BIOgraphy
Hailed as “a fantastic flamenco guitarist” (BBC Radio 3) and honoured as a First Category prizewinner in the 2023 Manhattan International Music Competition, Samuel Moore is fast establishing himself as one of the leading flamenco musicians of his generation. Since 2007 he has performed in venues across the UK, Europe, and North America. Solo performance highlights include prestigious concert halls such as New York’s Carnegie Hall and intimate venues such as Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club in London.
Samuel is one of the few guitarists worldwide to continue the tradition of presenting solo flamenco concerts. His recitals showcase beautifully crafted flamenco guitar sets that bring to life the rich colours, rhythms, and sounds of Andalucía. His extensive solo repertoire encompasses traditional flamenco forms, original compositions, and masterworks written by flamenco legends such as Ramón Montoya, Sabicas, and Paco de Lucía.
Samuel’s distinctive performance approach places a particular emphasis on talking to the audience. His explanations of repertoire offer illuminating and thought-provoking insights into the rich culture and history of flamenco. Through this, Samuel seeks to give his audiences a uniquely accessible and enriching concert experience, connecting them on a deep level to the music they’re hearing.
In 2019 Samuel released his début album, ‘Guitar the Heart of Spain’. Recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios in London, ‘Guitar the Heart of Spain’ marked the culmination of Samuel’s unique collaboration with the classical guitarist Michael Christian Durrant. Currently Samuel is preparing to record his first solo album.
When not on tour or recording, Samuel enjoys passing on his musical knowledge through teaching. He is the author of the ‘Flamenco Guitar Compás Essentials’ book series and teaches private students each week via his online music school. Additionally, Samuel serves as the principal flamenco guitar tutor at Arpeggiato School of Music (Chicago, USA). Previously Samuel was ‘Course Leader for Flamenco Guitar Studies’ at the Instituto de Cervantes, the Spanish government’s international institute for language and culture. Other previous teaching posts include leading workshops at the University of Cambridge, Leeds Conservatoire, the University of Leeds, and Newcastle University. Furthermore, Samuel has also been a guest artist and clinician at International Guitar Foundation events and at maestro Juan Martín’s annual international flamenco guitar summer school in Ronda, Spain.
Amongst Samuel’s other notable achievements are the establishment and overseeing of the Leeds International Flamenco Festival between 2013 and 2017. He also worked as an orchestral transcriber for the Gil Evans Estate between 2010 and 2013. The legendary jazz guitarist Kenny Burrell, a former member of the Gil Evans Orchestra, later described Samuel’s reconstructed scores as “masterful. ... The results are truly special.” Furthermore, in 2017 Samuel was commissioned to compose music for the major film ‘Lost in London’. Samuel also appeared in the film itself, performing his solo compositions in a scene featuring the Hollywood actors Owen Wilson and Woody Harrelson.
Samuel initially learnt his craft by working with the recordings of great flamenco maestros of the past and producing transcriptions of their pieces. During his early studies he also attended workshops led by the great Paco Peña. Subsequently Samuel became a one-to-one student of the world-renowned flamenco guitarist Juan Martín. This five-year apprenticeship was funded by Arts Council England and Help Musicians UK. Following this, Samuel studied for a further four years with the Russian flamenco and classical guitarist Grisha Goryachev. Always keen to learn, Samuel has also studied with Dennis Koster (a former student of the legendary flamenco guitarists Sabicas and Mario Escudero). Samuel is an alumnus of Leeds Conservatoire. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Jazz, class of 2013.
Samuel plays Kevin Richards concert guitars and is an affiliated artist of Bam Cases, DPA Microphones, AER Amplifiers, Sagework Magnetic Guitar Supports, Abel Armrests and Shubb Capos. He is also a proud supporter of Laguna Taracea, a family-run artisan business based in the Alhambra Palace in Granada (Spain).
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