Simon Farintosh and Sam Mason
Simon Farintosh is an award-winning guitarist, composer, and educator based in Victoria, BC. Named one of CBC’s ‘30 Under 30 Classical Musicians’ in 2023, he is known for his unconventional programming choices, connecting with audiences by integrating the classical guitar with more contemporary musical forms such as electronica and jazz. Simon is currently a music performance instructor at the University of Victoria, where he teaches undergraduate and graduate guitar students.
Simon studied with Dr. Alexander Dunn at the University of Victoria, where he earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in 2018. Simon’s musical pursuits later took him to Milwaukee, WI, where he completed a Master’s Degree at The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2020. Here, he was a student and teaching assistant to Rene Izquierdo, a renowned Cuban virtuoso and revered pedagogue. Currently, Simon is in the finishing stages of a Doctorate of Musical Arts at the University of Toronto, where he is a student of Jorge Caballero and Dr. Jeffrey McFadden.
Simon’s performances have garnered him top awards in various national and international competitions. He was the 1st Prize winner of the 2018 Northwest Guitar Festival in Spokane, WA, and has been a finalist in the Canadian National Music Festival, GuitarLab International Competition, Wilson Center Guitar Competition, and the Twisted Spruce Guitar Competition. As a composer, he was recently awarded First Prize in the 2022 Ottawa Guitar Society Composition Competition for his original piece ‘Distant Light.’ He is a six-time recipient of the British Columbia Arts Council Award, and has been a featured performer or visiting clinician for organizations such as The Classical Guitar Society of Tri-Cities (Washington), Madison Classical Guitar Society, Ottawa Guitar Society, the Guitar Society of Toronto, Chemainus Classical Concerts, and more. He has adjudicated festivals such as the London Kiwanis Music Festival and the Canadian National Music Festival.
Simon is currently an instructor at The University of Victoria, where he runs the guitar department. He is also the owner and operator of ReVamp Guitar Academy, which offers virtual lessons to students across Canada and beyond. His students regularly receive top prizes in local and provincial music competitions, as well as excellent scores on RCM examinations. In addition to teaching and performing, Simon is also president of the Victoria Guitar Society, an organization dedicated to promoting the guitar through outreach and an international concert series.
Sam “Modern Mason” is an award winning guitarist and composer from Toronto, Canada. His music is often peaceful and melancholic with progressive forms and impressionistic soundscapes inspired by psychedelics, rage and revolution.
Admission: PWYC (Pay What You Can)
Suggested Donation: $30/person
All donations go to the expenses of the series and to the performer.
https://www.simonfarintosh.
Instagram: @simonf_guitar
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
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