Itzhak perlman john williams paganini biography

From the Summer 2016 issue of Classical Guitar magazine| BY THÉRÉSE WASSILY SABA

The first biography of John Williams—Strings Attached: The Life & Music of John Williams, written by William Starling—came out in 2012.

It’s a remarkable book, not only for its insights into the Australia-born virtuoso, but also because the opening chapters present thoroughly researched background information on the guitarist’s English father, Len Williams, who taught John from the beginning and also helped many other classical guitarists in the post–World War II era.

When the family moved back to London in 1952, Len, who was fine guitarist himself, opened the Spanish Guitar Centre near Leicester Square, in the heart of London.

Andrés Segovia first heard young John play at the age of 11 and arranged to study with him during the summers at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana in Siena, Italy. It was there that Williams met the