Graham Anthony Devine

Guitarist Graham Anthony Devine commands an expansive repertory that stretches from Renaissance repertoire through contemporary works, and his performances are frequently praised for their broad palette of tonal colors. In addition to frequent appearances at prominent concert halls worldwide, he maintains a substantial role as an instructor.

Born in Liverpool in 1971, Devine received his training at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester under Gordon Crosskey. His artistic outlook was further shaped during a decade spent in Brazil, which he entered at age nineteen; there he established himself as both a recitalist and a teacher. He has also cited Julian Bream as a decisive influence, describing him as the greatest guitarist of the 20th century. Upon returning to the United Kingdom, Devine secured first prizes at the Alhambra International Guitar Competition in Alcoy, Spain, the Emilio Pujol Guitar Competition in Italy, and the Stotsenberg International Guitar Competition in the United States. These successes opened doors to an active concert schedule that has taken him to Wigmore Hall in London, the Palau de la Música in Valencia, Spain, and Hanjuku Hall in Tokyo, among numerous other important stages.

At Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in London he serves as head of the guitar department, a position he reached after initially joining the faculty as a tutor. His extensive discography for the Naxos label began in 2003 with an album devoted to solo guitar music by Leo Brouwer. Two subsequent releases focused on British guitar repertoire; the first was selected as album of the week by National Public Radio’s Performance Today in the United States, while the second appeared in 2021. For the specialist label Granary-Guitars he has recorded works by Bach, Granados, Ponce, Rodrigo, Domenico Scarlatti, and Federico Moreno Torroba, including the world-premiere recording of Torroba’s Sonata-Fantasia.