"Holmquist's playing is magnificent in everything." American Record Guide
The American John Holmquist's performing honours include first prize and a standing ovation at the prestigious Guitar International Competition in Toronto, and a Solo Recitalist Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
John Holmquist has toured extensively throughout the world in such diverse locations as Pasadena, Inverness and Budapest as well as at venues in Puerto Rico and Brazil.
Mr Holmquist is also in great demand as a teacher and has been invited to give master classes at many of the top conservatories and universities in the United States and abroad. He has adjudicated at numerous international competitions. In addition, Holmquist's students have won several top prizes in regional, national and international competitions.
He is currently the Head of the Guitar programme at the Cleveland Institute of Music, where he teaches instrumental lessons as well as courses in guitar literature and pedagogy. He has published several articles and reviews for various popular and scholarly magazines.
John Holmquist was the first person to edit the recently rediscovered Ten Etudes for guitar by Giulio Regondi. Unearthed in a private collection in Moscow by Matanya Ophee and published by Editions Orphee, these compositions are held to represent one of the most significant finds in the guitar literature this century. John Holmquist subsequently recorded the manuscript for Naxos.
Also for Naxos, he has recorded the Etudes Esquisses and Celtic Airs by Gerald Garcia together with a collection of works by Fernando Sor.
August, 2001
