Biography

 

Brian King is a New Orleans-based classical guitarist whose innovative performances, arrangements, and compositions have stretched the boundaries of classical music while bringing the genre to a wider audience. He studied guitar at the New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts and went on to receive a Bachelors in Music from Oberlin Conservatory and a Masters in Music from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. King’s nuanced performance style has led him to perform throughout the United States and Europe in places such as the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and the island of Sorrento, Italy. He is a prizewinner in numerous competitions including the James Stroud Guitar Competition and the Elias Barreiro Young Artists Competition. He released his debut solo album Lost in Twilight in 2025.

 

Along with being a performer, King is an accomplished composer and arranger. His musical influences stem from a wide variety of sources, and his creative works reflect that variety: from the classical music of Tchaikovsky to the Samba-infused jazz of Chick Corea and the folk music of New Orleans. His compositional style incorporates the structure of classical composition with the musical language of jazz.

 

King believes in the power of musical collaboration. He founded the Okapi Duo with flutist Katie Kim, and together they’ve performed throughout the United States and Scotland and have received numerous awards including 1st place in the Governors’ Recital Prize for Chamber Music and 2nd place in the Southern Guitar Festival Ensemble Competition. King also co-founded the guitar duo The Raging Ragazzos with Mohit Dubey. They released their album “Saqiya” in 2019 which features unique arrangements by both duo members and a commissioned work by award-winning composer William Bolles-Beaven.​ His most recent collaborations include performing with the Louisiana Baroque Chamber Orchestra (LABCO), often on theorbo - a 16th century plucked string instrument. He is also the guitarist for the jazz fusion trio Room 7.

 

King is also a passionate advocate for community engagement through music.  Throughout 2019 and 2020 King’s Okapi Duo collaborated with Live Music Now Scotland to bring live music to unique places and underprivileged populations. He has also worked on community-based projects with such organizations as Make Music NOLA, Family Promise of Lorain County, the DECODA Ensemble, and the Red Note Ensemble. King currently serves as the Classical Guitar Instructor at Loyola University.