Concerts

“The sound is the mirror of the soul” 

Important figure of contemporary classical guitarists, Johan Fostier’s sound and interpretative art never goes unremarked! He performs throughout the world as a soloist and chamber musician (Take Four Guitar Quartet, Almaviva Duo, Estrellitas Duo, Belgian guitar duo) and in the most famous concertos for guitar; his tours took him throughout Russia, the United States, Canada, Chile, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Denmark, Romania, Moldavia, Morocco, Estonia, Albania, Afghanistan... 

His playing stands out thanks to a powerful and generous musical discourse, served firstly by a body-instrument relationship always seeking for increasing harmony and freedom and secondly by a committed, lyrical and infinitely colourful approach in which a deep love for singing prevails. Besides, he enjoys accompanying sopranos and other mezzos, whereas his singing education makes him join the Wappa Tonic vocal quintet and the Kairos Ensemble.

His sovereign technique, deeply connected to music, enabled him to win several prestigious international competitions (among which the Guitar Foundation of America in 2001, Mottola, De Bonis, Tromp Muziek, …). 

A university- educated linguist, interested in words, he has also collaborated with several comedians, singers and directors, which diversified and enriched his perception of the stage. 

Carried and transfigured by his studies in Brussels (conductor Guy van Waas), Paris (Maestro Alberto Ponce, Ecole Normale) and in Switzerland (Joaquim Freire, Susane Mebes, his stars in guitar!), he perfected his art in the masterclasses of Nigel North and Eduardo Isaac. 

He teaches in Bachelor and Master programs in Tilburg (Fontys Hogeschool voor Kunsten AMPA) and is invited throughout the world to give masterclasses. 

JF sums up his artistic approach in 3 points: 

1. To be 

2. To give 

3. There's no third…

Gabriel Bianco is a deeply curious and wide-ranging musician, internationally recognized both as a soloist and as a passionate chamber music performer. Whether playing a modern guitar or a period romantic instrument, his repertoire spans the major works of the guitar literature as well as lesser-known and rarely performed pieces.

Born in Paris in 1988, Gabriel Bianco earned his diplomas in classical guitar in 2008 and in chamber music in 2015. A prizewinner of the Guitar Foundation of America International Competition in 2008, he launched an international solo career that has since taken him to nearly fifty countries. He has performed in prestigious venues including the Théâtre du Châtelet (Paris), the Great Hall of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory (Moscow), Herbst Theatre (San Francisco), the Luis Ángel Arango Auditorium (Bogotá), the Central Conservatory of Music (Beijing), the Musashino Art Center and Yamaha Hall (Tokyo), the Kyiv Philharmonic, the Zurich Opera House, and the Lausanne Opera House. He has also appeared at major festivals such as La Folle Journée de Nantes, the Radio France Montpellier Occitanie Festival, the Cervantino International Festival (Guanajuato, Mexico), and the Granada International Festival of Music and Dance (Spain).

Gabriel Bianco has recorded several albums. His solo recital A Parisian in Paris was released in February 2025 on Naxos, followed by Filmaginaire with the Quatuor Éclisses (Klarthe). A recording with mezzo-soprano Marina Viotti and cellist Léonard Disselhorst is scheduled for release in 2026 on Naïve. He also appears on the debut album of double bassist Marc André, due for release in spring of the same year.

Since 2018, Gabriel Bianco has served as Professor of Classical Guitar at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. He regularly gives masterclasses at the Royal College of Music in London, the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris, the Manhattan School of Music in New York, the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, and at the universities of Arizona (Tucson) and Florida (Tallahassee).

Gabriel Bianco plays Savarez strings and is an Altamira Artist.

Apostolos Karpontinis was born in Athens and at a young age began classical guitar lessons with Yannis Kakolyris. He later continued his studies with Evangelos Assimakopoulos under whom he obtained a Guitar Diploma with the grade of ‘Excellent unanimously and First Prize’.

He has participated in seminars and Master Classes with distinguished guitarists, such as David Russell, Jerry Willard, Ricardo Gallen and Roland Dyens, as well as in classical guitar competitions, winning first prizes and important distinctions.

Karpontinis has performed in recitals at the 19th International Guitar Festival in Patras, at the German Church of Athens, at the Athens Concert Hall and other venues.

Since 1998, he has also been involved with the lute, participating in ethnic, traditional and folk music concerts.

Apostolos Karpontinis has been teaching classical guitar in Conservatories of Attica since 2007, while since 2022 he has been appointed and teaches in primary education as a music teacher.

Ioanna Lazari was born in 2005 in Patras and began guitar lessons at the age of 6 with Professor Christos Tsarouchis. She completed her degree studies in his class at the Philharmonic Society Conservatory of Patras with a grade of 10 and an honorary distinction for virtuosity at the age of 16.

In the year 2023-2024 she began her studies at the Department of Music Science and Art at the University of Macedonia in the specialization class of Elena Papandreou. Throughout her conservatory and university studies she has participated in many Guitar Festivals in Patras and as an active member in Master classes with Lisa Zoe and Evangelos Asimakopoulos as well as with Pietro Locatto, Anton Baranov, Danijel Cerović, Johan Fostier, Thomas Muller Pering and Arturo Tallini. 

At the Guitar Festival Competitions organized by the Patras Philharmonic Society Conservatory, Ioanna Lazari has won the 3rd Prize (2015) and the 2nd Prize (2017) in the A category. At the Panhellenic Guitar Competition Musicarte (2021) she was praised for her musical ability. 

Finally, she took part in the recorded concert of students of the Patras Philharmonic Society Conservatory as part of the Three-Day Contemporary Music Festival held at the Athens Conservatory in 2021.

Vasiliki Kydoniatis began her studies of the classical guitar at the age of seven, in the class of Panayiotis Kydoniatis at the ‘Patras Conservatory Philharmonic Society’, where she received her Degree and Diploma with honors. At the same time, she received her Degree in harmony in the class of Vasiliki Filippeou. She then completed her music studies at the Ionian University, obtaining a degree in Musicology with a specialization in classical guitar.

In 2025, she completed her master's degree at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague, in the classical guitar program, under the guidance of Enno Voorhorst.

Vasiliki Kydoniatis  has distinguished herself in various national competitions, winning awards and praise. She has participated in Master classes with outstanding guitarists such as Liza Zoe, Evangelos Assimakopoulos, Anton Baranov, Vojin Kocić, Marco Tamayo, etc. 

In our days she lives in The Hague, Netherlands, where she continues her musical activity and teaches classical guitar.

Konstantina Nikolakopoulou was born in 2002 and began taking classical guitar lessons at the age of 6. She received her diploma in 2019, with professor Andronikos Karamberis, while in 2023 she excelled in her diploma, also receiving the "Award for Excellent Interpretation and Expression".

She continues to enrich her experiences by giving concerts and taking part in seminars and master classes with distinguished guitarists. She lives in Patras and works as a guitar teacher.