Charles Hobson
classical guitarist
American/Canadian guitarist, Charles Hobson is an active solo and chamber musician known for his “…thrilling virtuosity…Raul de Gama”. To date, he has performed and toured extensively throughout Canada, the US, Argentina, and Costa Rica. As a soloist, Charles has won multiple prizes and grants: 1st place QEMA Montreal (’08), 1st place QEMA Quebec provincial competitions ('08), 2nd place at the Canadian National Music Festival (Edmonton '08), 3rd place at the Grand Prix de Guitare de Montréal ('10)).
As a chamber musician, Charles has performed with a variety of ensembles. With his principal group, Duo Beija-Flor he has released three albums (Envol 2011, Muzica 2013, Costas Big Round records 2018). The duo has performed concerts in Canada and abroad and has received grants and prizes from the Guilde des musiciens et musiciennes du Québec (2012) from the competition, “Mon accès à la scène” (2011), the National Arts Centre (2021), The Banff Centre (2021). In addition, they have also been award grants for performances for the Classic Guitar Society of Vancouver (2016) and performances for the University of Costa Rica (2019). In the 2021-22 concert season, the duo will tour under the auspicious of Prairie Debut.
With the guitar orchestra, Forestare, Mr. Hobson has performed throughout the provinces of Québec and Ontario. The ensemble has been recipients of several grants and awards including an ADISQ, several nominations for the Prix Opus as well as winning the Bourse Rideau twice. In 2019 the ensemble was awarded the tour, “Montréal en tournée”, which saw the group perform several concerts in halls throughout the island of Montreal during the 2019-20 season. Charles’ playing can be heard on the group’s latest album, Forestare Baroque, released in 2017 under the label 2xHD, produced by the legendary André Perry. In the fall of 2021 the orchestra travelled to the Domain Forget where they recorded the group’s fourth album. The album, Douze Guitares à Paris, is slated for released by ATMA classics in July 2022.
Mr. Hobson began learning the guitar at eight years old and began his classical guitar studies at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University in 2002. While there, he studied with Argentinian guitarist Ernesto Bitetti and Italian guitarist/composer Nuccio D'Angelo. After obtaining a BMUS in 2006, Mr. Hobson was invited to continue his studies in Montreal with guitarist Daniel Bolshoy. In 2008 Charles completed his graduate studies at Concordia University in Montréal.
An active teacher, he was the founder of the music program at Bialik High School in Montreal where he taught from 2011-2013. He has also worked with Montreal's francophone version of the El Sistema program. Charles was the director of their guitar ensemble from 2016-2019. He has also been invited to judge and to give masterclasses in Canada and abroad (Collège Lionel-Grioulx, Kiwanis Music Festival Vancouver, Vancouver Classic Guitar Society, University of Costa Rica, University of Calgary).