I began playing piano accordion at the age of 12. In my last year of high school I fell in love with the classical guitar and started lessons with Randolph Koder. The next year I began formal musical studies in classical guitar at the University of New England with Vic Bofinger, then went on to the Queensland Conservatorium of Music for post graduate studies with Julian Byzantine.
My journey has been a varied one, encompassing a myriad of genres from classical, celtic, rock and free improvisation.
In the New England Guitar Duo with Mark Bromley I toured extensively throughout Australia, playing at the Opera House, Montsalvat and the Darwin International Guitar Festival, as well as giving recitals and classes at Universities and Colleges. Our repertoire consisted almost entirely of original arrangements of the Beatles, Bach, Shostakovich, Rodriguez, Albéniz, Brubeck, Gershwin, Debussy etc.
I have played with Stephen Thorneycroft in the guitar duo EphenStephen for over 30 years now and we have released two CDs. Our CD GuitArmidale comprises all original works written for us by composers from our hometown of Armidale and the CD of Goldberg Variations is our own arrangement of this masterpiece.
In the Fovndlings or the ‘self-professed purveyors of Cow Punk’, we perform all original material. Listen to us on iTunes or Spotify, or wath our latest music video here.
And last but not least, I play in the celtic trio Trì with Kerry Watson (fiddles/viola/octave viola-cello/mandolin/tenor guitar…), Dave Carr (flute/whistle/uilleann pipes) and Steve Harris (percussion), we perform music inspired by traditional and contemporary celtic styles. Listen to our debut album here.
Stephen Tafra 