Miles Johnston is a young classical guitarist from Melbourne. He recently won the 2018 Adelaide International Guitar Competition, and the Melbourne Recital Centre Great Romantics Competition. As a result of his victory at the latter, he will perform a solo concert at the 2019 Peninsula Summer Music Festival, playing music by Bach, Nikita Koshkin,Giulio Regondi and Australian composer Richard Charlton. He spoke to Limelight about his emerging career, winning the two competitions, the people who have inspired him, and his plans for the future.

Miles Johnston. Photographs supplied

When/how did you first pick up a guitar?

I first started learning the guitar at age four, at the beginning of prep. My parents are both lounge room guitarists and wanted my brother and me to play an instrument because they knew that music teaches you so many important life skills. I was lucky enough to have a fantastic teacher at the beginning, Peter Draper, who taught me Suzuki Method, as well as jazz and blues on the side.

When did you begin studying as a classical guitarist, and start to take it seriously?

The first moment I began...