Andrea Quartarone

Andrea Quartarone is 32 years old and lives in Siracusa (Sicily). He’s actually on of the most important modern guitar players in Italy and Europe. His musical career started at the age of 13.
His second demo, recorded when he was 16 (1990), was considered the best of the year, receiving critical acclaim from prestigious publications (HM, Chitarre, Fare Musica, Guitar Club, Metal Shock, Metal Hammer…), leading to the acquisition of the title “migliore giovane promessa italiana” meaning, best new emerging Italian artist, concerning modern guitar. At the age of 17 (1991), records his third demo-tape, this time with a rock band, Arabesque, that, as well as receiving excellent critics on radio, in fanzines, national and international publications (Japan, USA, Germany, France, Switzerland, Holland, Russia, UK..), was considered the Italian answer to the very best American music of the genre.
He has collaborated, in studio and live, with various artists from Pop-Rock to Jazz and Fusion music (Gianni Bella, Vincenzo Spampinato, Mario Venuti, Nuovi Briganti, Danilo Amerio, Tony Esposito, Pascal Mulot and others..).
Andrea has recorded 3 instrumental cds: “Presentation” (1997), “Guitar Academy 2001” (2001) and “Versatile” (2004) with a great success from italian and international magazines and specialized media; now he’s working for 2 new projects “ELEKTRIO” (with his own Fusion Trio) and “Guitar Academy 2007” (second edition, with his Academy).
In March 1995 he played at Smeraldo Theatre in Milan together with the american minimalist composer Rhys Chatam's Orchestra. This performance leaded to the recording of a CD of world wide distribution. In August of the same year during an international competition for electric guitarists in Losanna (Switzerland) Andrea was awarded as “best young European talent”.
He participated at the International Convention A.D.G.P.A. held in Soave (VR), during 1998 and 1999, together with famous artists such as John Stowell, Albert Lee and Mick Abrahams (Jethro Tull), Tommy Emmanuel, James Burton and Jerry Donahue.
In winter 2001 he participated at “IOU MED – Concert for Mediterranean” which took place in Siracusa, linked with Greece, Morocco and Tunisia. He also held a conference about the aspects of modern guitar at “Superior Institute of Catania for Formation of Excellence”. In 2002 he cooperated in the making of the book “Scale!” by Umberto Fiorentino.
From 2001 he collaborates with AXE Magazine and from 2001 to 2005 he’s columnist with his own guitar section on “GUITAR PERFORMANCE”.
Mexican Rock Radio station, “Rock Evolucion” (being a leading Mexican station specializing in different genres of instrumental music) contacts Andrea to insert his music on their playlist, for the subsequent transmission to their about 4,500,000 listeners.
Recently has been invited to hold two clinics in two of the most significant music schools in the world: GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology) and USC (University of Southern California).
Andrea is the general director of the Guitar Academy, a network of 5 schools of modern guitar, with centres in various Sicilian cities. From September 2005 to June 2005 he has taught at UM (Università della Musica) in Rome. He plays live actually with different musical projects and he’s endorsers for: WASHBURN, D’AQUISTO, RANDALL, MORLEY and TECHRA.

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