Player Spotlight: Jacob Cordover

Currently residing in Barcelona, Spain and enjoying a truly international career as both a concert and recording artist, Jacob Cordover “impresses with his intuitive musicianship and impeccable technique” (Leicester Mercury, UK). His “consummate artistry” (Adelaide Advertiser, Australia) has enticed audiences in over a dozen countries across four continents. He has played in festivals worldwide, including the Festival Internacional de Guitarra del Conservatorio Nacional de Música (Mexico), Music by the Sea (Canada), String 139 Festival (China), Gitarrenfestival-Ruhr (Germany), Certamen Llobet Guitar Festival (Spain) and Pure Classic Musikkfest (Norway).

Mr. Cordover has appeared as soloist with the Las Colinas Symphony, the Arlington Symphony, the Garland Symphony, the Orquestra Simfònica de Balears “Ciutat de Palma” and the Orchestra dell’Accademia “l’Ottocento”, and his performances have “demonstrated how much poetry and feeling can be obtained from the guitar in the hands of master musicians such as [himself].” (The Mercury, Australia).

As a recording artist, Mr. Cordover has released three solo CDs to much critical acclaim: Stélé (independent release, 2004) was hailed by Classical Guitar Magazine (UK) as “wonderfully sympathetic and highly accomplished… Cordover managing to get to the very soul of this striking and brilliant music.” His second solo release Blackwattle Caprices (Cala Records, 2013) received the following review in the American Record Guide: “His technique is flawless. His expression tasteful and always interesting and moving.” Mr. Cordover’s third solo CD Expresivo was released through Cala Records on July 1, 2016. This latest album contains all the Spanish and Latin American favorites alongside arrangements of popular songs. The pieces Jacob recorded for GSI recently are all included in his latest CD.

Varied in his musical interests, Cordover plays from the full range of classical music – from Baroque to 19th century to contemporary. Critics have equally praised his performances of J.S. Bach and William Walton, saying “His interpretation of the Bach suite is one of the finest I have heard to date with superb phrasing and total mastery of the technicalities involved in playing this difficult composition” (Classical Guitar Magazine) and “This is simply the finest performance of Walton’s Bagatelles I’ve encountered. I and V crackle with energy, and he realizes perfectly the range of moods and colours in this modern masterpiece.” (American Record Guide).

Mr. Cordover has also released two CDs with his long standing chamber ensembles: Songs from the Forest, an independent release from 2012 which marked the debut CD by the Australian Guitar Duo (with Rupert Boyd) and Historias (Cala Records, 2014) the debut CD by Zoco Duo (with Laura Karney playing oboe/cor anglais). As well as receiving rave reviews, all of his CDs have been broadcast on radio stations in Asia, North America and Australia.

Aside from his formative studies at the Australian National University School of Music with renowned performer and pedagogue Timothy Kain, he completed post-graduate studies at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya with Laura Young and at the Escola Luthier with Arnaldur Arnarson in Barcelona, Spain. He also studied 19th-century performance practice with Carlo Barone at the Academia l’Ottocento in Paris as well as taking several long-term residencies at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada.

His music has been used in television, he has been broadcast on radio stations, and he has been a prize winner at major national and international music competitions including the Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Festival de Córdoba (Spain), the Sydney Performing Arts Challenge (Australia), the Australian Guitar Competition (Chamber Music Section), the Certamen Internacional de Guitarra de Barcelona (Spain) and the Performing Australian Music Competition (London, UK).

Mr. Cordover plays a guitar by Greg Smallman and Sons (2006) and exclusively uses Knobloch Strings.

JACOB CORDOVER GUITAR DEMOS (view all)