About this Event
'Guitarra en Fisterra' & South Bay Guitar Society present Italian guitar virtuoso Giulia Ballarè LIVE Sunday October 18th at Kuumbwa Jazz Center. This concert is FREE | RSVP to reserve your seats!
Considered one of the most promising soloists of her generation, Giulia Ballarè is regularly invited to play prestigious venues around the world. She is a professor at Conservatoire de Musique de Genève in Switzerland and Conservatorio A. Vivaldi in Alessandria, Italy. She also organizes an annual masterclass in Novara Italy. In 2013 she released her first album ‘Lyrically Spain’ with the label dotGuitar and released ‘Untuned Guitar’ in 2019 with the Spanish label JSM Guitar Records. In 2019 she founded the Gauthey-Ballarè Duo with French guitarist Pauline Gauthey. In 2023 they released their first album ‘Lo Que Vendrá’ with JSM Guitar Records.
This program includes works by Joaquin Turina, Antonio Jose and Heitor Villa-Lobos.
Giulia Ballarè
South Bay Guitar Society
ABOUT
Internationally acclaimed Italian guitarist Giulia Ballaré has earned recognition as one of the most compelling classical guitar soloists of her generation. Celebrated for her technical brilliance, expressive depth and commanding stage presence, Ballaré has captivated audiences across Europe, North America and South America, performing in prestigious concert halls and international festivals.
A winner of more than 30 prizes in international guitar competitions, Ballaré has received first-place honors at the Andrés Segovia International Guitar Competition in Linares, Spain; Ciudad de Coria in Spain; Forum Gitarre Wien in Austria; and the Omiš Guitar Fest in Croatia, among others. Her performances have taken her to renowned venues including the National Forum of Music in Wrocław, Poland; the Gnessin Concert Hall in Moscow; and the historic Aula Magna at Sapienza University of Rome. Italy's La Repubblica has praised her emotionally powerful performances and remarkable ability to connect with audiences.
Born in Novara, Italy, Ballaré began studying guitar at age nine and graduated with highest honors from the Guido Cantelli Conservatory in 2012. She has studied with leading figures in classical guitar, including Oscar Ghiglia, David Russell, Pavel Steidl and Marcin Dylla. An accomplished educator as well as performer, she teaches at the Conservatoire de Musique de Genève in Switzerland and has held teaching positions at Italian conservatories. She also organizes an annual guitar masterclass in her hometown of Novara.
Her recordings include Lirically Spain (2013), Untuned Guitar (2019) and her 2025 release, Heitor Villa-Lobos: Complete Solo Guitar Works, a two-disc recording on Da Vinci Classics exploring the remarkable repertoire of the Brazilian composer. She also performs internationally with French guitarist Pauline Gauthey as the Gauthey-Ballarè Duo, whose debut album, Lo Que Vendrá, was released in 2023.
Her recital program features works by Joaquín Turina, Antonio José and Heitor Villa-Lobos, offering audiences an engaging musical journey through the rich colors, rhythms and expressive traditions of Spanish and Latin American classical guitar.
Giulia Ballaré LIVE in Concert is presented by South Bay Guitar Society with support from Hill Guitar Company as part of the ongoing 'Guitarra en Fisterra' series. Admission is free Sunday, October 18th is Santa Cruz.
Enjoy a lovely fall evening concert at Kuumbwa, Santa Cruz music lovers' favorite listening room and artists' preferred venue.
Giulia Ballaré (1987, Novara) is considered one of the most promising soloists of her generation.
Event venue & nearby stays
Kuumbwa Jazz Center, 320-2 Cedar Street, Santa Cruz, United States
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