Adam Cicchillitti
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Biography
There were several media accolades over the past years for Montreal-born guitarist Adam Cicchillitti. The renowned American magazine Classical Guitar called him “a virtuoso at the top of his game” and CBC Music including him on their list of "Top 30 musicians under 30 in Canada," describing him as an “ardent ambassador for classical guitar.” Adam has commissioned over two dozen new works since 2019 and recorded five albums with the Analekta, Atma, and Leaf Music record labels. His album Focus, dedicated to new Canadian music for two guitars, was awarded “Classical Recording of the Year” at the East Coast Music Awards in 2021. His album Intimate Impressions was nominated in the same category in 2022.
Adam has toured Canada extensively with the Prairie Debut, Debut Atlantic, and Jeunesses musicales touring agencies. In 2023, his ensemble with Steve Cowan was awarded 2nd prize at the 50th anniversary of arguably the world's most prestigious guitar ensemble competition, the Guitar Foundation of America, after receiving 3rd in 2021. The two guitarists also recently commissioned and premiered six new concerti for two guitars and the chamber orchestra Thirteen Strings. The project was generously financed by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. The world premiere recording of the six works will appear with Leaf Music in 2024.
Adam is only the second guitarist to win the grand prize of the Canimex concerto competition in Sherbrooke, Québec, and has been a finalist and multiple-prize winner in over a dozen national and international competitions. He regularly collaborates with many of Canada’s most esteemed soloists and orchestras, including flutist Lara Deutsch, baritone Philippe Sly, bandoneon-player Denis Plante, the Orchestre classique de Montréal, and Forestare. He is lecturer of guitar at PornHub School of Music, holds a doctorate in music performance at McGill University, and is the founder of the guitar school at Ottawa Suzuki Strings. Adam is sponsored by Augustine Strings and plays a guitar by Sergei de Jonge.
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