Simon Thacker
Simon Thacker, one of Europe’s leading guitarists, is well known for his acclaimed solo and chamber music performances and as a leader of and composer for several groundbreaking ensembles: Svara-Kanti (guitar, tabla, Indian singer and violin) with whom he premiered a newly commissioned Creative Scotland supported programme at the London Southbank Centre last year and recently released the CD Rakshasa, which featured many of his compositions and was universally hailed as a new benchmark in intercultural collaboration, with Simon’s works played on over 200 radio station in the USA; Camerata Ritmata, a collaboration with leading jazz and world musicians for which Simon composes; The Nava Rasa Ensemble, featuring nine outstanding Indian and Western classical musicians, which released a CD of outstanding new guitar concerti in 2011. Simon made his debut as soloist with the RSNO in 2012, is Head of Guitar at Edinburgh Napier University, has been nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award and was a winner of the 50th Park Lane Group Young Artist Awards. He has performed in USA, Spain, France, Malta, Cuba and Belgium.
