Bexhill Society Concert - Michael Butten

Join us at St Barnabas Church on Sea Road Bexhill for this free to enter concert. No need to  book a ticket, all are welcome with donations requested at the end of the recital to help support the society. Now here is some information on the performer joining us this time.

Born in Berkshire, Michael Butten studied at Junior Academy, where he twice won the Lower Strings Prize, before being awarded a scholarship at the Academy to continue his studies with Michael Lewin. In his first year he won the Julian Bream Prize, adjudicated by Julian Bream, and, when leaving the Academy he was awarded the David Russell prize. On completing his BMus degree with first class honours, he received from the Academy one of the Regency Awards for Notable Achievement and in June 2014, as a postgraduate with a scholarship from Help Musicians UK, he became the first guitarist ever to win the R.A.M. Club Prize. Recent successes include; 2nd Prize at the 2019 GFA International Concert Artist Competition, 1st prize at Pleven Guitar Competition 2018, the Bach prizes at the 2018 and 2019 Hubert Kappel International Guitar Competition at Koblenz, as well as his Radio 3 debut of a recital recorded at the 2018 St Magnus International Festival in Orkney. He was also the 1st prize winner at the 2016 Ivor Mairants Guitar Award, and is a Yeoman of the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Of particular interest to Michael is the often neglected guitar music of British composers, British renaissance lute repertoire and the link often found between the music of both eras. He is currently preparing a solo recording devoted to the music of John Dowland.​