The American guitarist, Martha Masters, received both the Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Manuel Barrueco, and completed the Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the University of Southern California as a student of Scott Tennant.
In October of 2000 Martha Masters won first prize in the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Solo Competition, including a recording contract with Naxos, a concert video with Mel Bay, and an extensive North American concert tour. In November of 2000, she also won the Andrés Segovia International Guitar Competition in Linares, Spain and was a finalist in the Alexandre Tansman International Competition of Musical Personalities in Lodz, Poland. Prior to 2000, she was a prize-winner or finalist in numerous other international competitions, including the 1999 International Guitar Competition "Paco Santiago Marín" in Granada, Spain, the 1998 Tokyo International Guitar Competition and the 1997 GFA International Solo Competition.
Martha Masters has received critical acclaim as a solo recitalist, as a chamber musician with Duo Erato, and as a soloist with orchestras. Recent concert seasons have included performances on concert series and at festivals in England, Denmark, Spain, Poland, Germany, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, and numerous USA cities. Her first CD, Serenade, is now in its second printing, and her Naxos recital disc sold over 10,000 copies worldwide in the first year of its release. Her latest recording of Italian music was released in October 2006 on the GSP label.
In addition to leading the guitar program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles and extensive masterclass/festival teaching, Martha Masters teaches annually at the National Guitar Workshop Classical Summit in Connecticut, and on WorkshopLive.com. She is also currently General Manager and Executive Vice President of the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA), dedicated to supporting the instrument, its players and its music in the USA and throughout the world. |