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Joanne Castellani, guitar
Joanne Castellani has enjoyed a celebrated career with her husband, Michael Andriaccio, as one of the foremost guitars duos in the world, the Castellani Andriaccio Duo. They have toured internationally as recitalists performing at the White House, the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian Institution and Carnegie Hall and as concerto soloists with orchestras around the world. Sought after pedagogues as well, they have performed and taught at over one hundred colleges, universities and conservatories. Their collaboration with Grammy nominated composer, Roberto Sierra, has resulted in two magnificent new concerti for two guitars and orchestra, Of Discoveries and the Fantasia Corelliana, both recorded with the Israel Chamber Orchestra and the St. Christopher Chamber Orchestra of Lithuania, and both given their world premiere performances with the Chautauqua Symphony Orchestra.
The Duo has recorded ten acclaimed CDs, two named “Best of the Year” by Fanfare Magazine and American Record Guide and two DVDs. Critics around the globe from the New York Times to Gramophone Magazine have unanimously praised their, “elegance, style, poise and exquisite taste in interpretation”.
Joanne is Professor Emeritus of the State University of New York at Buffalo and currently maintains a full private teaching studio of traditional and Suzuki guitar students. The CA Guitar Studio is the largest private classical guitar program in upstate New York. Joanne has served as Executive Director of the Guitar Foundation of America International Competitions, the largest solo guitar competition in the world and now, she is Artistic Co-Director of the JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition presented by WNED and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra since 2004. She is cofounder, President and CEO of Fleur de Son Classics, a record label with over one hundred acclaimed titles, recognized internationally as a world leader in recorded chamber music.