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Alexandre Lagoya live in Mexico City 1988
8-25-99 Alexandre Lagoya (1929-1999) It was reported in the French newspaper "Le Monde" that he has died in Paris, France at 70 years of age. The reigning patriarch of classical guitar, who was half of the greatest classical guitar duet ever to exist, with his wife and partner Ida Presti. After a long illness, he passed away Tuesday, August 24th, having celebrated his 70th birthday on June 21st of this year.
He was born in Alexandria, Egypt to a Greek father & Italian mother. He began to play the guitar at eight years of age. Between the age of 13 and 19 he gave 500 concerts. He met Ida Presti in 1950, and they married in 1952. Until 1967 when Ida died they played 2,000 concerts. He began to concertize as a soloist again in 1972. He had been a Professor of Guitar at the Paris National Conservatory since 1969, as well at the International Academy of Music in Nice
from 1960. He retired from these positions in 1994.
Contrary to a report in the French newspaper "Le Parisien", Ida Presti did not die in an automobile accident, she died in New York City of an internal hemorrhage resulting from cancer of the lung. Her musicianship skills are worthy of being legendary, not the manner, in which she passed away.
Andres Segovia called her "Ida Prestissimo".
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