David Russell

David Russell (born 1953 in Glasgow, Scotland) is a classical guitarist. Although he has a wide collection of instruments, he is most known for his association with Matthias Dammann guitars and D’Addario Pro-Arte’ Nylon strings.

Early and personal life

When Russell was five years of age, his family moved from Glasgow, Scotland, to Menorca, where he became interested in the guitar, imitating the likes of Andrés Segovia and Julian Bream. Russell now resides in Galicia, but spends most of his time touring and playing in musical festivals worldwide. He is also a golf enthusiast and has won amateur golf tournaments in Scotland and Spain. Russell is a supporter of his local football team, Celta de Vigo.

Honours and awards Under the tutelage of Hector Quine at the Royal Academy of Music, Russell won the Julian Bream Guitar Prize twice. He graduated in 1974 with a scholarship from the Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust. Later, he won numerous international competitions, including the Andrés Segovia Competition, the José Ramírez Competition, and Spain's Francisco Tárrega International Guitar Competition (1977). Russell was named a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1997. In May 2003, he was awarded the honour of being made "adopted son" of Es Migjorn Gran, the town on Menorca where he grew up. In November 2003, he was given the Medal of Honour of the Conservatory of the Balearics. In 2005, he won a Grammy Award for best instrumental soloist in classical music for his CD Aire Latino. In May 2005, Russell received homage from the music conservatory of Vigo, culminating with the opening of the new auditorium given the name "Auditorio David Russell." David was named honorary member of “Amigos de la Guitarra” - the oldest guitar society in Spain - in 2009 and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Guitar Foundation of America in 2018.

Discography

Year Album Label Notes 2021 Cantigas de Santiago Azica Records 2012 Grandeur Of The Baroque Telarc International Corporation 2011 Isaac Albéniz Telarc 2010 Sonidos Latinos Telarc 2009 For David Telarc 2008 Air On A G String Telarc 2007 Art Of The Guitar Telarc 2006 Renaissance Favorites For Guitar Telarc 2005 Spanish Legends Telarc 2004 Aire Latino Telarc Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) 2003 David Russell Plays Bach Telarc 2002 Reflections Of Spain Telarc 2001 David Russell Plays Baroque Music Telarc 1999 Music Of Giuliani Telarc 1998 Message Of The Sea Telarc 1997 Rodrigo Concertos TelarcFeaturing Erich Kunzel (Conductor) 1996 Music Of Federico Moreno Torroba Telarc 1995 Music Of Barrios Telarc 1994 Guitare Québec 94 Doberman-Yppan RecordsFeaturing Leo Brouwer (Conductor) 1991 Tárrega: Integral de Guitarra Opera Tres Records 1989 Haendel, Bach, Scarlatti GHA Records 1987 19th Century Music GHA Records 1985 Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Academix RecordsFeaturing Raphaella Smits (Guitar) & Jos Van Immerseel (Piano) 1984 Dennis Milne Guitar Concerto Phoenix RecordsFeaturing The Chamber Music Players of London 1983 Guitarduets Poketino RecordsFeaturing Raphaella Smits (Guitar) 1980 Plays Antonio Lauro Guitar Master Records 1979 Something Unique Overture Records 1978 Double Bass And Guitar Festival RecordsFeaturing Dennis Milne (Double Bass)