David Leisner - Music of the Human Spirit (2002) CD-Rip

David Leisner is on extraordinarily versatile musician with a multifaceted career as electrifying performing artist, a distinguished composer, and a master teacher. Regarded as one of America’s leading classical guitarists, his superb musicianship and provocative programming have been applauded by critics and audiences around the world.

Mr. Leisner’s career as a guitarist began auspiciously with top prizes in both the 1975 Toronto and 1981 Geneva International Guitar Competitions. In the 1980s, a disabling hana injury, focal dystonia, cut off his blossoming performing career in mid-stream and forced him to stop playing for nearly a decade. Through a pioneering approach to technique based on his understanding of the physical aspects of playing the guitar, Leisner gradually rehabilitated himself. Now completely recovered, he has once again resumed an active performing career, earning accolades Wherever he plays.

His recent seasons were highlighted by an innovative three-concert series at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York City, which included the first all-Bach guitar recital in New York’s history. In addition, he made acclaimed debuts in Greece, the Philippines and Mexico, and performed on concert series throughout the US and Europe. He is also a regular at the Santa Fe, Vail Valley, Cape and Islands, Borgemusic and Angel Fire Chamber Music Festivals, performing with flutist Eugenia Zukerman, baritone Kurt Ollmann, violinist Ida Kavofian and many others. Celebrated for expanding the guitar repertoire, David Leisner has premiered works by many of today’s most important composers, including Virgil Thomson, Ned Rorem, Philip Glass, Richard Rodney Bennett, Peter Sculthorpe and Osvoldo Golijov.

Mr. Leisner is himself a highly respected composer noted for the emotional and dramatic power of his music. His Dances in fa Madhouse, in both its original version for violin and guitar and as an arrangement for orchestra, has received hundreds of performances. Recent commissioners include the fairfield Orchestra (CT), Red Cedar Chamber Music (IA), and the Twentieth Century Unlimited Series (NM).

A distinguished teacher, David Leisner is currently on the faculties of the New England Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music Primarily Aught ns both guitarist and composer, he briefly studied guitar with John Duarte, David Starobin and Angelo Gilordino and composition with Richciid Winslow, Virgil Thomson, Charles Turner and David Del Tiedici.