Benoît Albert

Born in Charente, France, Benoît Albert entered the National Conservatory of France in Bordeaux with first prize in guitar and chamber music performance in 1988. In 1995, Albert entered the Higher National Academy of Music and Dance of Paris under the tutelage of O. Chassain and C. Harm. He not only won first prize in guitar performance in 1998, but also in chamber music in 1999, with the American guitarist, Randall Avers. Albert currently teaches at the National School of Music and Dance in Agen, France, where he is the organizer for the "Guitaromania", held annually since 1996. He is a frequent featured soloist with the Chamber Orchestra of Agen. Albert has appeared in chamber music festivals, including the International Festival of Guitar of Caracas (Venezuela), International Festival of Vandoeuvre-The-Nancy, the Convention of Issoudun, and the Great Hours of St-Emillion. As well, Albert's interest in new music has resulted in many transcriptions for various formations of guitar, and has commissioned new works by young composers such as A. Ourkouzounov, T. Rougier, and J. Ballue. He is an editor for the Delatour edition for both solo guitar and chamber music. Albert is the artistic director of the ensemble, "La Compagnie des Arts", which is a collaboration between instrumental music, dance and art. "La Compangnie des Arts" has released a CD in 2004 (Milan-Music), featuring the chamber music of Astor Piazzolla.