Ian Watt
The Scottish guitarist Ian Watt (1991) first came to international attention when, at 18, he was awarded second prize at the 2009 Parkening International Guitar Competition (USA), the world’s preeminent guitar competition. He has performed in the USA, China, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, France, Hungary, Ukraine, Denmark, Holland, Estonia, Norway and Belgium and as a concerto soloist with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, City of London Sinfonia and Scottish Philharmonic Orchestra.
Despite his youth, Ian Watt is also increasingly in demand as a teacher, regularly giving masterclasses internationally, most recently in China (at the Central Conservatory in Beijing), Germany, Hungary and the Czech Republic.
In addition to the silver medal at the Parkening, Watt’s awards and prizes include 1st prize at the Heinsberg International Guitar Competition 2011, 1st prize at the ‘Westfalian Guitar Spring’ International Competition 2010 and 2nd prize at the Vienna International Guitar Competition ‘Homage to Karl Scheit’ 2010.
In 2006 Bert Kwakkel made a guitar type Merula with spruce top for Ian Watt.