Liona Boyd

Liona Maria Carolynne Boyd, CM , B.Mus , LL.D (b. July 11, 1949) is a Canadian classical guitarist.

Biography

Boyd was born in London, England, but at age eight her family moved to Canada. At age thirteen she asked her parents for a guitar as a Christmas present. After hearing a concert by the great English guitarist Julian Bream, Boyd was determined to master the instrument. While still a teenager she took private lessons with Eli Kassner, Narciso Yepes, Alirio Diaz, Julian Bream, and Andrés Segovia.

Boyd completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Performance at the University of Toronto where she graduated with honours and won first prize in the Canadian National Music Competition (she now also has several honorary doctorates). After two years of private study with Alexandre Lagoya in Paris, Boyd returned to North America and recorded her first album for Boot/London Records.

Boyd is known for her ample, eclectic repertoire, encompassing guitar music belonging to diverse ages and nationalities.

In 1986, she recorded the breakthrough album "Persona", which was a mixture of Rock, New Age and Classical, with cellist Yo-Yo Ma and guitarists David Gilmour of Pink Floyd and Eric Clapton.

Trivia

*Boyd dated Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau for eight years.
*In her official web site she is nicknamed "The First Lady of the Guitar." .
*In 1981, she was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

External links

* [http://www.lionaboyd.com/welcome.htm Liona Boyd website]
* [http://www.gg.ca/honours/search-recherche/honours-desc.asp?lang=e&TypeID=orc&id=192 Order of Canada Citation]