Posted May 5, 2011 at 5:33 pm | No comments
It takes a special kind of person to make a living in today’s competitive and ever-changing music scene. That person needs to be entrepreneurial, hard-working, multi-talented, internet savvy and above all else a world-class performer. Chicago guitarist Brad Conroy is a musician who possesses all of these qualities and more, which have made him an in demand performer, in multiple genres, and guitar pedagogue throughout the Windy City area and Midwest. His playing is world-class, encompasses a multitude of genres, and his ability to mix classic repertoire with original compositions is exemplary.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Interviews, Interviews
Posted February 18, 2011 at 9:09 am | No comments
The term arpeggio describes a pattern of movements executed by the right hand fingers and thumb when playing a chord. The number of possible combinations may be endless, and the study of many of these patterns is an integral part of every serious classical guitar student’s daily practice routine.
Posted in: Beginning Lessons, Classical, Guitar Lessons
Posted February 18, 2011 at 8:57 am | No comments
Un Tiempo Fue Italica Famosa is the remarkable, debut recording by D.C. based classical-guitarist Matt Palmer. Consisting primarily of music by Spanish composers, such as fan favorites Rodrigo, Turina, and Tarrega, the album also features works by Giuliani, and a virtuosic rendition of the “Sonata Mongoliana” by contemporary composer Stepan Rak, among others. Palmer delivers an absolutely incredible performance on this album. His command of advanced techniques, a refined sound, and a high-level of artistic expression, make Un Tiempo Fue Italica Famosa a classical guitar album of the highest standard.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Reviews, Reviews
Posted February 18, 2011 at 8:50 am | No comments
Brad Richter (guitar) and Viktor Uzur (cello) are musicians of the highest caliber, and on their latest recording, String Theory, these two accomplished performers are at their absolute best, shining throughout. Never before has the guitar and cello duo captured such a wide range of expression, beauty, excitement, and artistry. Each a virtuoso in their own right, when they come together as a duo it’s easy to hear how closely these two are connected. They blend classical music, rock music, and improvisation, all with exquisite original compositions, producing a sound that is all their own.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Reviews, Reviews
Posted February 18, 2011 at 8:42 am | No comments
Petar Jankovic’s Leyenda is an incredible recording that features a mix of standard works by Granados, Villa-Lobos, Albeniz, and Tansman, along with more recent additions to the classical guitar repertoire by Merlin and Dyens. Jankovic is a strong personality on the instrument, who possesses his own unique and distinguished style of playing. As one would expect from such a seasoned performer, his interpretations and performances are solid throughout the album.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Reviews, Reviews
Posted February 18, 2011 at 8:22 am | No comments
Echomythia is the latest recording by Greek guitarist Dimitris Kotronakis, and is perhaps one of the most dazzling guitar recordings in recent memory. The original title for the CD was “Jazz, Latin, and Brazilian vibes for the guitar,” which perfectly describes the focus of the album on lesser known works and transcriptions from composers like Django Reinhardt, Raphael Fays, Augustin Barrios, Stepan Rak, Roland Dyens, Vojislav Ivanonvic, and Paco De Lucia to name a few.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Reviews, Reviews
Posted February 17, 2011 at 9:00 am | No comments
Very few musicians will be able to accomplish and achieve as much success and acclaim as guitarist Fareed Haque. His career is still in full force with many endeavors yet to come, but so far he’s worked with an incredible number of diverse artists that range from Sting, Paquito D’Rivera, Joe Zawinul, Vieaux Faraka Toure, Dave Holland, Larry Coryell, Kurt Elling, Zakir Hussein, and the list just keeps going and growing.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Interviews, Interviews
Posted February 10, 2011 at 10:00 am | 8 comments
While classical, jazz and now even rock music have all been “institutionalized” over the past century, working their way into university and college curriculum across the globe, there is as least one form of highly-improvised guitar playing that has, for the most part, shied away from these institutions, Flamenco. Possessing a raw energy and folk-like quality that has inspired some of the best guitarists in the world to immerse themselves in the genre, including Paco de Lucia and Adam del Monte, Flamenco has long been an art form that is handed down aurally from generation to generation, and at least up until now has remained that way, which most Flamenco players seem to prefer.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Interviews, Interviews
Posted January 13, 2011 at 10:59 am | 2 comments
There are many great guitarists out there that can tear up the toughest classical piece, improvise through the trickiest jazz changes or lay down a Brazilian groove that keeps people dancing all night long, but there are few who can do all of these at a world-class level. Brazilian guitarist Dr. Guilherme Vincens is just such a guitarist, a player who in a single set can weave through Bossa Nova, Spanish classical works and jazz standards, before topping it off with a little Zeppelin for good measure.
Posted in: Classical, Classical Interviews, Interviews
Posted January 12, 2011 at 11:00 am | 2 comments
“The Kertsopoulos mathematical model and geometrical progression of the classical guitar, presented for the first time in such a detail.” Vol. 1 of 7.
Posted in: Classical, Op-Ed, Reviews
