Aleksandr Tsiboulski

A native of Rivne, Ukraine, Aleksandr Tsiboulski began studies of the guitar at age 12 shortly after moving to Australia. He is first prize winner in five international competitions and is currently the Australian-American Fulbright Scholar in the Visual and Performing Arts, based at the University of Texas at Austin. His concert programmes reflect a broad range of pursuits, with a special interest in the works of the Mexican composer Manuel Maria Ponce and the Japanese composer Toru Takemitsu, as well as the music of early 19th century and that of the great contemporary Cuban composer Leo Brouwer. His 2002 recording of Leo Brouwer's Sonata was described by the Classical Guitar magazine (UK) as "a towering performance of this monumental work". After initial lessons with Andras Tuske, Aleksandr conducted most of his formative studies under the guidance of Timothy Kain at the Australian National University. By the time he received his Bachelor's degree with the highest honors, he had already won all the guitar competitions in Australia. With assistance from such organizations as the Australia Council for the Arts, ArtSA, South Australian Youth Arts Board and the Ian Potter Foundation, he has benefited from continued private study with Carlos Bonnell (UK), David Leisner (USA) and Angelo Gilardino (Italy). Private lessons and masterclasses with Leo Brouwer, John Williams, Phillip Houghton, Carlo Barone and David Russell have also been deeply influential. Currently, he works under the supervision of Adam Holzman. He is three-time recipient of the Andres Segovia Memorial Scholarship to undertake residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada, working and performing with such artists as Edgar Meyer (bass) and Patrick Gallois (flute), as well as a number of leading instrumentalists and composers of his generation. Performances have taken him all around Australia, as well as to Great Britain, United States, the former Soviet Union, Mexico, Ireland and Canada. 2007 will see an extensive tour of Japan. Most recently, in the fall of 2006, he was awarded two of his greatest honours to date when he was finalist at the Guitar Foundation of America's International Competition and First Prize winner of the 49th Tokyo International Guitar Competition in Japan, the oldest running and one of the most prestigious contests in the world.