BIOGRAPHY ALEXANDRE LAGOYA
Born in Alexandria in 1929 of Greek father and an Italian mother, he began his musical and guitar studies at the age of 8. At the age of 13 he gave his first recital and at the age of 15 he already taught guitar and music theory. After having given more than 500 concerts, he moved to Paris, where France became his adopted country, and continued his educational and artistic career, touring all over Europe in 1952, marrying the famous French guitarist Ida Presti with whom he formed the duo Presti-Lagoya. They then founded a guitar class together at the Schola Cantorum. Through their 15 international tours, which include more than 2000 concerts, the composers D. Lesur, A. Jolivet, L. Alibert, P. Petit, H. Tomasi, S. Lancen, J. Wiener, J. Rodrigo, M. C. Tedesco, dedicate their works to them.After fifteen years of instrumental research with Ida Presti, they opened up new horizons in guitar technique: a new hand position, discovering how to make trills on two strings previously made on one, using a new position to obtain greater speed in pizzicato and perfect the staccato technique.
Alexandre Lagoya is asked several times to teach guitar in universities in the U.S.A. and especially at the J.M.C. (Canada) and since 1960 has been leading the guitar class at the International Summer Academy in Nice, training many students who hold positions in some of the most important conservatories in the world. every 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 Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris in October 1969, the date of the creation of a guitar class. Alexandre Lagoya gives concerts all over the world: he plays under the direction of eminent conductors with the greatest symphony orchestras. He is regularly invited by the most important national and international festivals. Alexandre Lagoya is considered one of the most extraordinary guitarists of our time. In 1965, the French government made him Commandeur du Mérite Culturel et Artistique; in 1972, Chevalier du Mérite National; in 1974, Chevalier des Arts et Lettres for his action in favour of music throughout the world. Two decorations were awarded to him by the USSR government in 1964. Despite all his activities, this smiling, generous, direct 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 found his home located in a still privileged setting in the Paris region where he rests.
BIOGRAPHY IDA PRESTI