Peter McAven - Classical Guitarist

Critics Review
Lauterbacher Nachricht (5.3.2002) "Excellent professional duo McAven (guitar)+ Pletner (violin) celebrate music powerfully and expressively"

Lauterbach 2002

Wladimir Pletner - Violine, and Peter McAven - Guitar, gave their debut in the Roccoco Chamber of the Hohaus Museum in the city of Lauterbach in Hessen, Germany in Autumn 2001.
Due to a mutual love of the intimacy and singularity of the combination, arose the desire to prepare concerts from the large and fruitful repertoire for general concert goers.

The Duo Violtarra already commands a broad palette of music. Their programms include songs of John Dowland from Elisabethan England, Sonatas by Georg F. Handel, original works of Niccolo Paganini and the classic Mauro Giuliani, favourites from the romantic period eg. Tchaikovsky and Brahms. From the 20th Century -Tango nuevo by the King of Tangos, Astor Piazzolla. Original Spanish music by Joachim Rodrigo, Jacques Ibert, und Sarasate, not to mention latinamerican Evergreens – zB. The Girl from Ipanema. Tico tico.

Pletner and McAven are collegues at the Lauterbacher Musikschule, where they teach, and direct music ensembles.

McAven is a New Zealander and has lived 25 years in Germany. He attained teaching and performance diplomas in Munich and Hamburg. For 17 years he was an assistant professor at the Hamburg Conservatory. Two of his former pupils are now collegues at the conservatory. In 1999 his first solo CD was released.

Pletner was born in Russia. His musical studies at the music school in Moscow and at the University in Kiew (Ukrainia) ended with qualifications as teacher, orchestral soloist and a diplom as chamber ensemble artist. His father taught him the art of making violins – Wladimir concertises as concert master regularly with the Alsfelder Chamber Orchestra, and as soloist in the Vogelsberg and Fulda region, on his own instruments.

Peter and Wladimir are currently working on a demo CD, and samples will be placed on this site soon. Watch this space!
Click here to see samples of Peter's and Wladimir's Programme/Repertoire