“Chamber music prize winners Salzburg Guitar Trio displayed, without doubt, all of the qualities that earned them this prestigious accolade. Through their perfect ensemble and well-blended sound, the trio showed spontaneity and freshness in their interpretations. Their carefully chosen program delighted all those in attendance.”
— Ciutat d’Elx Guitar Festival, July 2018
Salzburg Guitar Trio
Salzburg Guitar Trio has performed extensively throughout Europe. Highlights include a televised concert at the ‘Garrigues Guitar Festival’, a tour of the northwestern provinces of Spain, and concerts in music festivals and concert series such as the ‘Tübingen International Guitar Festival‘, ‘ The Hague Guitar Society’, ‘Costa Dourada Music Festival’, ‘Guitar Festival ‘Ciutat D’Elx’’, ’Valle dei Laghi International Guitar Festival’ and the ‘Stuttgart International Classic Guitar Festival’.
One of the trio’s most exciting projects was their time spent as artists in residence based in Antonin Gaudi’s famous modernist building, ‘La Pedrera’, in Barcelona. During the residency, Catalan composer Jose Galeote dedicated his work ‘La Pedrera - En Construcció’ to the trio. Inspired by Gaudi’s remarkable architecture, the trio had the pleasure of premiering the work inside La Pedrera.
As Grand Prize winners of the Guitar Foundation of America ‘International Ensemble Competition’, the trio is the first ever ensemble to be awarded a GFA Artist Tour. Their concert tour took them across North America in the Spring of 2023, where they also gave public masterclasses for guitar societies, universities and conservatories. Highlights include coaching soloists and ensembles from the Bachelor and Master programmes at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, the Youth Performing Arts School in Louisville, KY and the Mount Royal University Conservatory in Calgary, Canada.
The trio’s debut album “III“, featuring highlights of their current programme, was released at the beginning of 2023. Upcoming plans include recording John Duarte’s complete works for guitar trio.
Andrew Booth
An engaging performer, British classical guitarist Andrew Booth enjoys a diverse career as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher. Andrew has given solo and duo concerts throughout the UK and was a member of the Countess of Munster Musical Trust recital scheme. He was a recipient of a study scholarship from the Musicians’ Benevolent Fund and at the soundSCAPE Composition and Performance Exchange in Italy, he was awarded the Performer Prize.
As a founding member of the Salzburg Guitar Trio, Andrew has played at festivals and venues in Germany, Austria and Italy, and has toured throughout Spain, Canada and the United States. The trio has received numerous First and Grand prizes at chamber music competitions such as the Guitar Foundation of America Ensemble Competition, Festival de Guitarra ‘Ciutat d’Elx’, the 9th Savarez-Corelli Prize in Salzburg and Valle dei Laghi International Guitar Competition in Italy.
Andrew’s primary studies were with Gordon Crosskey and Craig Ogden at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he gained a Bachelor’s degree with First Class Honours. He holds a Master’s degree from the Royal Conservatory of The Hague having studied in the class of Zoran Dukic. Under the tutelage of Laura Young he completed his Postgraduate studies at the Mozarteum in Salzburg.
“...he imbued each work with a depth of character that effortlessly transported the audience to an ever-changing succession of other worlds.”
- West Sussex County Times
Katie
Lonson
Canadian-born Concert Guitarist Katie Lonson is a unique soloist and chamber musician whose exceptional musicality and powerful stage presence define her.
Upon graduating from the Senior Academy Program for Gifted Youth at Mount Royal University’s Conservatory (Calgary), Katie moved to Germany to pursue her studies at the age of 17. She holds a German Diplom in Artistic Solo Performance and a Masters of Music (Honours) from the University of Music and Performing Arts in Stuttgart (Prof. Johannes Monno), and an additional Postgraduate degree from the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria (Prof. Laura Young). Further studies have included masterclasses with world-renowned artists such as Roland Dyens, Sergio & Odair Assad, Pepe Romero, Aniello Desiderio, Margarita Escarpa and Pavel Steidl.
Katie has performed with ensembles extensively throughout Europe and across North America. She is a founding member of the Salzburg Guitar Trio, one of the leading guitar ensembles of the new generation. The trio has won first prizes at the Corelli-Savarez Chamber Music Competition in Austria, the Ciutat d’Elx Chamber Music Competition in Spain, the Valle dei Laghi Chamber Music Competition in Italy, and Grand Prize of the Guitar Foundation of America’s (GFA) International Ensemble Competition. They were the first ensemble to win a GFA Artist Tour; performing concerts and giving public masterclasses across USA and Canada in 2023.
Katie is dedicated to arranging works for the trio and her tenor and guitar duo, HIKA. She is also a former member (cello) of the experimental crossover ensemble Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra and can be heard on indie band The Notwist’s album “The Devil, You + Me”.
Katie was broadcasted live on Catalan television in Spain, as well as from Kadriorg Palace in Tallinn on Estonian national Radio (ERR), and has made numerous solo appearances on Canadian television and radio. She has been awarded grants from the Deutsche Musikrat, Canadian Arts Council, Klangspektrum Baden-Württemberg and the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and is an alumni of Yehudi Menuhin’s Live Music Now scholarship program.
Awards as a soloist include national winner of the Canadian Music Competition, 2nd Prize at the Tallinn International Guitar Competition, and 3rd Prize at the Sarajevo International Guitar Festival Competition.
Katie currently holds tenure as a lecturer on the music faculty of the School for Music and Art in Böblingen, Germany.
Eliška Lenhartová
Eliška Lenhartová is a Czech guitarist of Asian descent known for her captivating performances and intense onstage presence. She is an award-winning soloist, deeply committed chamber musician and sought-after pedagogue.
Her musical journey began at the Pardubice Conservatory under the tutelage of the renowned Czech guitarist and pedagogue, Petr Saidl. During this time, Eliška won first prizes in numerous competitions as a soloist. Her most notable competition successes include First and Grand Prizes at the Prague Junior Note, Czech Republic, the International Guitar Competition, Sanok, Poland, and the Czech Republic Conservatory Competition, among others. She was also a finalist at the Stuttgart International Classic Guitar Festival, Germany. Eliška’s talent was recognized by the mayor of Pardubice, who awarded her the "Best Students of the City” prize three times. An interview on the beginnings of her career and performance was broadcast on Czech Radio.
She completed her Bachelor studies in Weimar, Germany, at the Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt under the guidance of Professor Thomas Müller-Pering. Her Master studies at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, Austria, were with Professor Laura Young, where she graduated with the highest possible grade. During her studies she took part in masterclasses with world-renowned guitarists such as Zoran Dukič, Leo Brouwer, Pablo Marquez, Scott Tennant and Carlo Marchione. Eliška was a scholarship holder of the Live Music Now Augsburg program, which supports promising young artists in their careers. She currently holds teaching positions in Kutná Hora and Ledeč nad Sázavou.
As a chamber musician, Eliška actively collaborates with wind, string and keyboard instrumentalists and was a founding member of Duo Françaix (2013-18) and Duo Unicornis (from 2023). She also performs regularly in theatre productions, most recently in Astor Piazzolla's operetta "María de Buenos Aires" at the ABC Theatre in Prague. Eliška joined the Salzburg Guitar Trio in the 2024 season.