Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Jeff LaQuatra has been described as “a guitarist of enormous talent, both musically and technically” (Classical Guitar Magazine).  Jeff performs throughout Colorado as a classical guitar soloist and as a member of numerous chamber music ensembles.  In 1996, Jeff was awarded first prize in the Oswald Rantucci Guitar Competition in Buffalo, New York.  He has also won top prize in competitions sponsored by The Fortnightly Music Club of Cleveland and The Three Arts Club of Lakewood (Ohio).

 

An in-demand chamber musician, Jeff has performed as a member of Denver’s Mountain Chamber Music Society and has appeared with the Boulder Philharmonic and Colorado’s Central City Opera. Jeff had the honor of debuting new guitar works including James McGuire’s Suite No. 4for solo guitar, McGuire’s whimsically–titled prelude LaQuintrafor flute and guitar as well as Ricardo Iznaola’s Chansonfor soprano and guitar.  2018 will also mark the world-premiere of Bryan Johanson’s PaintedMusic, a suite of six movements based on the paintings of Paul Klee, which was written for Jeff and his wife, flutist Michelle Stanley.

 

In 2002, Iznaola Guitar Works released Jeff’s debut solo recording entitled Twilight:Guitar Music at the End of the Century, which includes world-premiere recordings of works by Ricardo Iznaola, James McGuire and Štěpán Rak.  In a review of Twilight, Classical Guitar Magazine’s Steve Marsh stated, “his technical abilities [are] strong enough for him to control every nuance and phrase to perfection.  This is a first-class debut album and a name to watch out for.”  In 2014, Twilightwas included in Enrique Robichaud’s publication,Guitar’s Top 100– A Guide to Classical Guitar’s MostRecorded Music.

 

Jeff has earned degrees from The Cleveland Institute of Music (BM) and The University of Denver (MM) where he served as a graduate teaching assistant. His primary teachers were Mary Lou Roberts, John Holmquist and Ricardo Iznaola.  In 1996 and 1997, Jeff received a full tuition scholarship to study at the Rome Festival (Italy). 

 

Jeff resides in Fort Collins, Colorado and is an adjunct professor of music at Colorado State University.