Announcing Our 2014-15 Season
August 2014 Meeting: Open Mic
Thursday, August 7, at 7:00 PM
Open Mic
Location: Ripley-Grier Studios, Studio 16K, 520 Eighth Avenue
September 2014 Meeting: Raphaella Smits Masterclass
Thursday, September 4, 2014, at 7:00 PM
Masterclass
October 2014 Meeting: Kevin Gallagher
Thursday, October 2, 2014, at 7:00 PM
Common Problems and Solutions for the Student Guitarist
The lecture will use common examples from the beginning and intermediate guitar repertoire to explain concepts in technique and musicianship which are often overlooked in method books.
November 2014 Meeting: Jerry Willard
Thursday, November 6, 2014, at 7:00 PM
A Brief History of the Guitar
Played on original instruments, including Baroque guitar, 19th-century guitars (Rene Lacote original 1820, Louis Panormo original 1831), and modern classical guitar, with works by Sanz, Mertz, Alexsandrov, Sainz de la Maza, and Kondo Koji
December 2014 Meeting: Frederic Hand
Thursday, December 4, 2014, at 7:00 PM
Tone and Relaxation
An interactive class devoted to both tone production and maximum relaxation, specifically holding the guitar, locating tension in the body, and adopting proper hand positions, nail shape and angle of attack.
February 2015 Meeting: Benjamin Verdery
Thursday, February 5, 2015, at 7:00 PM
You Are What You Play
How our repertoire shapes our technique
Raphaella Smits
Friday, September 5, 2014, at 8:00 PM
Extraordinary sensitivity and lyricism in the music of five centuries, performed on eight-string and historical instruments
“Miss Smits is an uncommonly musical guitarist: she has nimble fingers, a prismatic sense of timbre, and a serene dignity that informs all she plays.” — The New York Times
Works by BACH, WEISS, MERTZ, and GIULIANI
Adam Holzman
Friday, October 17, 2014, at 8:00 PM
At the forefront of a generation of guitarists for more than twenty years, playing with brilliance, warmth, and grace
“His technique is virtuosic but always at the service of the music, his interpretations intelligent and tasteful, his performances characterized by meticulous preparation and intense emotional commitment.” — Soundboard
Music by BACH, CASTELNUOVO-TEDESCO, HAYDN, JOSEPH WILLIAMS, GERARDO TAMEZ, and others
Xuefei Yang
Friday, March 13, 2015, at 8:00 PM
China’s first international star of the guitar, acclaimed everywhere for her prodigious talent and revelatory interpretive powers
“Impeccable technique and sensitive musicianship in repertory ranging from Albeniz to arrangements of Western pop and Asian songs … Yang’s guitar sings.” — The New York Times
Pablo Sáinz Villegas
Friday, June 5, 2015, at 8:00 PM
A charismatic young ambassador of Spanish culture, entrancing audiences with his bravura technique, beautifully rounded tone, and elegant phrasing
“The subtlety, passion, technical command, and dramatic flair that Villegas displayed made an evening to be remembered.” — San Francisco Classical Voice
Mak Grgic
Wednesday, November 12, 2014, at 7:30 PM
A major new presence in the guitar world with an innovative repertoire spanning classics, film music, and cutting-edge contemporary works
“Grgic is a guitarist to keep an eye on” — Washington Post
Bradley Colten
Wednesday, December 3, 2014, at 7:30 PM
Widely known as a superb ensemble player, a soloist of refinement and exceptional sensitivity with a deep commitment to new music
“Imaginative lyricism … amazing energy.” — Guitar Review
Music by ERNST BACON
Duo Luz Ana
Wednesday, February 4, 2015, at 7:30 PM
Award-winning soloists Kaya Katarzyna Bryla (violin) and Max Zuckerman (guitar) join forces in an exploration of repertoire ranging from baroque to contemporary, from folk music to jazz
Zaira Meneses
Wednesday, February 25, 2015, at 7:30 PM
A Mexican-born guitarist known on three continents for her warm sound, fluid technique, and natural musicality, with a deep affinity for the music of Latin America
“An arresting performance … a fluid, colorful style.” — The New York Times
Stephen Robinson
Wednesday, April 1, 2015, at 7:30 PM
A top prize winner in five international competitions with eight acclaimed CDs to his credit; in the words of Andres Segovia, “a magnificent guitarist.”
“One of America’s great guitarists, a performer of brilliance, elegance, and lyricism.” — Soundboard
Music by MERTZ, COLDRICK, DOMENICONI, BACH, LENNON, and DYENS
