The young guitar virtuoso Franco Platino, is rapidly establishing himself as one of the brightest and most exciting new stars in the guitar world.

      Mr. Platino began to play the guitar at the age of ten. Six years later he made his debut for the Italian television station RAI, performing in a series of live broadcasts, which reached an audience in excess of eight million people.

      Since then, Franco Platino has been a prize winner in a number of international competitions, such as the Stotsenberg International Competition; the International Music Tournament and the Mauro Giuliani International Competitions in Italy; as well as being the winner of the Naxos Recording Prize at the1997 Guitar Foundation of America International Competition.

      A graduate with high honors from the Conservatorio Statale di Musica G. P. da Palestrina, Mr. Platino is currently part of the distinguished "Artist Diploma" program at the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore, Md, under the guidance of world renowned guitarist Manuel Barrueco.

      As his reputation grows, so does Platino's concert schedule which now ncludes performances in countries such as the United States, Mexico, Italy, Slovenia, Germany, and Holland. In the 2000-2001 season, he will make his New York debut at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. In addition he will perform in such cities as Philadelphia, Miami and Baltimore in the US, and he will tour Europe with performances in Italy, Germany and Holland.

      This past October, Franco Platino released his debut recording on Naxos Records (8.554344). This recording has received rave reviews by music magazines in Japan, Italy, England, Germany, France and the US, and Gramophone magazine wrote: "This is one of the finest records of guitar playing I have encountered in many years. It is of star quality in every respect and, given the stylistic range and difficulty of the music, that is an accolade not to be taken lightly."

      Franco Platino plays a German guitar crafted by Matthias Dammann.

      For more information on Franco Platino visit www.francoplatino.com