Todd Hallawell is a classically trained guitarist who, for many years, has produced and engineered music for the Soundset Recordings label where he is co-owner. He has recorded and produced internationally known solo artists, as well as full orchestras. Encouraged by his clients, wife, and friends to return to performing, Todd began entering competitions. In 1997, he won several in a row, most notably the Southwest Regional Fingerstyle Championship in Tucson, Arizona, and the prestigious National Fingerpicking Championship at Winfield, Kansas. In addition to having been a clinician for Lowden Guitars, he has become a regular performer at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society (CAAS) in Nashville, as well as other music festivals in the U.S. and abroad. Todd's exceptional musical range has become well known throughout the music world and his compositions have been selected for both film and theatrical presentations. His CDs “Before My Time” and "From Nashville & Back" have won critical acclaim.
Todd holds a Bachelor of Music degree in performance from Sacramento State University and has continued his education with graduate studies at Arizona State University. In 1992 he was awarded a full one-year vocational scholarship from Rotary International serving as a "Good Will Ambassador" to Great Britain. There, he studied guitar with Gordon Crosskey (Royal Northern College of Music), composition with John Duarte in London, and recording engineering with Keith Andrews of Amazon Recording Studios (now Parr Street Studios) in Liverpool. On his return, he founded Soundset Recordings with Frank Koonce , (Guitar Professor at ASU) and has subsequently produced more than 50 recording projects.
