ALEXANDRE LAGOYA BIOGRAPHY
Born in Alexandria in 1929 from a Greek father and an Italian mother, he began his musical and guitar studies at the age of 8. At 13 he gave his first recital and at 15 he was already teaching guitar and music theory. After having given more than 500 concerts, he moved to Paris, where France became his adopted country. Pursuing his educational and artistic career, he carried out an immense concert tour in all the countries of Europe. In 1952, he marries the famous French guitarist Ida Presti with whom he forms the Presti-Lagoya duo. They then founded together a guitar class at the Schola Cantorum. Through their 15 international tours, which include more than 2000 concerts, composers D. Lesur, A. Jolivet, L. Alibert, P. Petit, H. Tomasi, S. Lancen, J. Wiener, J. Rodrigo, MC Tedesco , dedicate their works to them. After fifteen years of instrumental research with Ida Presti, they open up new horizons in guitar technique: a new hand position, discovering how to trill on two strings hitherto done on one, employing a new position to achieve greater speed in pizzicato and perfecting staccato technique.
Alexandre Lagoya was asked several times to teach guitar in universities in the USA and in particular at the JMC (Canada) and from 1960 led the guitar class at the International Summer Academy in Nice, thus training many students who hold positions in some of the most important Conservatories around the world. Each year, Alexandre Lagoya is invited to participate as a member of the jury of the most important national and international competitions. He became a professor at the National Conservatory of Music in Paris in October 1969, when a guitar class was created. Alexandre Lagoya gives concerts all over the world: he plays under the direction of eminent conductors with the greatest symphony orchestras. He is regularly requested by the most important national and international festivals. Alexandre Lagoya is considered one of the most extraordinary guitarists of our time. He recorded many records. In 1965, the French government made him Commander of Cultural and Artistic Merit; in 1972, Knight of National Merit; in 1974, Chevalier des Arts et Lettres for his action in favor of music throughout the world. Two decorations were awarded to him by the government of the USSR in 1964. Despite all his activities, this smiling, generous, straightforward man loved the youth he helped and advised. Everything interested him, painting, architecture, literature, nature, animals... He loved to travel, but it was with infinite pleasure that he returned to his home located in a still privileged setting in the Paris region. Where he rests.