize in the 1975 Andrés Segovia Competition in Mallorca, Spain.
He made his New York City début in 1977, winning high critical praise. Donald Hanahan of the New York Times described Eduardo Fernandez as a "[a] top guitarist
," and went on to declare that "[r]arely has this reviewer heard a more impressive début recital on any instrument." Eduardo Fernández has returned to the U.S.A. every season since then, playing with prestigious orchestras as well as giving recitals. His 1983 London Wigmore Hall début was also a great success.
Eduardo Fernández has performed on numerous recordings (solos, and with the English Chamber Orchestras and the London Philharmonic). His recordings cover a wide range of the guitar repertoire, from Bach to the present and include many recording premieres (Berios "Sequenza XI" and Ginasteras "Sonata" among them).
Eduardo Fernández has also performed with great success in practically all Western European countries, the Far East (Japan, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong and China), as well as in Latin America. He is recognized as one of the leading guitarists of today. Reviews emphasize his "total technique" and the "poetic self-realization" of his playing. Reviews also describe him as "a thoughtful and thought-provoking artist"; or, as Soundboard said of his 1999 recital at the Guitar Foundation of America annual Festical in Charleston, SC, Eduardo Fernandez is "one of the greatest guitarists alive."
Eduardo Fernandez has a keen interest in historical instruments. As a result, he has recently started playing the repertoire of the XIXth century on a period guitar. He is an active and enthusiastic teacher, having taught several years at the University Conservatory in Montevideo, as well as conducting master classes all around the world. He has written a major book on guitar technique (Technik, Mechanik und Didaktik, published by Chanterelle Verlag, Heidelberg 2000), a book of essays on Bach's lute music, published in 2003 by ART Ediciones, and several articles in leading guitar publications.
Also a composer, Eduardo Fernandez was Secretary of the Uruguay branch of ISCM for two years. In addition, he is a founder of Uruguays CIM/UNESCO section, and Artistic Coordinator of Montevideos biannual International Guitar Festival since 1996.
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