Fascinated by the coloristic and orchestral potential of the classical guitar, Antigoni Goni and Eleonora Perretta unite their artistic visions and invite you on a journey through humanity’s most treasured musical heritage. Their project, Music Gardens of the World, is a celebration of global musical traditions and Western classical repertoire, brought to life through daring arrangements, improvisation and contemporary premieres. A collaboration that redefines the expressive power of two guitars, Music Gardens of the World bridges diverse musical traditions and sparks a vibrant dialogue between cultures and eras.

Antigoni Goni and Eleonora Perretta’s musical collaboration is a harmonious symbiosis of different generations, cultural backgrounds, and artistic sensibilities. What began as a teacher-student relationship at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels (KCB) soon developed into a creative artistic partnership, fueled by mutual respect, admiration, and artistic exchange.

At the heart of the duo lies out-of-the-box creativity, artistic curiosity, and, above all, a shared passion for the classical guitar’s boundless expressive potential. Their artistic vision is to share the guitar’s expressive and narrative beauty by tapping into the instrument’s orchestral, coloristic, and emotional capacities. It finds its first recorded expression in the works of Dušan Bogdanović, a composer whose bold, genre-transcending music aligns perfectly with their approach. His unique creative world offered the ideal artistic project to officially launch their collaboration, described by the composer himself as “splendid and glorious”.

Antigoni Goni

Internationally acclaimed for her profound artistry, exquisite sound, and unique palette of colors and dynamics, Greek guitarist Antigoni Goni is celebrated as a true ambassador of the classical guitar and a highly sought-after pedagogue.

Her international performing and recording career flourished in the mid-1990s after winning the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Competition. Since then, she has appeared as a soloist and chamber musician in some of the world’s leading venues, including the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Wigmore Hall in London, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus at the Acropolis in Athens, the Philharmonic and Cappella Halls in St. Petersburg, and Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, among many others.

Goni’s recordings for Naxos, Koch, and Timespan Records have been lauded as “expressively poetic and technically exciting,” garnering enthusiastic praise from critics and audiences alike. Her recent multimedia work Medio Siglo: The Art and Sound of José Luis Romanillos and her recording with the Volterra Project Trio, Parole in Musica, have been described as “monumental” and “imaginative.”

In addition to her performing career, Antigoni Goni is deeply committed to music education. She is the founder of the Guitar Department at the Juilliard Pre-College Division in New York and an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music in London. She is also the founder and artistic director of the Volterra Project Summer Guitar Institute in Italy.

Eleonora Perretta

Described as a “young guitarist of enormous talent,” Eleonora Perretta has performed in some of the most prestigious concert halls across Europe, including the Vienna Musikverein and the Tallinn Philharmonic. She has also appeared at leading European festivals, such as the Uppsala International Guitar Festival (Sweden), the Guitart Festival (Bulgaria), the Ravello Festival (Italy), and The Volterra Project (Italy).

Her international career continues to flourish, most recently with a concert tour across eight cities in China.

A top prizewinner in several international competitions, she has been named EuroStrings Artist and has embarked on a European tour spanning five countries.

Her upcoming releases include a solo album with Da Vinci Records, dedicated to South American music, as well as two solo albums for Naxos Records featuring the complete guitar works of Ernesto Nazareth and Chiquinha Gonzaga.

Currently, she is a researcher and assistant of Antigoni Goni at the Koninklijk Conservatorium of Brussels.