Praised for their “innovative interpretations” which “left a powerful, lingering impression on the audience” (WA Heritage Awards), the Perth Guitar Quartet is Western Australia’s premier professional classical guitar quartet. Formed in 2013, the quartet’s mission is to support the creation of new Australian works for the guitar, with a specific focus on expanding the repertoire through commissions by WA composers.
Comprised of four of WA’s most accomplished guitarists - Dr Jonathan Fitzgerald, Don Candy, Dr Melissa Fitzgerald, and Jameson Feakes - the group has a strong history of developing and delivering innovative performance projects. Past projects include a residency at the National Trust of Western Australia, funded by a major grant from the Department of Culture and the Arts. The residency culminated in two sold-out concerts at the historic East Perth Cemeteries, featuring a world premiere performance of Duncan Gardiner’s eight-movement work commissioned by the Trust. Entitled "Sound from the Ground," the project won the Museums and Galleries National Award for Interpretation, Learning & Audience Engagement, and was a finalist for the 2017 WA State Heritage Award.
In 2023, PGQ embarked on a new commissioning project, West Australian Landscapes. Supported by a grant from the WA Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, new works inspired by the WA landscape were commissioned, and premiered in a CD-launch concert at the 2023 Perth International Classical Guitar Festival. The concert was hailed as “a stunning performance” which “…will no doubt put Perth on the radars of concert goers from all over the globe.” (rtrfm.com.au) The CD was a feature album on ABC Classic, and is available on all major music platforms.
The Perth Guitar Quartet’s performances have received radio play on ABC Classic FM, ABC Radio National, ABC Great Southern, and 92.1 RTRFM. They maintain an active performance schedule with past concerts at the Perth International Classical Guitar Festival, the WA Academy of Performing Arts, Cappuccino Concerts Series, North Street Music’s ‘Chamber Jam’ Series, the Classical Guitar Society of Western Australia, among many others.
MELISSA FITZGERALD
Dr Melissa Fitzgerald has established herself as an in-demand soloist and chamber musician. In 2021 she performed Villa-Lobos’ Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra with the Fremantle Symphony Orchestra, as well as Torroba’s Sonatina for Guitar and Orchestra with the West Coast Philharmonic Orchestra. Past performance highlights include the 2018 Perth International Classical Guitar Festival, the Classical Guitar Society of WA, Edith Cowan University, and radio performances on RTRFM's guitar show and ABC Great Southern. Her prowess as a performer has been recognised through numerous awards and competitions, including WAAPA’s 2013 Warana Concerto Competition, in which she was a finalist performing Leo Brouwer's Concerto Elegiaco with the WAAPA Orchestra, and was also a finalist in 2010 for the most outstanding graduating music student award.
Melissa undertook her guitar studies at WAAPA under the guidance of Dr Jonathan Paget. Her 2011 Honours thesis titled Minimalism and the Guitar received First Class Honours, and in 2017 she graduated with her PhD thesis, Bridging the Great Divide: An Exploration of Postmodernism in the Guitar Music of Nigel Westlake.
Currently, Melissa teaches guitar chamber music at the UWA Conservatorium of Music.
More about Melissa: melissafitzgerald.com.au
JONATHAN FITZGERALD
Hailed as “a virtuosic talent in the guitar world” (X-Press Magazine), American-born Australian classical guitarist Dr Jonathan Fitzgerald has garnered international recognition as a multi-award winning performer and educator. Jonathan's artistic interests are diverse, ranging from traditional classical guitar repertoire to experimental works for electric guitar, with a keen interest in commissioning new works from Australian composers.
An in-demand performer, past concert highlights include performances with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, West Australian Opera (Verdi's Otello); radio performances for ABC Radio National, WXXI and WCNY (New York), and RTRFM (WA); and solo concerts presented by Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (Portugal), Tura New Music, the Classical Guitar Society of Western Australia, Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, the Musicales Concert Series, among others. His playing has been recognised through numerous awards, including the Great Lakes International Guitar Competition in which he was a prize-winning finalist and winner of the “Audience Choice” award.
Jonathan earned Bachelor and Master of Music degrees at the Cleveland Institute of Music, and a Doctorate from the Eastman School of Music in New York. He currently serves as Chair of Strings & Guitar at the UWA Conservatorium of Music.
More about Jonathan: jonathanfitzgerald.net
JAMESON FEAKES
Jameson Feakes is an Australian guitarist specialising in experimental and free improvised music. He holds performance degrees from both the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the University of Western Australia and is currently a PhD candidate at the University of Western Australian documenting the community practices adopted by Wandelweiser.
He has performed at the Adelaide International Guitar Competition, The Helen Court Young Performer of the Year Competition, as well as performing extensively nationally and internationally.
He is a founding member of Tone List, a record label for exploratory music based in Perth, where has also released several recordings as a soloist and in ensembles.
More about Jameson: jamesonfeakes.com
DON CANDY
Don Candy graduated from the University of Western Australia in 2014. He was then selected as one of only 14 guitarists worldwide to undertake a course of study through the University of Alicante, Spain. There he received intensive tuition from world-leading guitarists including David Russell, Manuel Barrueco, Pepe Romero, Paul Galbraith, Paul O’Dette and Roberto Aussel.
Don then began studying for a Masters of Performance degree at the Royal Northern College of Music under the tutelage of Craig Ogden, one of the UK’s most prominent guitarists.
Upon arrival at the RNCM, Don was invited on to the external concerts list and performed numerous recitals throughout England. Reviews of these concerts commented on Don’s classical guitar as having ‘warmth and delicacy’, as well as his ability to ‘draw the audience into an intimate atmosphere’. Don also worked with several different composers, premiering new solo works.
Having returned to Australia Don continues to advance his career and immerse himself in a broad range of musical pursuits. In 2019 he performed at the Perth International Guitar Festival both as a solo artist, and alongside Craig Ogden. He continues to perform both as a solo artist and as a member of various duos and ensembles.
More about Don: doncandy.com.au