DUO AMYTHIS
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The Duo Amythis is made up of guitarists Véronique van Duurling (Belgium) and Harold Gretton (Australia). Formed in December 2008, the duo performed its first concert in Canberra in January 2009. Since then, they have played concerts, both solo and as a duo, in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxemburg, Australia, Ireland, Romania, Switzerland, Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Montenegro, USA, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Vietnam, Iceland, Mexico and Greece. In August 2009, the duo participated in its first competition, taking second prize in the Transylvania International Guitar Competition open chamber music section. In 2010 they won several concerts with the German organisation “Live Music Now”. |
CONCERT
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In July 2012 they won the second prize in the international guitar competition Olsztyn (Poland).
In August 2014 they won 1st Prize with unanimity of the jury in the chamber music section of the “Nuits musicales de Cieux”, France.
Between them they have won prizes as soloists in 13 international competitions across the globe.
After undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate courses in The Netherlands, Spain, and Australia, Véronique and Harold studied together as a duo with the Duo Melis in Strasbourg (France).
Both guitarists enjoy the contrast of their very different musical backgrounds. They find that the contradictions between their approaches bring additional depth, playfulness, and interest to the music they interpret together as a duo. They play a program of works of many genres and time periods, and delight in sharing their interpretations with a wide range of audiences.
You can learn more about Duo Amythis at www.duoamythis.com
Learn more about Véronique: www.veroniquevanduurling.com
Learn more about Harold: www.haroldgretton.com
In August 2014 they won 1st Prize with unanimity of the jury in the chamber music section of the “Nuits musicales de Cieux”, France.
Between them they have won prizes as soloists in 13 international competitions across the globe.
After undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate courses in The Netherlands, Spain, and Australia, Véronique and Harold studied together as a duo with the Duo Melis in Strasbourg (France).
Both guitarists enjoy the contrast of their very different musical backgrounds. They find that the contradictions between their approaches bring additional depth, playfulness, and interest to the music they interpret together as a duo. They play a program of works of many genres and time periods, and delight in sharing their interpretations with a wide range of audiences.
You can learn more about Duo Amythis at www.duoamythis.com
Learn more about Véronique: www.veroniquevanduurling.com
Learn more about Harold: www.haroldgretton.com
HAROLD GRETTON
Classical guitarist Harold Gretton seeks to bring a diverse mix of masterpieces to life with an interpretive approach founded as much on raw passion and imagination as on thorough research. Not only interested in pioneering new repertoire, he is equally at home rediscovering older classics. His unique vision is enriched by historical information in all of the virtuoso works he performs.
Harold Gretton began playing guitar at the age of 7. He first studied music at the ANU before completing a course specialising in guitar duo performance in Strasbourg together with Véronique van Duurling. The two of them formed the Duo Amythis.
He has won numerous international competitions, both as a soloist and in various chamber music combinations. He has been invited to perform concerts all over Europe, as well as in the USA, Mexico, Vietnam, and all over Australia. He has performed with orchestras in Australia and Europe, and gave the world première of Westlake's concerto Shadow Dances under the composer's baton.
With a passion for chamber musician, Harold performs regularly with the Phoenix Trio, as well as with string quartet, the Duo Amythis, and the cross-over ensemble popBarock. With the Phoenix Trio he carried out a successful crowdfunding campaign to commission Sam Smith to write a new work for flute, viola and guitar.
The Duo Amythis also successfully carried out a crowd-funding campaign in order to record their first CD, “The Journey” in 2016. He has also recorded a solo CD and an album of Australian music with quartet Guitar Trek. He is currently editing his second solo album, “Stories”.
Harold's compositions have been performed live on Australian national radio, and have been recorded by Jelica Mijanovic, the Zoco Duo, the Brew Duo, the Duo Amythis, BANQ and dominantSEVEN.
A dedicated pedagogue, Harold has given masterclasses in numerous guitar festivals, lectured at Universities and has participated on numerous juries in international competitions. He has held posts in Germany and France, and currently teaches at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.
Harold Gretton began playing guitar at the age of 7. He first studied music at the ANU before completing a course specialising in guitar duo performance in Strasbourg together with Véronique van Duurling. The two of them formed the Duo Amythis.
He has won numerous international competitions, both as a soloist and in various chamber music combinations. He has been invited to perform concerts all over Europe, as well as in the USA, Mexico, Vietnam, and all over Australia. He has performed with orchestras in Australia and Europe, and gave the world première of Westlake's concerto Shadow Dances under the composer's baton.
With a passion for chamber musician, Harold performs regularly with the Phoenix Trio, as well as with string quartet, the Duo Amythis, and the cross-over ensemble popBarock. With the Phoenix Trio he carried out a successful crowdfunding campaign to commission Sam Smith to write a new work for flute, viola and guitar.
The Duo Amythis also successfully carried out a crowd-funding campaign in order to record their first CD, “The Journey” in 2016. He has also recorded a solo CD and an album of Australian music with quartet Guitar Trek. He is currently editing his second solo album, “Stories”.
Harold's compositions have been performed live on Australian national radio, and have been recorded by Jelica Mijanovic, the Zoco Duo, the Brew Duo, the Duo Amythis, BANQ and dominantSEVEN.
A dedicated pedagogue, Harold has given masterclasses in numerous guitar festivals, lectured at Universities and has participated on numerous juries in international competitions. He has held posts in Germany and France, and currently teaches at the Riverina Conservatorium of Music.
VERONIQUE VAN DUURLING
Véronique van Duurling studied at the Conservatory of Maastricht (Nl), where she completed her Bachelor of Music (in Pedagogy and Performance) and “Post-Graduate Degree” with Carlo Marchione. Afterwards she enrolled in a “Cours de Spécialisation” with the Duo Melis at the Strasbourg Conservatory (Fr), which she completed with a very high distinction. At the University of Alicante (Es), she was a student of the “I Máster en Interpretación de Guitarra Clásica 2013”, where she worked closely together with guitar virtuosi David Russell, Ignacio Rodes, Hopkinson Smith, Roberto Aussel, Manuel Barrueco, Carles Trepat, Nigel North and the two-time Grammy-winning conductor, José de Eusebio. Afterwards she completed a “Máster Oficial en enseñanzas artísticas: interpretación e investigación de la música” at the “Conservatori Superior de Musica Oscar Espla" in Alicante (Es).
Véronique has taken master-classes with Leon Frijns, Betho Davezac, Enno Voorhorst, Roman Krejci, Tilmann Hoppstock, Annette Kruisbrink, David Tannenbaum, Lynn McGrath, Gaelle Solal, Goran Krivokapic, Zoran Dukic, Paolo Pegoraro, Timothy Kain, Gerhard Reichenbach, Liviu Georgescu, Pavel Steidl, Marcin Dylla, Thanos Mitsalis, Margarita Escarpa, Lorenzo Micheli, Tino Andersen, Alex Garrobé, José Maria Gallardo del Rey, Johan Fostier and Giorgio Albiani.
The eminent Dutch guitarist and composer Annette Kruisbrink praised Véronique’s interpretation of Kruisbrink’s “Homenaje a Segovia” as the finest that she has heard (2005).
She has been invited to give concerts and masterclasses in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxemburg, Ireland, Romania, Switzerland, Greece, Czech Repulic, England, Norway, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Slovakia, the United States, Mexico, Australia and New-Zealand.
She was a guest in several television programs in Belgium (Villa-Vanthilt and TV Limburg), the Netherlands and Spain.
With a small group of students from the Strasbourg Conservatory, she organised the Autumn Guitar Series (2010), with concerts in Alsace, Kehl and Gengenbach.
She has won several prizes as a soloist as well as in various chamber music combinations:
Solo:
Chamber music:
Recording:
In 2016 she released a duo album with Harold Gretton, entitled “The Journey”, which includes the world-premiere recording of a work by Johannes Möller, alongside other original works for guitar duo and transcriptions by the Duo Amythis. The duo crowdfunded the CD with a successful campaign on wemakeit.
Teaching:
A dedicated pedagogue, Véronique has given masterclasses at numerous guitar festivals, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Victorian College of the Arts (Australia), at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg (France) and the University of Xalapa, Veracruz (Mexico). She successfully co-founded the private music school “Two Notes” in Düren (Germany), which continues to attract a waiting list of students. Currently she is teaching at the Clara Schumann Musikschule in Baden-Baden, the Rheinperle Mandolinenverein and the Mandolin- and Guitar Orchestra of Neuweier as conductor and artistic director of the orchestras (Germany).
Learn more about Véronique: www.veroniquevanduurling.com
Véronique has taken master-classes with Leon Frijns, Betho Davezac, Enno Voorhorst, Roman Krejci, Tilmann Hoppstock, Annette Kruisbrink, David Tannenbaum, Lynn McGrath, Gaelle Solal, Goran Krivokapic, Zoran Dukic, Paolo Pegoraro, Timothy Kain, Gerhard Reichenbach, Liviu Georgescu, Pavel Steidl, Marcin Dylla, Thanos Mitsalis, Margarita Escarpa, Lorenzo Micheli, Tino Andersen, Alex Garrobé, José Maria Gallardo del Rey, Johan Fostier and Giorgio Albiani.
The eminent Dutch guitarist and composer Annette Kruisbrink praised Véronique’s interpretation of Kruisbrink’s “Homenaje a Segovia” as the finest that she has heard (2005).
She has been invited to give concerts and masterclasses in Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Luxemburg, Ireland, Romania, Switzerland, Greece, Czech Repulic, England, Norway, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Slovakia, the United States, Mexico, Australia and New-Zealand.
She was a guest in several television programs in Belgium (Villa-Vanthilt and TV Limburg), the Netherlands and Spain.
With a small group of students from the Strasbourg Conservatory, she organised the Autumn Guitar Series (2010), with concerts in Alsace, Kehl and Gengenbach.
She has won several prizes as a soloist as well as in various chamber music combinations:
Solo:
- 1st Prize solo guitar category of the „Jongeren op het Podium“ competition in Lanaken, Belgium (2000)
- 3rd Prize at the “Veria International Guitar Competition” in Greece (2012)
- 3rd Prize Cordoba guitar festival, Spain (2010)
- Award of concerts by the prestigious Forte-institute in Belgium, which saw her performing in the illustrious Academiezaal and the Keizerszaal in Sint-Truiden (2008)
- Grant by the Dutch Prins Bernard Culturfonds to purchase a guitar by the Australian luthier Greg Smallman and Sons (2010)
- 2nd Prize “Nuits musicales de Cieux”, France (2014)
- Awarded a concert guitar by the luthier J.P. Sardin at the “Nuits musicales de Cieux”, France (2014)
Chamber music:
- 1st Prize in the guitar ensemble category of the „Jongeren op het Podium“ competition in Lanaken, Belgium (2000)
- 2nd Prize in the “International Guitar Competition Olsztyn”, Poland, with Harold Gretton as the “Duo Amythis” (2012)
- 2nd Prize in the “Transylvania International Guitar Competition”, Romania, with Harold Gretton as the “Duo Amythis” (2009)
- Awarded a “Live Music Now” stipend, with concerts throughout the Baden-Wuerttemberg region of Germany, with Harold Gretton as the “Duo Amythis”
- 1st Prize with unanimity of the jury in the chamber music section of the “Nuits musicales de Cieux”, France, with Harold Gretton as the “Duo Amythis” (2014)
Recording:
In 2016 she released a duo album with Harold Gretton, entitled “The Journey”, which includes the world-premiere recording of a work by Johannes Möller, alongside other original works for guitar duo and transcriptions by the Duo Amythis. The duo crowdfunded the CD with a successful campaign on wemakeit.
Teaching:
A dedicated pedagogue, Véronique has given masterclasses at numerous guitar festivals, the Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Victorian College of the Arts (Australia), at the Conservatoire de Strasbourg (France) and the University of Xalapa, Veracruz (Mexico). She successfully co-founded the private music school “Two Notes” in Düren (Germany), which continues to attract a waiting list of students. Currently she is teaching at the Clara Schumann Musikschule in Baden-Baden, the Rheinperle Mandolinenverein and the Mandolin- and Guitar Orchestra of Neuweier as conductor and artistic director of the orchestras (Germany).
Learn more about Véronique: www.veroniquevanduurling.com
