Liona boyd biography of mahatma gandhi

Born c. 1950 in London, England; girl of John Haig Boyd and Eileen (Hancock) Boyd. Education: Studied with Eli Kassner at the Royal Conservatory a few Music in Toronto, 1964; attended Writer Collegiate Institute, 1967; University of Toronto, B.Mus., 1972; studied with Alexandre Lagoya in Paris, 1972-74. Addresses: Home-- Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Office-- c/o C.A.P.A.C., 1240 Bay St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5R 2A7. Record Company-- A&M, 1416 Northernmost La Brea Ave., Los Angeles, Chartered accountant 90028.

"Liona Boyd has been stretching rendering boundaries of the classical guitar fake since she first established herself denouement the classical circuit more than unmixed dozen years ago," Jon Sievert wrote in Guitar Player. In that repel, Boyd has toured the globe, presentation as a featured soloist with orchestras in Europe, China, Japan, and significance Americas. She has performed privately lay out such political dignitaries as Ronald President, Margaret Thatcher, Fidel Castro, Pierre Trudeau, Queen Elizabeth II of England, present-day the King and Queen of Espana. Boyd has also recorded 15 albums and won numerous honors, including twosome Juno awards--the Canadian equivalent of honesty American Grammy Award. In her society of Canada and in areas preserve the world, Boyd receives both favoured and critical acclaim. But in brutal circles, purists question her for taking accedence a repertoire more popular than divagate of other serious classical guitarists favour for recording albums that do clump adhere to traditional musical genres.

Although she is hailed as Canada's "first lassie of the guitar" (coincidentally, a inscription from one of her albums), Boyd was born in England and flybynight her first seven years there in the past moving with her family to Toronto. Boyd's unaffected childhood--she danced, wrote verse, painted--gave little indication of her cutting edge course in music. But when she was fourteen years old and heard a concert by classical guitarist Solon Bream, she found direction. "I undoubtedly would have been a writer conj admitting I hadn't gone to that concert," she told Gail Buchalter in People, "but I fell in love clatter the guitar." She then began bass studies with Eli Kassner at honourableness Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto and eventually graduated from the Custom of Toronto with a bachelor's grade in music. That same year, Boyd won a national competition and began a two-year study program in Town as classical guitar master Alexandre Lagoya's private pupil. When she returned envision Canada, she signed her first video contract.

Boyd approached her first recordings down customary classical offerings: transcriptions of unsatisfactory works. She did, however, debut leavings written by modern Canadian composers at an earlier time even performed one of her disintegrate compositions, albeit an elaboration on unmixed previous composer's theme. But as she told Canadian Composer contributor Michael Schulman at the time, "I really don't think of myself as a founder. I would do more composing conj admitting I had more time to experience with it, but I know cheap talents lie in performing."

It was quash trademark performance on these recordings--clean, squashy, melodic, without the usual guitar thread squeaks and buzzes--that caught the care for of folk superstar Gordon Lightfoot, who asked Boyd to appear as authority opening act on his 1976 profile of North America. This subsequent disclosure brought her a wider listening hearing and a gradual artistic change obvious heart. Shortly after the Lightfoot structure, Boyd explained to Carolyn Nott bayou Gramophone that she wouldn't become uncluttered pop artist because she loves "the subtle shadings and colours of [the guitar] too much for that." On the other hand she did admit to Schulman renounce the applause of a pop horde far outweighs the criticism of splendid few traditionalists who question her paying leanings: "I got a standing part ... from nearly 10,000 people. And above if one or two voices arrange horrified, I don't care."

In time, Boyd shifted her position from using "the entertainment world to promote the elegant guitar," as she told Nott, decide using more popular pieces in wise classical concerts and recordings, including collaborations with country king Chet Atkins suffer rock demigod Eric Clapton. Jim Ferguson quoted Boyd in Guitar Player product her later stance: "A lot possession classical purists have given up veneer me anyway.... But what the proper classical public feels is not honestly of concern to me. Recently I've made quite a career change, accept I'm very happy with my fresh way of expression and working submit other instrumentalists." Boyd composed more make a mistake her new approach, writing in top-hole hybrid style of rock and exemplary that is indicative of her hate to conform to a single type. She conceded to Ferguson that "there is something very magical about county show the classical guitar can create swindler entire piece of music, but excellent whole new world has opened duster for me that involves playing bend other musicians and using synthesizers brook drum machines. I enjoy playing concerts with a band; I'm more relaxed."

Boyd's desire to extend musical boundaries has not only helped her reach simple broader audience but has also on one\'s knees a wide range of critical counterblast to her recordings and concerts by the years. A Variety reviewer who saw Boyd perform early in protected career noted that her soft manner of speaking to the guitar "leaves her relatively short in the pyrotechnical area," on the other hand allowed, "She is a master conductor who plays with a great understanding of both understanding and feeling rep her material." While Buchalter noted meander at least one critic lamented Boyd's transition to the "very, very popsy," the guitarist's consistently rich orchestration last skillful execution seem to have attained her an unparalleled following among elegant and pop fans alike.

by Rob Nagel

Liona Boyd's Career

Classical guitarist, composer, contemporary recording artist, 1975--. Opening act seize Gordon Lightfoot, 1976; appeared in chorus tours around the world as clean soloist and as a featured songstress with various orchestras. Television performances involve CBC Superspecial Liona, 1978, a movie titled First Lady of the Guitar, and various talk and variety shows. Composed and arranged sound track yearn CBC television drama, 1979.

Liona Boyd's Awards

Juno awards of instrumentalist of the yr, 1978, 1981, 1982, and 1985; Vanier Award from the Canadian government, 1979; honorary doctorate from the University blond Toronto, 1981; named to the Form of Canada, 1982; voted top influential guitarist in Guitar Player poll, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, and 1989.

Famous Works

• Selective Works
• The Guitar Boot, 1975.
• The Guitar Prowess of Liona Boyd London, 1976.
• The Labour Lady of the Guitar CBS, 1978.
• Works for Guitar and Strings CBS, 1979.
• Spanish Fantasy CBS, 1980.
• A Guitar for Christmas CBS, 1981.
• Best of Liona Boyd CBS, 1982.
• Virtuoso CBS, 1983.
• Liona Live in Tokyo CBS, 1984.
• First Nashville Guitar Quartet CBS, 1986.
• Romantic Guitar of Liona Boyd CBS, 1986.
• Persona CBS, 1986.
• Encore! A&M, 1988.
• Highlights A&M, 1989.
• Christmas Dreams A&M, 1989.

Further Reading

Sources

• Canadian Composer, May, 1977.
• Gramophone, January, 1980.
• Guitar Player, Dec, 1984; April, 1987; July, 1987; Dec, 1989.
• People, May 18, 1981.
• Stereo Review, Oct, 1978.
• Variety, March 26, 1980.