Despite her very young age, guitarist Olivia Steiner has already experienced almost all possible stages of a musical career—solo artist, quartet member, concert performer, and teacher. Now she has been chosen to play the world premiere of the latest work by Laurent Mettraux, specially composed for this year’s International Guitar Festival in Fribourg, Switzerland.
Fribourg’s International Guitar Festival showcases a new program every year with different artists, and always includes guitar players and musicians playing on guitar-like instruments. The program typically includes different styles of music, like classical, world music, flamenco, and so on. This year the concert will feature the musical flavors of Balkan, Turkish, Indian, and African cultures.
Ms. Steiner will debut at the festival with pieces influenced by different cultures, including one piece for sarod, which is a classical Northern Indian instrument, among other classical works.
But the high point of the festival may well be Laurent Mettraux’s Sonata.
“As we say in German, it will be the dot on the ‘i,’ as the composition was specially ordered for the festival and Fribourg is the composer’s hometown. It will be, of course, important for the whole festival as it is played in the opening concert,” Ms. Steiner said.
The 22nd International Guitar Festival in Fribourg heard of Ms. Steiner’s playing at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Fribourg. She was invited to play a short recital before the organizational commission, and then invited to play a concert at the following festival. At the same time, organizers commissioned Laurent Mettraux to write a piece for solo guitar for the same festival.
Fribourg’s International Guitar Festival showcases a new program every year with different artists, and always includes guitar players and musicians playing on guitar-like instruments. The program typically includes different styles of music, like classical, world music, flamenco, and so on. This year the concert will feature the musical flavors of Balkan, Turkish, Indian, and African cultures.
Ms. Steiner will debut at the festival with pieces influenced by different cultures, including one piece for sarod, which is a classical Northern Indian instrument, among other classical works.
But the high point of the festival may well be Laurent Mettraux’s Sonata.
“As we say in German, it will be the dot on the ‘i,’ as the composition was specially ordered for the festival and Fribourg is the composer’s hometown. It will be, of course, important for the whole festival as it is played in the opening concert,” Ms. Steiner said.
The 22nd International Guitar Festival in Fribourg heard of Ms. Steiner’s playing at the Haute Ecole de Musique in Fribourg. She was invited to play a short recital before the organizational commission, and then invited to play a concert at the following festival. At the same time, organizers commissioned Laurent Mettraux to write a piece for solo guitar for the same festival.
