Will McNicol with Innotet

Will McNicol is a highly accomplished guitarist, composer, and educator based in the UK, renowned for his innovative approach to fingerstyle guitar. A multiple award-winning artist, including being named Acoustic Guitarist of the Year by Guitarist Magazine, McNicol’s music blends technical precision with emotive compositions, drawing inspiration from diverse genres such as folk, classical, jazz, and world music.

McNicol is also recognized for his role in Innotet, a chamber ensemble he founded alongside Innes Watson to explore new possibilities in instrumental music, taking his compositions into a world of new sounds. The ensemble features McNicol’s guitar alongside violins, viola, and cello, creating a rich tapestry for his guitar to sit within. With Innotet, McNicol and Watson have combined fingerstyle guitar with the dynamics of classical instrumentation, crafting cinematic and genre-defying works. Their performances and recordings have earned critical acclaim for their creativity and expressiveness.

In this line up of Innotet, you’ll be treated to violins by Seonaid Aitken and Innes himself, Feargus Hetherington on viola, and Harriet Davidson on cello.

Having picked up his first guitar at the age of six, Will has gone on to become Guitarist Magazine’s UK Acoustic Guitarist of the Year (2011)and one of Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s 30 Great Guitarists Under 30 from around the world (2014). He holds Associate, Licentiate and Fellowship diplomas with Trinity College London in Classical Guitar Recital and has released four critically acclaimed albums of original material.

Will has performed relentlessly throughout his career and has given concerts up and down the UK and abroad. Whether it be headlining his own solo shows, performing at festivals, or sharing the stage with world-renowned artists such as Pierre Bensusan, Antonio Forcione, Clive Carroll, Jon Gomm, Martin Simpson and Mumford and Sons amongst others, his performances have been described as “beautifully flawless” and “magical” by the music press. Having toured the UK and Ireland, Will has also made international appearances including multiple concerts and workshops at one of Africa’s biggest music festivals – The Harare International Festival of Arts. As a composer, Will’s music is influenced by styles from all over the world, and has extended beyond just solo guitar composition. His orchestral works have been debuted by the UK’s Ten Tors Orchestra and his guitar pieces have been used for various media projects including BBC Radio 4 documentaries. Will has been commissioned to write everything from incidental music for film and dance through to tuition pieces for beginners and has published two notation books to accompany his most recent albums.

Also an in-demand tutor, Will has given workshops and masterclasses at festivals including the International Guitar Festival’s Advanced Fingerstyle Course and their London Guitar Summit’s Contemporary Acoustic Course alongside the world-renowned guitarist Antonio Forcione. Will has produced educational videos for MusicRadar’s Acoustic Expo, Guitar Techniques Magazine and produced Imagine Publishing’s Guitar for Beginner’s series.