page_title: Michael Laucke
section_title: World tours
hierarchical_section_title: Michael Laucke / World tours
caption_attribution_description: Laucke during the CBC Documentary on the Great Wall Of China. If you use this photo, you must use the correct attribution, which is at least: Michael Laucke on the Great Wall Of China.
context_page_description: Michael Laucke is a Canadian classical, new flamenco, and flamenco guitarist and composer, and a music industry businessman. Starting at the age of thirteen, Laucke gave professional snooker demonstrations and his winnings allowed him to take trips from Montreal to New York City to study the classical guitar with Rolando Valdés-Blain. Still active in a career spanning five decades, Laucke began performing in 1965, recording the first of 16 albums in 1969, and has toured in 25 countries. In 1971, he performed his first of many concerts at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. His first concert in New York, where he also first met Senator Claiborne Pell, took place in 1972.
  Laucke was introduced to complex flamenco techniques by Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucía when the two shared a loft and performed together for the jet set in New York City in the early 1970s. In 1982 he was selected by Andrés Segovia to perform for the PBS network at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Laucke subsequently became Segovia's pupil, and also studied with other classical guitar players, including Julian Bream and Alirio Díaz.
context_section_description: Laucke's career spans over 50 years, with concert and television appearances in 25 countries, including England (Wigmore Hall), the U.S. (Carnegie Hall, and the White House), as well as China, on the Great Wall of China. Other countries where Laucke performed include Bulgaria, Hungary, Hong Kong, Spain, Israel, India, Japan, Morocco, Pakistan, and Russia. In Canada, he has given annual concerts at Montreal's Place des Arts since 1986. Following a concert in 1990 in Quebec City's Grand Théâtre de Québec, the French-language newspaper Le Soleil wrote a review entitled "Michael Laucke makes one fall in love with the guitar", stating: "More than a virtuoso, charismatic Michael Laucke is pure talent! For him playing is instinctive, just like breathing ...irresistible Michael Laucke." Critics have often written about Laucke's stage presence. A Chicago music critic described how: "His relaxed manner, beaming smile and gracious speaking voice won the hearts of the audience before he even played a note."
  He performed many concerts in Washington, DC, under the auspices of U.S. Senator Claiborne Pell, including several at the National Gallery of Art. The Washington Post proclaimed that Laucke is: "one of the finest guitarists to have played in Washington in a long time." On another occasion, Laucke gave the premiere of Bregent's "Version of Sapho," written for him, an atonal work which received a less favorable critique. The Washington Post stated: "Since the mind can only respond to some sort of form, its essential formlessness precludes discussion. A triad out of the blue signaled the end, which the large audience recognized and applauded."
caption: During the CBC documentary on the Great Wall of China
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