Amanda Cook | Classical Guitarist

Dubbed “The guitar queen with a silken touch” by The Independent, Amanda has appeared as a soloist in the USA, South America and throughout Europe. In the UK venues include the South Bank, Wigmore Hall, St George’s Bristol, King’s Place & The Sage Gateshead. Her highly acclaimed performances are always noted for their sensitive musicality, fluid technique, and ability to draw the audience in to her world.

Amanda’s first guitar teacher was Alexander Levtov, who she spent seven years with from the age of 7. She then went on to study with Charles Ramirez at the Junior Department of the Royal College of Music, as a scholarship student. Amanda then carried on to do her music degree at the RCM, as a Foundation Scholar, continuing with Mr Ramirez and then with Jakob Lindberg and Gary Ryan. Whilst at the College Amanda won several prizes for her performances, and outside of College she won the 1995 Admira Young Guitarist of the Year, 1997 Ivor Mairants Guitar Award and the 1998 Carol Evershed Martin Award for solo instrumentalists.

After leaving the RCM, she went onto study in New York with Benjamin Verdery thanks to the support from the Countess of Munster Musical Trust.

Amanda has been broadcast on television and radio, both abroad and in the UK, including BBC Radio 3’s “In Tune” & “Late Junction”, BBC Radio 4’s “Woman’s Hour,” and Classic FM. Along with solo work Amanda has always had a passion for chamber music and has worked in various duos and ensembles through her career including the Appassionata Guitar Trio, G Plus Ensemble and more recently with the renowned soprano Bibi Heal and the critically acclaimed Vida Guitar Quartet, who regularly tour the USA, Europe and China.

Teaching has always been important to Amanda and she often gives classes at Festivals and adjudicates music competitions. Amanda was course director at the International Guitar Festival for five years and has also sat on the jury for several International Competitions including the GFA 2015 in Oklahoma and the 2019 Euro Strings Competition. Amanda is a patron of the Federation of Guitar Societies.

Date	Time	Event
Saturday 7th February 2026	19:30	Mosaic Guitar Ensemble - St. James' Road Methodist Church, Southampton.
Friday 20th February 2026	6pm	Vivaldi Concerto with the Piccadilly Sinfonietta - St Mary le Strand, London.
Friday 20th February 2026	8pm	Solo recital - St Mary le Strand, London.
Saturday 14th March 2026	all day	Adjudicating guitar classes - New Milton Music Festival.
29th - 31st March 2026	all day	West Dean College Easter Guitar Course - teaching.
Saturday 18th April 2026	7.30pm	Vida Guitar Quartet - Turner Sims, Southampton.
Saturday 25th April 2026	7.30pm	Solo recital - Worcester Guitar Society - Magdalene Hall, Barbourne.
Friday 15th May 2026	7.30pm	Play 2 Festival Fundraiser Concert, Winchester.
Saturday 30th May 2026	7.30pm	Bridget Mermikides Birthday Concert - Mary le Bow, London.
Saturday 13th June 2026	7.30pm	Concierto de Aranjuez with Havant Symphony Orchestra - Hayling Island Community Centre.
Sunday 14th June 2026	all day	Adjudicate guitar classes - Leamington Spa Music Festival.
Monday 22nd June	TBC	Sasha Levtov Memorial Concert - St. John's Chapel, Chichester.
Friday 26th June 2026	6pm	Vivaldi Guitar concerto with the Piccadilly Sinfonietta - St Mary le Strand, London.
Friday 26th June 2026	8pm	Solo recital - St Mary le Strand, London.
Sunday 28th June 2026	TBC	Vida CD Launch - Royal College of Music, London.
Saturday 4th July 2026	7.30pm	Froxfield School 150th Anniversary Concert - Privett Church, Hampshire.
11th - 13th September 2026	all day	Vida - Cawsand Bay Guitar Festival, Cornwall.
Saturday 26th September 2026	7.30pm	Vida recital - Yatton Music Society.

Upcoming Events

Past Events

Date	Time	Event
Saturday 13th January 2024	19:30	Southwell Library-Vida Guitar Quartet
Thursday 25th January 2024	19:30	Armstrong Auditorium, Edmond OK, USA - Vida Guitar Quartet
Sunday 28th January 2024	14:30	Faye Spanos Concert Hall, Stockton CA, USA - Vida Guitar Quartet
Friday 2nd February 2024	19:30	St Paul's By The Sea Church, Jacksonville FL, USA - Vida Guitar Quartet
Sunday 3rd March 2024	19:00	Birmingham Conservatoire - Vida Guitar Quartet
Thursday 7th March 2024	ALL DAY	Edinburgh Competition Festival Adjudicating
Saturday 16th March 2024	09:30	Southampton Music Festival Adjudicating
Saturday 1st June 2024	13:00	St Lawrence Church Winchester - Conducting Mosaic
Saturday 8th June 2024	19:30	Private Concert Wales-solo
Sunday 30th June-6th July 2024	ALL DAY	Play 2 Festival Armenia - Vida Guitar Quartet
Saturday 13th July	14:00	St Michael & All Angels, Chalton - Conducting Mosaic Ensemble
Friday 30th August 2024	19:30	Pilton Church, near Oundle - Duo concert with Mark Ashford
Friday 6th - Sunday 8th September 2024	All day	Cawsand Guitar Festival - Vida Guitar Quartet concert & workshop.
Friday 13th September 2024	19:30	Boxgrove Priory, near Chichester - duo concert with Mark Ashford
Sunday 22nd September	16:00	Farnham Pottery - solo recital
Wednesday 16th October 2024	19:30	Red Sky At Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words & Music - Malmesbury Abbey
Friday 8th November 2024	19:30	Southwell Library - Duo concert with Mark Ashford
Sunday 10th November 2024	All day	Adjudicating guitar classes Saffron Walden Music Festival
Saturday 23rd November 2024	15:00	Haven Green Baptist Church, Ealing Common - Concert with Mary Thorneloe (flute)
Saturday 23rd November 2024	19:00	St Mary Magdalen, Bermondsey St, London - Concert with Mary Thorneloe (flute).
Saturday 7th December 2024	19:30	West Sussex Guitar Club, Bognor Regis - Duo concert with Mark Ashford
Sunday 26th January 2025	All day	Adjudicating guitar classes - Oxford Music Festival
Friday 28th March 2025	20:00	St Mary Le Strand, London - solo recital
Thursday 24th April 2025	19:30	St Pancras New Church London
Saturday 26th April 2025	19:30	St Andrew's Church Ampthill - duo concert with Mark Ashford
Sunday 27th April 2025	15:00	Birmingham Conservatoire - Vida Guitar Quartet
Sunday 4th May 2025	15:00	Los Gatos, CA - Vida GQ
Wednesday 7th May 2025	19:30	Cedar City, Utah - Vida GQ
Sunday 11th May 2025	17:00	Lubbock, TX - Vida GQ
Saturday 17th May 2025	19:30	St Paul's Church, Chichester - Concerto de Aranjuez
Saturday 21st June 2025	19:00	Private Concert Llandeilo, Wales
Sunday 22nd June 2025	15:00	Royal College of Music String Day
Tuesday 24th June 2025	19:30	Red Sky At Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words & Music - St Jude's Hampstead
7th - 12th July 2025	All day	Play2Festival Yerevan, Armenia - VidaGQ
Thursday 17th July 2025	20:00	St Mary le Strand London - solo recital
16th-21st August 2025	All day	West Dean International Guitar Festival - teaching
Sunday 24th August 2025	16:00	Farnham Pottery - solo recital
Sunday 21st September 2025	All day	South Coast Guitar Society Ensemble day - coaching
Sunday 28th September 2025	15:00	Mosaic Guitar Ensemble concert - conducting
Wednesday 1st October 2025	7.30pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Saturday 4th October 2025	1pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Saturday 4th October 2025	7pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Wednesday 8th October 2025	7.30pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Saturday 11th October 2025	1pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Saturday 11th October 2025	7pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Wednesday 15th October 2025	7.30pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Thursday 16th October 2025	7.30pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Tuesday 21st October 2025	7.30pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Thursday 23rd October 2025	7.30pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Friday 24th October 2025	7.30pm	Like Water For Chocolate Ballet - Royal Opera House, London.
Sunday 26th October 2025	4pm	Vida recital - Flynn Classical Concerts, Clinton CT, USA.
Wednesday 29th October 2025	7pm	Vida recital - Chamber Music Corvalis, OR, USA.
Friday 28th November 2025	7.30pm	Vida recital - Wimbledon Guitar Society, St Saviour's Church, Raynes Park.