Raphaël Feuillâtre

Guitar class from ROCmusic (directed by Michael Jones) will kick off Raphaël‘s concert at 7pm.

Not a speck of museum dust rises when Raphaël Feuillâtre performs music from the distant past. The 26-year-old French classical guitarist, whose repertoire embraces everything from Johann Sebastian Bach and Rameau to contemporary compositions by Roland Dyens and Sérgio Assad, possesses the technical mastery and creative vision required to make works from all periods sound as if they were written yesterday – alive, heartfelt, filled with colour. Hailed by Guitar Salon International as “one of the most exciting classical guitarists of his generation”, he makes his instrument sing with a rare blend of clarity and grace.

Feuillâtre made his international breakthrough in 2018 as winner of the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Concert Artist Competition. He had already been tipped as a rising star in Europe following his victory at the 2017 José Tomás Villa de Petrer International Guitar Competition in Valencia and earlier prize-winning competition performances elsewhere in Spain as well as in France, Portugal and the Czech Republic. His progress around the competition circuit introduced him to many outstanding players and teachers; his José Tomás and GFA prizes, meanwhile, included opportunities for him to record solo recital albums under studio conditions and embark on concert tours of Europe, Brazil, Argentina, the US and Canada. His career was given a further boost when he was honoured by being selected as one of French performing rights association ADAMI’s “classical discoveries” of 2021.

Deutsche Grammophon’s Senior Director Classical, Artists & Repertoire, Angelika Meissner, discovered a video of Feuillâtre’s GFA Competition performances in September 2020 while searching online for exceptional young musicians. She was so impressed by his charismatic artistry that she invited him to record for the Yellow Label. He signed an exclusive partnership agreement with DG in September 2022. His debut album will feature arrangements and transcriptions of works by Bach, Rameau and others, reflecting his profound affinity for Baroque music.

Critics have praised the versatility and sensitivity of Feuillâtre’s musicianship. He has also delighted reviewers and audiences alike with the singing quality of his playing. The jaw-dropping precision of his technique is allied to a profound feeling for melodic line, qualities that combine to give the impression that the instrument’s sound is somehow sustained by the player’s breath.