Adam Batstone / Classical Guitar

Canadian guitarist, Dr. Adam Batstone, obtained his D.M.A. degree from the University of Toronto in 2019. He has been recognized with prestigious awards in various national and international guitar competitions, and has captivated audiences across North America with his virtuosic solo performances, as well as his work as a member of the renowned Altius Guitar Duo.

In 2015, Batstone was selected as a CBC Young Artist in Canada and recorded a duo recital that was broadcast nationally. He is dedicated to expanding the repertoire for guitar duos, and has created numerous original arrangements that showcase the ensemble's unique potential and bring fresh perspectives to repertoire not originally written for the guitar.

Under the supervision of Dr. Jeffrey McFadden, Batstone’s doctoral research focused on the role of non-verbal communication in facilitating spontaneous moments of creativity during musical performance. His work explored how musicians utilise non-verbal cues to communicate and respond to one another in real-time, creating a sense of shared empathy that can enable the flow of novel musical ideas in real time.

In his own performances, Batstone strives to not only establish this shared empathetic state with his fellow ensemble members, but also to communicate this emotional connection to an audience, facilitating an improvisatory like atmosphere that resonates through the discovery of each note.