Specializes In:
Classical Guitar, Electric Guitar,Theory, History, Aural Skills, Improvisation
Biography
Skender Sefa is a professional classical guitarist based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba. He teaches classical guitar performance and music theory at the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts and is a Director of the Winnipeg Music Festival and the President of the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society. He has recorded four classical guitar CD’s on the GFI Masterworks, Uncontrollable Records and Marquis Classics labels. One solo CD, two duet CDs, and one chamber music CD. His CD “Sefarad – The Music of Sid Robinovitch”, on which Skender performs on four tracks in trio with Ryszard Tyborowski and Michael Daher, was nominated two Western Canadian Music Awards and a Juno.
Skender has performed at the University of Manitoba, the University of Brandon, the University of Winnipeg, the University of Edmonton, the University of Montreal, the University of Texas (San Antonio), the Guitar Foundation of America International Convention in California, the Winnipeg MTS Centre, the Winnipeg Concert Hall, and the Manitoba Museum.
Performance highlights include two performances with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in October of 2006 as a featured soloist in the WSO’s prestigious Masterworks series performing Osvaldo Golijov’s “Oceana” and three performances with the WSO and the Manitoba Opera Association performing Verdi’s “Otello” in April 2007, a concert with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in April 2008 at the MTS Center, and several full length recitals for the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society.
Skender completed the Bachelor of Music (Performance) and Master of Music (Performance) degree programs at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Music under professor Ryszard Tyborowski. He also comploeted a Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) degree and was a scholarship student at the prestiious Domaine Forget Music and Dance Academy in Quebec,where he studied under renown classical guitar pedagogues Bruce Holzman (USA) and Jean Vallieres (Quebec) and Patrick Roux (Ottawa). As a student, Skender was awarded the Best Overall Performance Award at the 1999 Winnipeg Music Competition Festival by adjudicator Alexander Dunn (Victoria) and was awarded the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society Scholarship Prize by Ian Hodges (Winnipeg). In 2000, was again awarded the Best Overall Performance Award at the Winnipeg Music Competition Festival this time by adjudicator Fabio Zanon (Brazil) and again won the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society Scholarship Prize and was a finalist in the prestigious Lawrence Genser Performance Competition. Skender performed in master classes with some of the leading classical guitarists in the world including Leo Brouwer (Cuba), David Russell (Scotland), Roland Dyens (Paris), Fabio Zanon (Brazil), Denis Azabagic (Bosnia), Pia Gazarek-Offermann (Germany), Ricardo Cobo (Columbia), Alvin Tung (Toronto) and Norbert Kraft (Canada).
Skender’s students have also won numerous competitions, awards, and scholarships and have become professional musicians. In both 2009 and 2010, Skender was an RCM Teaching Award Winner.
In addition to performing, teaching and recording, Skender is an active adjudicator. Notably, Skender was a judge alongside Michael Angelo Batio at Winnipeg’s SHREDFEST competition in 2009 and in February of 2010, Skender adjudicated at the Brandon Music Festival.
In recognition of his career in classical guitar performance, Skender has received awards from both the Canada Council for the Arts and the Manitoba Arts Council.
Education/Training
Bachelor of Music (Performance), Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) , Master of Music (Performance), AMAF Accredited Adjudicator
Teaching Awards
RCM Teaching Award 2009 and 2010
Career Highlights
Performances as a featured soloist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in their prestigious Masterworks series performing Osvaldo Golijov’s “Oceana”.
Three performances with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Manitoba Opera Association performing in Verdi’s “Otello”.
Performance with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra at the MTS Centre.
Release of four classical guitar CD’s on the GFI Masterworks, Uncontrollable Records and Marquis Classic record labels.
Awards from the Manitoba Arts Council, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Royal Conservatory of Music.
Adjudicated the Classical Guitar classes at the Brandon Festival of the Arts.
Adjudicated Winnipeg’s SHREDFEST electric guitar competition alongside Michael Angelo Batio.
Winnipeg Music Festival Director.
President of the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society.