Florida Guitar Festival: Alec Holcomb

Alec Holcomb grew up in Tennessee and was influenced by the various styles of guitar music that his grandfather and father played. When he was 6, Alec started learning the classical guitar from his father. During his high school years, Alec studied with Dr. Andrew Zohn, who teaches at Columbus State University in Georgia. It was then that Alec began seriously participating in competitions and found some success. Alec continued his education at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he completed his undergraduate degree with David Starobin and Jason Vieaux.  Alec subsequently received his master’s degree at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music with Judicaël Perroy, aided by the mentorship of David Tannenbaum.
Alec attributes his stylistic choices to the intensity, inertia, and grounded nature of metal, in combination with the subtlety, groove, and contemplative nature of jazz.  While there are numerous genres that inspire Alec’s music-making, these two have remained the most influential.
In an attempt to broaden the repertoire and scope of the instrument, one of Alec’s objectives is to transform music for the purposes of the guitar.  He achieves this by creating original transcriptions and arrangements, and by composing and editing music for the instrument. Alec’s fascination with overcoming the guitar’s seemingly endless technical intricacies is another driving force behind his work. This fascination is satisfied by adopting and manipulating extrinsic music to sound and feel intrinsic on this beautiful, occasionally finicky, instrument.
Alec is a firm believer that the classical guitar offers an unparalleled and unique listening experience, and his primary passion is to connect music lovers with the beauty and energy that the instrument has to offer.