Michael Erni

Michael Erni is one of the most renowned and most innovative Swiss guitarists. He completed his studies with a teaching and concert diploma at the Zurich Conservatory. He acquired his soloist diploma with distinction under Professor Miguel Rubio at the Bern Conservatory. Further studies followed under Andrés Segovia and Pepe Romero, as well as masterclasses with William Kanengiser (USA), Steven Thachuk (Canada) and Robert Brightmore (England).  

Michael Erni has made several TV, radio and CD recordings, such as “Italian guitar concertos” by Vivaldi and Giuliani, “Spanish guitar music” (Albeniz and Granados), “Nietzsche poems” and “Estudios diabólicos” (compositions by Michael Erni) and “Recital” (works for guitar, flute and oboe). The Swiss-British label GUILD published a much noticed CD “Jota” by Michael Erni with works by Francisco Tárrega (1852 – 1909), devoted entirely to Tárrega’s music on the occasion of the centenary of the composer’s death and a second CD “Barrios-Passion”. For this recording, Michael Erni has selected music by the Paraguayan composer and master of the guitar, Agustín Barrios Mangoré (1885-1944).  His latest CDs “The Lost Toccata”, “Gitarrenduo” with Anton Kudryavtsev and “Isaac Albéniz” had been published by "RC Strings", made in Spain. On these CDs he documents his virtuoso technique impressively, his diverse and fascinating scope for composition, as well as his intimate relationship to Spanish music.  

Erni maintains a varied concert schedule, giving important performances with leading orchestras such as “Festival Strings Lucern” (Giuliani) and “London Concert Symphony Orchestra” (Concierto de Aranjuez) and chamber ensembles, among others at international guitar festivals.  

Michael Erni’s own compositions include among others three guitar concertos with orchestra, and a quintet for guitar and string quartet. Several of his works were published by German publishing houses, such as Zimmermann Frankfurt and in Canada by Les Productions d‘OZ. He has received various prizes and awards for his musical work.  

www.michael-erni.com