Gilbert Biberian

Who is Gilbert Biberian?

Gilbert Biberian is a British guitarist and composer.

Born in Istanbul of Greek/Armenian descent, Biberian's ethnic roots are integral to his compositions. He studied at Trinity College of Music, graduating in 1968. In 1965 a French Government grant took him to France to study with Ida Presti and Alexandre Lagoya. He studied composition with James Patten, Elisabeth Lutyens and Hans Keller, as well as widening and enriching his musical knowledge by working with non-guitarists Anthony Kinsella and Vic Bennett.

Following a successful debut at the Wigmore Hall, he was invited to work with the London Sinfonietta and Pierre Boulez, Luciano Berio, the Nash Ensemble, the BBC Symphony Orchestra and many others. He has played at the Proms, at Covent Garden and has performed concertos and given solo recitals worldwide.

He has always enthusiastically encouraged and championed the creation of new compositions for guitar. New works have been written for and/or dedicated to him by James Patten, Elisabeth Lutyens, Reginald Smith Brindle, Alfred Nieman, Charles Camilleri, David Bedford, Roger Williams, Glen Morgan, Robert Keeley, Jeffrey Joseph, Kenneth Paige, Daniel Sturm, Vojislav Ivanovic, Betty Roe, Ivor Mairants, Geoffrey Burgon, Aurelio Peruzzi, Judith Bingham, Monique Cecconi-Botella, Ottavio Negro and Luis Morales Giacoman.