Biography

"Aaron is a unique talent not to be missed"
– Washington Post

Acclaimed international recording and touring guitarist and composer Aaron Larget-Caplan is an exciting and innovative leader in classical music. Noted as a "master guitarist" by Fanfare and for his “astounding technical proficiency and artistic delicacy” by the Boston Musical Intelligencer, Larget-Caplan has performed throughout the USA Europe, Russia, and Taiwan, including El Palacio de Linares in Madrid, Spain, Sheremetev Palace in Russia, and Palazzo del Te & Ducale in Mantova, Italy.

At 16 he made his debut at the Tabor Opera House and has since premiered over 110 solo and chamber compositions, soloed with orchestras, directed concert series, created commissioning endeavors, curated and published three anthologies of scores, arranged over 35 solo and chamber works, and brought classical music into schools and communities. A gifted performer and speaker, he is sought for his deft programming of new and standard repertoire, while connecting with audiences with a Bernstein-esque ease. In 2019 Aaron received a medal from the Société Académique Arts-Sciences-Lettres of Paris, France for his trailblazing work in music, and in 2020 was Musician in Residence at the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity.

Mr. Larget-Caplan has 10 critically acclaimed solo albums on Tiger Turn and Stone Records (UK): Spanish Candy (2023) God's Time: Music of J.S. Bach on Guitar (2022) honey cadence (2022), Drifting (2021), A Guitar Holiday (2021), Nights Transfigured (2020), John. Cage. Guitar. (2018), The Legend of Hagoromo (2015), New Lullaby (2010), Tracing a wheel on water (2006), and he is featured four others as a soloist and chamber music for record labels Albany, Navona, and the American Composers Alliance. The recordings have received critical acclaim from Audiophile, Fanfare, American Record Guide, Guitar Magazine and many more with such response as “stunningly played” (Fanfare), "eclectic and endlessly rewarding release" (Classical Guitar), “A Significant Recording” (Classical Guitar UK), "Master Guitarist" (Fanfare).

Larget-Caplan is the founder of numerous commissioning and performance endeavors, including the New Lullaby Project, which bridges the chasm of fear audiences towards contemporary music and composers to writing for guitar, for who's afraid of a lullaby?! Since 2007 Aaron has premiered 73 new lullabies by 68 different composers from eleven countries. In January 2021, Mr. Larget-Caplan in partnership with the American Composers Alliance began publishing the award winning multi-volume anthology collection ofscores of the New Lullaby Project: volume 1 'Nights Transfigured' and volume 2 'Hushed' features 16. Three albums have been recorded: New Lullaby, Nights Transfigured, and Drifting.

Mr. Larget-Caplan's first album of his own compositions, honey cadence, was released in April 2022 on Tiger Turn, featuring six meditative solos written in December 2021 and January 2022. A score collection is published with the American Comopsers Alliance. The album has become Aaron's most popular with over 3-million streams to date.

His groundbreaking 3 volume series John Cage Guitar arrangements are exclusively published by Edition Peters and are the first officially sanctioned arrangements of Cage for guitar. The American Record Guide called his transcription of Cage's 'Bacchanale' for two prepared guitar "marvelous". The Guitar Foundation of America wrote: “I would strongly advocate these [Cage] compositions to be performed by young guitarists before they start working on any other contemporary composers."

Larget-Caplan also performs his own arrangements of Bach, Scarlatti, Rodrigo, and many Spanish composers. Larget-Caplan recently received exclusive permission from the estate of Reynaldo Hahn and Édition Musicales Alphonse Leduc to perform his own arrangements of Hahn’s “Mélodies” for voice and guitar. Upcoming publications include music of Cage, Alan Hovhaness, Hahn, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, and Pascual Marquina.

Mr. Larget-Caplan is currently collaborating with composer Vineet Shende of Bowdoin College for his choir+guitar work Pravasa (migration in Sanskrit) and his 12 Carnatic Preludes, After J.S. Bach, a re-imagining of Bach preludes from the Well-Tempered Clavier as if Bach were from South India (Carnatic music). Each prelude is paired with an Aaron's arrangement of Bach's keyboard prelude.

Larget-Caplan is the founder of the ensemble ¡Con Fuego! (With Fire!), a passionate cross-fertilization of flamenco dance and Spanish classical music featuring acclaimed dancer La Conja and guest cellists. The trio has performed throughout the Northeast, New Mexico, Oregon, and Colorado.

Larget-Caplan is the diretor and curator of Now Musique, which explores the new and neglected in the small recital format. After a sucessful debut in 2019, it has since held over a dozen performances and received multiple grants. From 2010-2014 Aaron directed Greater Boston House Concerts presenting 23 international artists.

Larget-Caplan's published articles include: “Have Guitar, Will Travel – To Russia With Love”, The Triangle of Mu Phi Epsilon, and “Meet the Luthier with Sicilian Builder Franco Marino”, Boston Classical Guitar Society Quarterly. Interviews of Aaron include “Building a career through talent and savvy”, The Triangle, and “On the Trail with Lullaby Hunter, Aaron Larget-Caplan”, Fanfare Magazine where he was noted for his “enthusiasm and virtuosity”. He has given lectures Being an Artist Entrepreneur in the 21st Century, John Cage Guitar, Writing for Guitar, and Creating Commissioning Projects at universities as well as the Guitar Foundation of America, the 21st Century Guitar Conference, New Music Gathering, and for the international music fraternity ΜΦΕ. His John Cage Guitar and Legend of Hagoromo lectures were accepted to the IGRC in 2019 in Hong Kong. Aaron has appeared on numerous radio and television stations across the US including Conducting Conversations, and Classical Guitar Alive, and held online roundtables on Composing for Guitar.

Mr. Larget-Caplan has received awards and grants from the Société Académique Arts–Sciences–Lettres of France, American Composers Forum, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, New England Foundation for the Arts, American Composers Alliance, New England Conservatory, D’Addario Foundation, Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation, numerous Local Arts Councils, he was awarded as an I.D. LOTT – Identifying Future Leaders of Today and Tomorrow for his artistic and community work in Dorchester, and he was named an ACME Honoree as a distinguished Artist and Educator by the international music fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon. A proponent of live classical music in society and arts in education, he gives enrichment programs and artist residencies alongside formal concerts throughout the country and internationally.

Faculty appointments include the Boston Conservatory at Berklee School of Music and the University of Massachusetts Boston. He gives artist residencies, masterclasses, workshops and lectures across the country, including in Canada, Italy and Russia, for the Guitar Foundation of America, 21st Century Guitar Conference, the International Music Fraternity Mu Phi Epsilon, and the Banff Centre for the Creative Arts. He is a graduate of the New England Conservatory where he studied with David Leisner and Eliot Fisk, his principal teacher was Dmitry Goryachev. Larget-Caplan performs on guitars by the French master luthier Olivier Fanton D’Andon and a historic 1957 Manuel Velazquez. He uses Hannabach strings exclusively. Larget-Caplan lives in Boston where he enjoys espresso with his wife, healer and muse, Catherine.

Premieres

COMPOSER	COMPOSITION	Premiere Year
Dennis Bathory-Kitsz	Lullaby for Justin at 21	2022
Gregory Biss	Lullaby (after Schumann)	2016
Hayg Boyadjian	Mi Tango (ver. 2010)*	2010
	Cancion de cuña	2011
Stephanie Ann Boyd	Esperanza*	2018
Lou Bunk	Being and Becoming, guitar-sine wave	2007
Canary Burton	Whispers*	2011
John Cage	Six Melodies* (1944), violin-guitar, arr. ALC, Edition Peters, 2015	2013
	Piano Music for Guitar* (1933-48), arr. ALC I. Three Pieces II. A Room III. Chess Pieces IV. Dream V. In A Landscape Edition Peters, 2017	2016
	Bacchanale*, two prepared guitars Edition Peters, 2022, Revere Award winner	2018
	Wonderful Widow of 18 Springs, voice-guitar	2019
Agustín Castilla-Ávila	Perseiden*	2019
Sam Cave	...in the soft dark welling...	2023
Jeannette Chehile	Duo, shakuhachi-guitar	2015
Carson Cooman	Unfolding the gates of dawn *	2009
James Dalton	A world of your own*	2013
Gerard Drozd	Le belle addormentate*	2011
Jose Elizondo	Lullaby	2002
Roger Éon	Berceuse*	2019
Nomi Epstein	Lulebiye	2008
Lainie Fefferman	Carousel, guitar+max/msp	2021
Jonathan Feist	No Time*	2009
	Leaky Roof *	2009
Tom Flaherty	Steps & Leaps, guitar+max/msp	2021
Alan Fletcher	Lullaby in Three Voices*	2011
Anthony R. Green	Counting Backwards*	2020
Kurt Erickson	Whatever you want me to be	2005
Joshua Hahn	Lullaby	2009
Reynaldo Hahn	Mélodies, medium voice and guitar	2018
Stanley M. Hoffman	Naomi's Lullaby	2017
Alan Hovhaness	Mystic Flute, arr. ALC	2019
Curtis Hughes	Lullibule	2021
Barbara Jazwinski	Dreams, Interrupted...	2020
Lynn Job	The Sixth Night *	2009
John Johnstone	Blue Lullaby	2015
Patricia Julien	After Many Days Without Rain*	2011
Aaron Larget-Caplan	moving still*, honey cadence*, sweet nuance*, minding play*, hidden anticipation*, slight nuance* Published by American Composers Alliance, 2023	2022
David Leisner	Disturbed a lullaby *	2007
Stefanie Lubkowski	Drifting*	2020
Jacob Mashak	Rest, Madrid	2009
	Lulubye*	2011
John McDonald	Chamber work 2003	2003
	Rachel * ensemble	2003
	You are alone to sleep *	2009
	Upward*	2011
	Two Hesitant Duets, op. 566 guitar-shakuhachi	2015
Donald McDonnell	Sonata for Alto Flute and Guitar	2020
David McMullin	Sleeping Light, Spinning World*	2016
Kota Nakamura	Sui-hou *	2010
Koji Nakano	Three Lullabies, from 'Spiritual Forrest'	2018
Lior Navok	Six for a Dance *	2001
Tom Nazziola	Lull-a-by-the-sea	2021
Luis J.R. Obregon	Lament for Guitar	2021
Ricardo Odriozola	Lullaby for Children of the New World*	2011
Barnaby Oliver	The Pillow That You Dream On*	2010
David Patterson	Counting Sheep	2010
	Lullaby for Ewe	2012
Ronald Pearl	Berceuse Inquiète	2021
Tim Pence	The Sleeping Guitar*	2016
Daniel Pinkham	Two Wind Dances *	2003
	Green Wall & Little Marble Boy, tenor-guitar	2004
Kincaid Rabb	Water Lilies	2020
Štěpán Rak	Lullaby	2021
Thomas L. Read	The moon through the window shines down*	2010
	Capricci * guitar-string quartet	2012
	Concert Champêtre*, guitar-cello	2014
	Traveller's Frolic, guitar-viola	2020
	Tales From The Virtual World	2022
Antonio Celso Ribeiro	Three Vintage Portraits of Exquisite Ladies Expressing Their Frame of Mind, + viola	2019
	Vain Lullaby	2022
Boris Rivchun	Dreams of Childhood*	2015
Dean Rosenthal	Sewing Piece	2022
Alejandro Rutty	Down with Those Guitars	2021
Kathryn Salfelder	Whispering into the night	2013
Scott Scharff	Lullaby*	2014
Brian Schober	A Winter Lullaby	2021
Martin Schreiner	Lullaby for Restless Times*	2010
	Two Japanese Idylls *	2014
	Synchronicity in Dakota, + shakuhachi	2014
Eric Schwartz	Song softly sung in trying times*, + white noies	2009
Thomas Schuttenhelm	Wiegenlied*	2011
Garrett Ian Shatzer	Lullaby for D---*	2015
Vineet Shende	Pravasa – Travels of the guitar, SATB-guitar	2012
	Reva's Lullaby*	2017
	Carnatic Preludes N's. 1, 8, 12, After J.S. Bach	2017
Jeffrey Shivers	Pentagraph, guitar-shakuhachi	2015
Kevin Siegfried	Tracing a wheel on water *	2003
	Cradle Song *
Mark Small	Descent to a dream *	2009
Demetrius Spaneas	A Child Sings at Thanksgiving*	2011
Laurie Spiegel	Watching Rain	2020
	Remembering	2022
Nolan Stolz	Lullaby for Sam *	2009
Francine Trester	My Darling’s Slumber *	2009
	Dreamcatcher*	2011
	Borrowed Blue, viola-guitar	2019
	Mineral Spirits: Black Obsidian, Sulfur, + baritone	2019
	Lullaby for Our Time*	2020
Charles Turner	White Potatoes*	2013
Ken Ueno	Ed è Subito Sera *	2013
David Vayo	Berceuse *	2008
Michael Veloso	Little Dancer*	2011
Ryan Vigil	Home Sweet Home	2003
	Quartet	2003
	Wedding party ensemble	2007
	Shhhh *	2008
	Untitled	2019
Frank E. Warren	Canción de Niñez*	2015
Scott Wheeler	Nachtlied *	2009
Ian Wiese	Seeketh Not Its Own*	2017
	Midnight Train	2022
Milad Yousufi	Kabuli Lullaby	2018
	* Commercially Recorded

Instruction

With over twenty-five years of private teaching experience at the conservatory, university, and community levels, Aaron Larget-Caplan has established himself as an important instructor who can connect with students of all levels and abilities.

He is one of the few instructors able to teach body awareness, stretches and strengthening of the hands and arms, and mental preparation for whichever stage we choose to perform on. All-ages and levels are welcome.to contact.
A studio recital is held once or twice a year.

Online lessons available.

*Contact Aaron for availability, policies, and pricing: info@alcguitar.com

 

Awards

Since his teenage years on the speech team, Aaron has received awards for his music, creativity, projects, and community work.

Revere Award from the Music Publishers Association of the US, Bacchanale by John Cage arranged for two prepared guitars, published by Edition Peters • Music Notesetting (2nd)READ	2023
Massachusetts Cultural Council – Cultural Sector Recovery Grants for Organizations for Now Musique	2023
Opportunity Grant, Boston Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture - Now Musique	2022
Community Music Residency for the Kirkland Arts Center, Clinton, NY	2022
Revere Awards from the Music Publishers Association of the US, Nights Transfigured Vol. 1 Score Anthology, published by the American Composers Alliance • Guitar Music Notesetting (1st), Book Design (2nd), Cover Design (2nd), READ	2021
Robinson Recital Award	2020
Banff Musician in Residence, Banff, Canada	2020
Provost Recognition, John. Cage. Guitar. University of Massachusetts Boston	2019
Socièté Académique Arts-Sciences-Lettres, Médaille D’Etain, Paris, France	2019
British Airways features John. Cage. Guitar. on all flights	2018
Southbridge Cultural Council Grant	2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
American Composers Alliance, New York	2017
Edition Peters, First Official Solo Publication of John Cage for Guitar	2017
ACME Honoree, Professional Music Fraternity MU PHI EPSILON	2016
Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation Betty Lou Scandlin Hubin Scholarship World Music	2016
Southbridge Cultural Council Grant	2016
Edition Peters, First Official Publication of John Cage for Guitar	2015
Educational Bridge Project Scholarship for the America in Russia Festival	2015
American Composers Alliance, New York	2015
Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation Eleanor Hale Wilson Summer Scholarship	2014
Educational Bridge Project Scholarship for the America in Russia Festival	2014
I.D. LOTT, Identifying Future Leaders of Today and Tomorrow, Boston	2014
Educational Bridge Project Scholarship for the America in Russia Festival	2013
Grant-In-Aid, Mu Phi Epsilon Foundation	2013
Faculty Development Grant, Boston Conservatory	2013
3rd place, Denver Classical Guitar Society Debut Competition	2007
LCC Grant Recipient, Natick, MA	2007
Massachusetts Cultural Council Grant for Performance & Arts in Education	2006
Encore Grant, American Composers Forum	2005
Youngest Solo Artist, Young Audiences of Massachusetts	2002-04
D’Addario Guitar Scholarship Award, Chautauqua Institute, NY
New England Conservatory, Bachelors in Music, Guitar Performance, Diploma	2001
Outstanding Artist in Residence Award, Dorchester, MA	2001
Outstanding Chamber Group, NEC Chamber Music Gala at Jordan Hall, Boston, MA	2001
Mu Phi Epsilon, Beta Chapter President, New England Conservatory	2000
MU PHI EPSILON Chautauqua Summer Music Festival Scholarship	1999
Nancy Plummer Faxon Award, Music Fraternity, MU PHI EPSILON	1999
D’Addario Guitar Scholarship Award, Rome Festival, Italy	1998
3rd in the State of Colorado, Interpretation of Poetry	1996
Speech & Debate Team, Cherry Creek High School, Englewood, CO	1992-96