Benjamin Bunch, one of eight children from North Carolina, USA, began playing the classical guitar under the tutelage of Robert Guthrie. Further studies were at the North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem with Jesus Silva, at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy, with Oscar Ghiglia and with Konrad Ragossnig at the Musik-Akademie in Basel, Switzerland, where he presently teaches.
Mr. Bunch performs extensively as a soloist and in various chamber ensembles throughout Europe and the United States. In February 2001, he gave the first USA performance of the Concertino for guitar and orchestra by Alexandre Tansman. He has appeared on national radio and television in the USA (PBS), Germany (ZDF), Austria (ORF), Switzerland (DRS and RSI), Poland and Italy among others.
In April 2002, he was invited to speak and perform at the First World Symposium on Heitor Villa-Lobos in Paris, France. In June of the same year, he was interviewed by BBC Radio about his program Manuel de Falla and Friends.
He has released two solo guitar recordings: Piezas de Oro (Pieces of Gold) (Et’cetera KTC 1240) and Heitor Villa-Lobos and Friends (Et’cetera KTC 1241). Recordings in preparation are:
Manuel de Falla and Friends for soprano and guitar, Orpheus with His Lute (Texts by Shakespeare) for tenor and guitar and An Homage to Heitor Villa-Lobos for soprano and guitar.
In addition to his performing and teaching, Benjamin Bunch has arranged over 200 works for guitar solo and guitar with other instruments.
He has lived in the USA, France, Germany and Spain. He presently resides in Lausanne, Switzerland. He speaks English, French, German, Italian and Spanish.