Alan Banks (musician)
Alan Banks | |
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| Birth name | Alan Charles Banks |
| Born | 1973 (age 50–51) Mahogany Creek, Western Australia, Australia |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Instruments |
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| Years active | fl. ca. 1999 – present |
Alan Charles Banks (born 1973) is an Australian classical guitarist, arranger and composer from Mahogany Creek, Western Australia.
Biography[edit]
Alan Charles Banks (born 1973) was brought up in Mahogany Creek, Western Australia just outside Perth. In his early years, he attended Glen Forrest Primary School where his uncle introduced him to the guitar. At Swan View Senior High School, Banks became a student of Eddie Roberts. While completing his undergraduate work at Western Australia Conservatory, he performed on stages throughout the continent. In 1999, he was a featured guest in the Young Australia Series, part of the Darwin International Guitar Festival, with John Williams labelling his performance "fantastic".[1]
In September 2000, Banks was awarded a grant by the Australia Council for the Arts enabling him to move to the UK to pursue his career. He studied under Carlos Bonell at London's prestigious Royal College of Music[2] where he was the only guitarist accepted for post-graduate studies that year. He is skilled in a myriad of styles, from the Classical, Spanish/Flamenco, Latin, Jazz and Bluegrass.
Banks performs throughout the world, including France, the UK,[3] Ireland, New Zealand, Italy and Portugal. His London debut was at St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square. He is a sought after soloist, both nationally and internationally, performing with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Croyden Symphony Orchestra, and Ulster Symphony Orchestra amongst others. Banks is active on the festival circuit and has performed at Musicora Festival (Paris), the Sonorities Contemporary Music Festival (Northern Ireland), The Darwin International Guitar Festival (Australia), and The Derry Guitar Festival (Ireland). At the Australian National Folk Festival in April 2010, he performed guitar and chittarone – a 14-string bass lute – as well as delivering a workshop ("Introduction to the Lute") and demonstrations over its four-day programme.[4][5]
In 2013 he contributed the track, "Tango Improvisation 1", to the Various Artists compilation, Invitaiton to Tango, which Limelight Magazine's Warwick Arnold described as "bluesy, highly virtuosic."[6] Banks also delivered his rendition of Rohan Jayasinghe's "Hungarian Tango", which Arnold felt was "a riveting account."[6]
Banks currently resides in Perth, Western Australia with his wife and two young sons.
Recordings[edit]
- Richard Charlton – Turlough's Ghosts
- Franks Lyons – Mnemonics
Notable performances[edit]
- Michel van der Aa – Auburn
- Richard Charlton – Turlough's Ghosts
Instruments[edit]
- Simon Rovis-Hermann classical
- Richard Howell classical
- Martin D-28 steel-string (heard on Last Drinks in Derry)
Discography[edit]
- 2005 Mnemonics (C) Alan Banks
- 2008 Last Drinks in Derry (C) Alan Banks / Blue Pie Productions
- 2013 Invitation to Tango
- 2016 Principium (C) Alan Banks
References[edit]
- ↑ Classical Guitar Style of Western Australia – Alan Banks Archived 20 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 2008-11-03.
- ↑ Thow, Penny (19 April 2007). "New spin on old masters". The Mercury. p. 33. ProQuest 353038057. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "Outstanding Guitarist to Perform at University". University of Ulster press release. 24 September 2004. Archived from the original on 12 February 2007. Retrieved 2008-11-03. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help) - ↑ "2010 National Folk Festival Program". National Folk Festival. 4 August 2010. Retrieved 10 February 2021.
- ↑ admin (23 February 2010). "Alan Banks at National Folk Festival". Canberra Classical Guitar. Archived from the original on 2 November 2011. Retrieved 10 February 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Arnold, Warwick (23 April 2015). "Invitation to Tango (Various Guitarists)". Limelight Magazine. Archived from the original on 15 April 2018. Retrieved 10 February 2021. Unknown parameter
|url-status=ignored (help)
External links[edit]
- Perth Professional Entertainment Services
- Classical Guitar Society
- Alan Banks page on CD Baby
- Simon Rovis-Hermann Luthier
- Richard Howell Luthier
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