See Norm Liota: Nov. 1, 1pm, Main Stage Theatre; Nov. 1, 2:30pm, Main Stage Theatre
After graduating from York University’s music department and teaching high school, Norman abandoned the straight and narrow for the more adventurous life of an itinerant musician. Originally trained as a classical guitarist – but cutting his teeth on virtually every idiom – Norman’s nimble fingers cover an expanse of open tunings, cascading harmonics, stunning techniques, rhythmic intensity and, of course, his dazzling classical guitar repertoire. Acclaimed as “one of the best acoustic guitarists ever” (Pioneer Journal, PEI), Norman has become a rare breed of performer that makes one guitar sound like an entire band. His boundless creativity bespeaks a lifetime of discipline and discovery. He is the only performer known to write and perform on prepared guitar (i.e. the guitar is prepared beforehand by inserting objects like paper or plastic between the strings). This distinctive technique allows Norman to elicit the most otherworldly sounds that consistently transfix audiences. The terrain of Norman Liota’s musical imagination is as vast and varied as the landscape in which he tours. The man and his guitar travel well.
