UPDATE: Daniel Bolshoy is a brilliant guitarist who has devoted his life to sharing the passion and excitement of playing guitar with anyone who wishes to learn, both amateur and professional, and any age. He is committed to bringing the guitar to audiences everywhere, from prestigious international music halls to remote villages, and intimate house-concerts.
Daniel is now Assistant Professor of Guitar with the Hugh Hodgson Faculty, University of Georgia School of Music.
The following articles, beginning with the first interview in 2007, followed in 2011, and then recently in 2019, tell of his journey from Russia, to Israel, to Montreal and Vancouver, and eventually to Georgia, US. They tell of his hopes and dreams - and dreams made real, and of his life as an international performer. Each article highlights the human behind the musician. (Links to more formal information about Daniel's career, performances, teaching, videos and CDs can be found at the bottom of this page.)
What the articles don't tell is of the challenges and changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic which affected the world of performing arts, and from March 2020 on, most concerts, tours and festivals were cancelled.
While the World stayed home, we turned more to internet and videos. Included here for your listening enjoyment are examples of Daniel's amazing finger-work on the guitar - of harmony, precision, and joyful melody. Most relaxing too! But should you have opportunity to see Daniel LIVE in performance - DO!
The whole passionate package
An interview article by Rosemary Phillips,
October 2007
From rock to classical guitar
Daniel has been a resident of Canada since he was 17. He was born in Moscow and at the age of three he moved with his family to Israel. It was there he first picked up a guitar. “I started my studies on piano, then when I was old enough and noticed that girls liked guys with guitars I made the switch. In middle school I was really into electric guitar and the 80's rock stars, like Jimi Hendrix. I found someone to teach me; he was a classical guitarist and really great.”
Then he attended a very unique high school. “It's a boarding school in Jerusalem that combines visual arts and science with the idea being to create multi-disciplinary students – well informed scientists, mathematicians, musicians. It brought kids from all over the country to study - Palestinian, Muslim, Jew and Christian. I had friends who were really amazing musicians. They would give me inspiration and advice. Some already had incredible careers at the age of 14.”
Guitar becomes his life
But it wasn't until Daniel arrived with his family in Canada that he realised classical music and the guitar were to be his life. “I went to the University of Toronto, then to the University of Denver where I got my Masters in Music. I worked for a year in Arizona then taught while I was working on my doctorate at Indiana University, the biggest music school in the world. Now I teach at Concordia University in Montreal.”
Now Daniel performs solo and chamber music recitals in some of Canada's most prestigious halls, appears as a guest artist with orchestras across North America, and has performed around the world for music festivals and for outreach and educational concerts for the young. “The farthest place I have been to date is Macao, the Portuguese Island now part of China. The far north of Canada also sticks in my mind, with outreach concerts in the North West Territories. I haven't been to Africa or Australia - yet.”
Communicates with audiences
It's not hard to tell that Daniel loves to share his talent and knowledge. “I love to talk with the audience. I think it's part of the concert – a way to introduce the instrument. My goal is to introduce the guitar to people who have not heard it before. Myself I have three guitars. Sometimes they are friends, when things go well. Sometimes we are not on good terms. One guitar is built by a maker from Tatlayoko BC. It may only be one year old but it has small parts on it made from 10-million-year-old mammoth tusk – older than any ancient instrument!”
Besides introducing the guitar he likes to tell stories and jokes about the pieces and the composers. “It breaks the formal recital into an informal chat.”
Through ArtStarts in British Columbia, Daniel was able to tour schools throughout the province, and this year he is touring the country with Jeunesse Musicales Canada out of Montreal. “I get a good sense of the population that way. Of course, the big hope is that the young people I see now will go to classical concerts later. No one says you have to be old to like classical music. I come from a school where young people were really passionate about it. They were still kids – there was nothing different about them – they just liked classical music.”
Daniel is passionate about reaching the young. “I tell kids that if you really want to do this, it is possible. Go for it! It's amazing how many doors will open.”
When he's not performing or teaching Daniel is getting to know his new home, Montreal. “I try to be with people because so much of what I do is solitary. And Montreal is so into food.” His favourite food? “When I come to Vancouver I try to fill up on Sushi; there's something very artistic about it. But I also like to eat a good steak!”
And his future? “I would love to do a lot more of what I am doing now – and to start a guitar program at a university, with a department focused just on guitar.”
An interview article by Rosemary Phillips,
February 2011
This interview article was written in preparation for Daniel Bolshoy’s performance in February 2011 with the Vancouver Island Symphony, under the baton of Maestro Pierre Simard. Besides being a magnificent guitarist Daniel is an engaging performer who communicates with his audience – and – he has matinee idol good looks. Eric Friesen of CBC Radio has said, “He's the whole passionate package.”
Dreams coming true
Daniel Bolshoy
Dreams do come true, particularly for guitarist Daniel Bolshoy. “I am moving to Vancouver this summer to take a position as head of the guitar department in a brand new school of music,” explains Daniel who has been teaching at Concordia University in Montreal. “My dream was to start my own department, and this is an answer to that!”
This brilliant musician with matinee idol good looks, is described as “the whole passionate package”. He has played worldwide with orchestras, at music festivals and outreach and education concerts, and has developed a reputation as an engaging performer who communicates with his audience.
“British Columbia has become my favourite place to be,” adds Daniel who was born in Moscow but raised in Israel. He has toured extensively throughout this province with ArtStarts and Jeunesse Musicales Canada. “I get a good sense of the population that way. Of course the big hope is that the young people I see will go to classical concerts. No one says you have to be old to like classical music. I come from a school (in Jerusalem) where young people were really passionate about it. The school combined visual arts and science with the idea being to create multi-disciplinary students – well informed scientists, mathematicians and musicians. It brought kids from all over the country to study – Muslim, Jew and Christian.”
While Daniel himself started out with electrical rock and roll, he soon found his true passion and life-calling with the classical Spanish guitar. That passion extends to encouraging the young and even giving advice through his web site. “I tell kids that if you really want to do this, it is possible. Go for it! It’s amazing how many doors will open.”
And Daniel is living proof – as his own dreams unfold - but not without extensive training (at Toronto, Denver and Indiana universities) and plenty of experience in practice and performance.
Says Daniel of Joaquin Rodrigo’s popular Fantasia para un Gentilhombre. “The story of this piece begins with Rodrigo’s Concerto de Aranjuez (See the video - Daniel Bolshoy plays 'Aranjuez'). It was written for a Spanish guitarist, and Segovia, the high priest of guitar, never played it because it wasn’t dedicated to him. Fourteen years later Rodrigo wrote this work for Segovia in hopes that he would be forgiven. The tunes are by 17th century composer Gaspar Sanz. Rodrigo orchestrated them for modern guitar and orchestra. When playing it you can’t help but have a smile on your face the whole time. It’s happy music. It feels like you are in a museum in Madrid where you see the great works of the Spanish masters, very colourful, refined, like in the golden age of Spain.”
Bolshoy has expanded on another interest. “I have been cooking quite a bit, and this is something I enjoy. It has become a hobby now.” So Daniel has some recommendations for those coming to his Spanish guitar concerts, to help embrace the warm and sunny air of Spain; “Have a Spanish style meal with Queso Manchego cheese (from the La Mancha region), a dish of paella, and drink some good red wine (such as Rioja or a good Okanagan wine, but be sure to take a taxi); and after the concert, some tapas.”
An interview article by Rosemary Phillips,
Fall 2019
INTRO 2019: Daniel Bolshoy's life is a very busy one - a life that has had many changes since the last article of 2011. Through e-mails exchanged between Kaslo Guitar Festival events, we were able to establish a time and place for an update interview – September, before the beginning of a new university school year.
It was 5:15 p.m. on September 2, 2019, as Daniel answered his cell phone. “Can I call you back in a few minutes?” he asked. “I need to get something to eat.”
Daniel was at the Montreal airport awaiting his flight to Georgia, in Atlanta. “I do this every week,” he explained when we finally got connected. “Then I drive from Georgia to Athens. I’m in my fourth year at the University of Georgia, and just got promoted to senior lecturer, a full-time position.”
No sooner had we started the interview than there was a call for passengers to board. “I’ll call you right back,” he said as he hung up and headed to the boarding entrance. About five minutes later Daniel was comfortably seated and he continued, “I had lived in Vancouver for four years, then moved back to Montreal for family. I was offered the position at the University of Georgia and started in August 2016 as a lecturer with the Hugh Hodgson Faculty.
“The commute to Vancouver from Montreal had become too much, but I did fulfil my time, and did another year as promised at UBC,” Daniel explained. “Both programs (at UBC and the VSO) are in good hands and doing really well. I have concerts in Bellingham, Washington, coming up in March 2020, and will return to lead masterclasses at UBC in Vancouver.”
On performing: “Most of the faculty perform at the university. (See the video here of Daniel playing with the UGA Symphony.) I’m making new connections, and performing in new venues. Last year I was at a guitar festival in Florida. This season I play in Denver in a couple of weeks (September), followed by a couple of concerts in Georgia, doing a tour in Moscow and a few other cities in China, Italy and Brazil - some with orchestra, some with violinist, and some solo. In between I have a concert in Ottawa, Canada.”
On guitar festivals: “I will be playing, teaching and judging at a guitar festival in Denver, Colorado, and in Moscow.”
Artistic Director of the Kaslo Guitar Festival: "I started the festival with a few local people including David Steward, a wonderful advocate for music in the Kootenays (British Columbia, Canada), and Rita Deane (Nelson), another fabulous partner at this festival. I had been visiting Kaslo for years. It’s such a beautiful place, a perfect place for a guitar festival. We started it in the summer of 2013 and now this year has been our sixth festival.
“People come from all over, and a lot of the locals participate. It becomes an event for the whole town with concerts, classes, formal and informal talks, throughout the week. All the events are very successful. The businesses are really supportive. Guitarists perform in various venues, from beginners to professionals with master’s degrees, international competition winners, and those who have never performed before. We have students who are retirees and just starting to learn, and some who are dedicating their lives as young professionals.
“What’s great about the Kaslo Guitar Festival is that it is non-competitive. Everyone supports everybody, making music together and getting along. It’s something I’m very proud of and very happy about.”
Time was pressing as Daniel’s flight was about ready to depart, but I was finally able to ask about his dreams for his future. “There’s a lot of adventure in the moment. My vision hasn’t changed. There are exciting things to look forward to.”
