Biography
Internationally award-winning guitar brothers Ziggy & Miles Johnston are renowned for passionate performances of diverse repertoire crisscrossing the standard classical guitar canon with music from Australia, Spain and Latin America, and jazz influenced works. They have been working closely with the Melbourne Recital centre for the past three years. As well as co-presenting concerts in the Primrose Potter Salon, the duo has performed for the centre’s 7th Annual Gala Dinner, regional touring program, “Music Always” tour program and numerous other functions. They are the youngest musicians to ever be part of their Local Heroes concert series with two concerts in the Primrose Potter Salon during 2019. Outside of the Melbourne Recital Centre, they constantly organise their own concerts for venues and music societies across Australia, including Guitar Brisbane, the Barwon Heads Fine Music Society, the Canberra Classical Guitar Society and the Albury Chamber Music Festival. Ziggy and Miles have also performed at functions for organisations including the National Gallery of Victoria, the Private Wealth Network, Melbourne Museum, the Court of Appeals and Monash University. For Monash University the brothers have performed both solo and as a duo for countless graduations, award nights and functions, including events for the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor.
As a duo, they are starting to expand internationally and received 3rd place in the 2017 Guitar Foundation of America International Ensemble Artist Competition. As soloists, Ziggy received 2nd place Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great Romantics Competition in 2015 and 2016, and continually performs with the acclaim counter tenor, Max Riebl, and has performed as a soloist with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic. In 2018, Miles received 1st place in both the Adelaide International Guitar Festival Solo Competition and Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great Romantics Competition. Most recently they were both accepted to study Master of Music at the Juilliard School in New York City, commencing in September this year. In 2014 their first CD, Recollections, was recorded at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne and produced by Slava Grigoryan, whom the brothers have been studying with for numerous years.
As a duo, they are starting to expand internationally and received 3rd place in the 2017 Guitar Foundation of America International Ensemble Artist Competition. As soloists, Ziggy received 2nd place Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great Romantics Competition in 2015 and 2016, and continually performs with the acclaim counter tenor, Max Riebl, and has performed as a soloist with the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic. In 2018, Miles received 1st place in both the Adelaide International Guitar Festival Solo Competition and Melbourne Recital Centre’s Great Romantics Competition. Most recently they were both accepted to study Master of Music at the Juilliard School in New York City, commencing in September this year. In 2014 their first CD, Recollections, was recorded at Sing Sing studios in Melbourne and produced by Slava Grigoryan, whom the brothers have been studying with for numerous years.
Reviews
"The recording quality of this CD, by Sing Sing recording studios of Melbourne, is extremely high quality and permits the listener to hear clearly how talented these brothers are, and what enormous potential they have for a future in music." - Regarding their CD, Recollections: Barry Lenny, Broadway World.
broadwayworld.com/adelaide/article/BWW-Reviews-ADELAIDE-INTERNATIONAL-GUITAR-FESTIVAL-2014-CD-RECOLLECTIONS-is-a-Memorable-Collection-of-Music-20140826#.U_110kvyfLQ
"Their many years of dedicated application have resulted in an array of successes in local, national and international competitions. This recital was further confirmation that these highly talented brothers have a very bright future ahead of them." - Regarding their concert, Australian Impressions, at the Melbourne Recital Centre: Heather Leviston, Classic Melbourne.
www.classicmelbourne.com.au/reviews/ziggy-miles-johnston/
broadwayworld.com/adelaide/article/BWW-Reviews-ADELAIDE-INTERNATIONAL-GUITAR-FESTIVAL-2014-CD-RECOLLECTIONS-is-a-Memorable-Collection-of-Music-20140826#.U_110kvyfLQ
"Their many years of dedicated application have resulted in an array of successes in local, national and international competitions. This recital was further confirmation that these highly talented brothers have a very bright future ahead of them." - Regarding their concert, Australian Impressions, at the Melbourne Recital Centre: Heather Leviston, Classic Melbourne.
www.classicmelbourne.com.au/reviews/ziggy-miles-johnston/
Interviews
Interview with Leader, published Mar 20, 2017: heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/ashburton-brothers-ziggy-and-miles-johnston-preparing-for-their-first-performance-together-and-melbourne-recital-centre/news-story/e0ee5b5b0a96938d788a5758a0d96dda
Interview for CutCommon, published Feb 7, 2017: cutcommonmag.com/classical-latin-grooves-with-ziggy-and-miles/
Interview for Re:hearsal Magazine, published early 2017: rehearsalmagazine.com/articles/our-rehearsal-room-ziggy-and-miles-johnston
Interview for CutCommon, published Feb 7, 2017: cutcommonmag.com/classical-latin-grooves-with-ziggy-and-miles/
Interview for Re:hearsal Magazine, published early 2017: rehearsalmagazine.com/articles/our-rehearsal-room-ziggy-and-miles-johnston