With 4 decades of performing and recording, award-winning virtuoso guitarist Andre Feriante has left his musical mark on the classical, neo-flamenco, world music and fusion scenes. A cross-over artist in the vein of Yo Yo Ma or Sting, his performance program represents a bold but fluid musical fusion, featuring music from Bach to Leonard Cohen, flamenco improvisation to jazz standards, Americana to World Music, and even poetry by Federico Garcia Lorca, Rumi and Feriante himself.

 

With training by guitar masters like Maestro Andrés Segovia, Feriante is a world renowned virtuoso musician in his own right. His musical art sings from the Spanish guitar, harp guitar, ukulele, harp ukulele, nylon string banjo, charango, oud, saz, and most recently the shamisen, ruan, and sitar. That’s just a sample of his 43 instrument collection. 

 

While classically trained and accomplished, Andre has chosen to move beyond the traditional academy ideology. A true artist in every sense, Andre is a composer offering his own musical art. You will hear this music nowhere else.

 

Early LIfe

Born in Naples, Italy, Feriante spent his formative years between Southern Italy and Manziana, a village just outside Rome. At age eleven he had a premonition about being a guitarist. At age 13, while studying at the Overseas School of Rome, he heard a flamenco concert that sparked his love of guitar. 

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By the time he was 16, Feriante was already performing the works of Bach, Vivaldi, Albeniz and Scarlatti. By age 18, he had launched his musical career, playing concerts in Rome, Berlin and North and South America. At 21 he continued his studies with world-renowned classical guitarists Andrés Segovia and Jose Tomas (Segovia’s assistant) in Madrid, Spain. From there he studied with Henry Rivas in Bogota, Columbia, and Leon Atkinson in New York.

 

Seattle

Since moving to Seattle in the late 1980s, Feriante has established himself as a Northwest favorite, having performed throughout the Puget Sound area in public and private concerts for a virtual “Who’s Who of Seattle.” His music has been featured on “Hearts of Space,” on NPR. In 2009, Feriante was picked for MSN’s celebrity feature, “12 Sexy Bald Men,” along with Andre Agassi, Seal, Vin Diesel, Taye Diggs and Patrick Stewart, among others. In addition to his busy performance schedule, Feriante has hosted “La Guitarra,” on Classic King FM 98.1, the Arts Channel.

 

Performing

Besides his much-anticipated annual performances at Benaroya Hall and the Triple Door, Feriante has played a wide variety of venues including The King Cat Theatre (where he opened for Olita Adams and David Benoit), The Frye Art Museum, The Paramount Theater, and Key Arena, where he performed the National Anthem for the Seattle Sonics. Feriante has performed with the Northwest Symphony at Benaroya Hall with “Heart” and “Alice and Chains.” For over 20 years he has presented his annual “Day of Love” Valentine’s concert at Benaroya Hall in Seattle. His tours have taken him throughout the United States, Europe, and South America to play in esteemed locations like the Cathedrals of Sweden, Carnegie Hall in New York City, and Seattle’s Benaroya Hall.

 

Festival appearances include the Maui Music Festival, Seattle Folklife Festival, Seattle Hempfest and Bumbershoot. Feriante headlined at “La Festa di Manziana” in Rome. He has made regular appearances on Seattle radio and television and was featured on the Classical King FM Compilation Natural Symphony CD, as well as on the Tigerbreath label with Ottmar Liebert, Craig Chaquico and others. He also played at Javeriana University in Bogota, Colombia, and for Jose Carreras at special fundraising receptions at Carnegie Hall and Benaroya Hall to benefit the Jose Carreras Leukemia Foundation.

 

Albums

Feriante has released 14 albums that have consistently charted within the top 10. “Bohemian Boulevard,” debuted at No. 1 on the world and ambient radio charts. It remained in the top 20 for 5 months and then went on to win “Best World Album” in the New Age Reporter’s 2006 Lifestyle Awards. His 14th album, Tera de Eros, was released in 2016. It is a reflection of his multiple-instrument show, “Gypsy Strings” a truly unique and creative multicultural journey which features originals and standards played on guitars and guitar related stringed instruments from around the world,  ukulele, banjo, harp guitar, sitar, oud, ruan, baglama, charango, to name a few.

 

Artist

A seasoned, expressive performer whose style is as elegant as it is conversational, Feriante's innovative and effortless style appeals to any ear with a love and passion for music. He has dedicated his life to his art, and his ability to communicate through sound never fails to lead his audience on an emotional journey that is as deeply personal as it is universal.

 

Andre’s world view is one of hope, love, and empathy. He hopes the passionate and reflective qualities in his songs will bring listeners inward to discover the similarities among humans, creating more peace and ease in the word. In 2017 Andre was invited to the TEDx stage, he presented a talk called 'The Power of Music to Heal, Transform and Inspire". He is presently the director of the Whidbey Island Guitar Festival and Seattle Guitar Night with additional festivals in the works.