Rory Boyle

Born in Milan, Italy in 1984 Marco Ramelli has been a first prize winner at international competitions including the Blas Sanchez, Città di Seveso, Rocco Peruggini and Riviera Etrusca competitions, and was the winner of the inaugural Scottish International Guitar Competition held at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. In addition, he won second prize at the renowned Seville International Guitar Competition in 2012.

Marco regularly performs in Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom and recently made his USA debut in Los Angeles. His concert career has featured performances at international music festivals including the Stagione Internazionale della Chitarra di Lodi in Italy, and in the UK at the Big Guitar Weekend (Glasgow), Guitar Master (Brighton) and the Tolmen International Guitar Festival (Cornwall).

Marco Ramelli is Artistic Director of the Festival Corde d’Autunno in Milan, and combines this role with an active teaching career. Marco began his studies with Andrea Dieci, graduating from the Conservatorio di musica Giuseppe Verdi in Milan, followed by a post-graduate diploma from the Conservatorio Luca Marenzio Darfo (Italy). He has participated in masterclasses throughout Europe with world-renowned guitarists such as Pavel Steidl and Oscar Ghiglia. From 2007 to 2011 he regularly attended the Giulio Regondi Guitar Academy in Milan, continuing his studies with Andrea Dieci and Bruno Giuffredi.

Marco Ramelli plays on an Angelo Vailati guitar.

‘’If I have seen it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants’’ Letter from Isaac Newton to Robert Hooke, 5 February 1676

The art of brass playing embraces a range of diverse approaches and styles. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the musical melting pot of the USA. On the Shoulders of Giants pays tribute to this diversity and to the great American brass virtuosi whose legacy has provided the foundation for countless giants of today.

The world premiere of the wind orchestra version was given at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the 21st October 2011 under the direction of Nigel Boddice MBE.

World première recordings made in the presence of the composer

This year 2010 British Composer Award winner Rory Boyle celebrates his 60th birthday. Young virtuoso pianist James Willshire’s debut recording explores the full gamut of Boyle’s compositional personality – from the cragginess of his finely wrought Sonata to the intensely human lyricism of Tatty’s Dancing (itself a 60th birthday present for Boyle's wife).

“Willshire shaped and characterised every moment with freshness and lucidity.” The Herald, September 2007

“While Boyle’s scottish roots are never far away, his music has a strong, mainstream European, Stravinsky-based rigour, with its own brand of virile, challenging, but always comprehensible counterpoint, dissonance which is hardfought yet never gratuitous, an unsentimental lyricism and unerring sense of architecture.” Nicholas Cleobury

Lawrence Zazzo is regarded as the most versatile operatic countertenor of his generation. Here he explores the intimacy of the lute song in a remarkable programme focusing on madness and midnight. He performs works by Dowland and Purcell as well as exploring the contemporary repertoire for countertenor.