Guitarist Michael Nicolella performs his own works for solo classical guitar, alongside music of: Debussy, Falla and Albeniz and works for electric guitar by: György Ligeti, Tom Baker and Jacob ter Veldhuis.
Described by Classical Guitar magazine as “one of the contemporary guitar’s most gifted stars,” and by Guitar Player magazine as “a classical iconoclast, (who) continues to push the boundaries of the genre as both a composer and player,” Michael Nicolella is recognized as one of America’s most innovative classical guitarists. He has performed throughout North America, Europe and Japan as solo recitalist, chamber musician and soloist with orchestra. Michael’s recording of his arrangement of the Complete Bach Cello Suites was described as a “monumental achievement” by Soundboard magazine while the Seattle Times commented, “Nicolella’s smooth virtuosity… show the suites in an entirely new light.” His previous four critically acclaimed releases were albums of contemporary music for classical and electric guitar in solo, chamber, orchestral and electronic settings. Nicolella has performed with a wide range of orchestras and artists, including Seattle Opera, Symphony Tacoma, Northwest Symphony Orchestra, Seattle Modern Orchestra, Merce Cunningham Dance Company, violinist Gil Shaham, and sopranos Alexandra Picard and Joyce DiDonato. He is a frequent performer with the Seattle Symphony, having performed over one hundred concerts with the orchestra. Michael is on the faculty of Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle.