Guitar Houston 2009-2010 Concert Season

This year's concert season will feature an elite line-up of internationally recognized and prestigious concert artists. Also we will have master classes, artist receptions, and more!

Please see the bottom of this page for ticket information.

Grammy nominated artist Paul Galbraith

"The best guitarist of his generation."
-Classical Guitar Magazine

CRITIC'S CHOICE: ONE OF THE TWO BEST RECORDS OF 1998
"Magnificently played, thoughtful and majestic performances . . . a landmark in the history of guitar recordings."
-Gramophone

"His interpretations, no matter how idiosyncratic, are always interesting . . . his enlarged guitar echoes the wide range of the Baroque lute (for which Bach himself transcribed some of this music) while affording a plush tone . . . his playing has a firm spiritual core."
-The New Yorker

Concert 9/26/09 at Emerson Unitarian.
No Master Class
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Known for playing the guitar upright like a cello, and for using an 8-string guitar with an extended upper and lower range, Paul Galbraith is also one of the guitar's best recognized performers.

Paul Galbraith's recording of the Complete Bach Violin Sonatas and Partitas (Delos) was nominated for a 1998 GRAMMY AWARD in the category of Best Solo Instrumental Album. This 2-CD set was also chosen as one of the two best CDs of 1998 by Gramophone Magazine, which called it "a landmark in the history of guitar recordings." It received a "Four Star" rating in Stereo Review, and reached the TOP 10 on Billboard's classical charts.

Internationally renowned as a brilliant innovator of the classical guitar, Paul Galbraith has been working since the 1980s towards expanding the technical limits of his instrument, besides augmenting the quantity and quality of its repertoire. These efforts have already resulted in a series of critically acclaimed recordings of works by Bach, Haydn and Brahms, along with his own arrangements of folk tunes from various countries, all of which demonstrate the originality of his musical personality. By exchanging the traditional guitar for the eight-string Brahms Guitar, which he helped to develop, Galbraith found the ideal instrument with which to interpret the challenging Classical transcriptions from his highly personal repertoire.

Galbraith's unique playing position was first revealed at the Edinburgh Festival in 1989. His guitar (designed in collaboration with the late luthier David Rubio) is supported by a metal endpin, similar to that of a cello, that rests on a wooden resonance box. The instrument has two extra strings, one high, one low. Both the guitar's extraordinary design and Galbraith's playing style are considered groundbreaking development in the history of the instrument, increasing its range to an unprecedented extent.

At the age of 17, Galbraith won the Silver Medal at the Segovia International Guitar Competition. Andrés Segovia, who was present, called his playing "magnificent." This award helped launch an international career including engagements with some of the finest orchestras in Britain and Europe (Royal Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, BBC Philharmonic, Scottish Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Orchestra, Scottish Baroque Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra among them). He toured the U.S. as soloist with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, and performed in Prague's Dvorák Hall with the National Chamber Orchestra of Chile. His international touring has also brought him to Canada, Spain, Italy, Greece, Norway, Hungary, Brazil, China, India and Iceland.

Born in Scotland, Galbraith has lived in Malawi, Greece, London, and, for the last five years, Brazil. He was a founding member of the Brazilian Guitar Quartet, playing with them until summer of 2003.

Concert Program

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011 (Lute Suite BWV 995):
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte I-II
Gigue

Johann Sebastian Bach
Cello Suite No.6, BWV 1012:
Prelude
Allemande
Courante
Sarabande
Gavotte I-II
Gigue

Intermission

Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Sonata for Keyboard, Hob.36 in C-sharp minor (trans. E minor):
Moderato
Scherzando, Allegro con brio
Menuetto, Moderato

Manuel Ponce (1882-1948)
Variations and Fugue on "La Folia"

All works arranged for eight-string guitar by Mr. Galbraith

Paul Galbraith appears by arrangement with Lisa Sapinkopf Artists, www.chambermuse.com

PROGRAM NOTES:

BACH

Bach's Cello Suites have found their way into guitarists' repertoire largely because of the example Bach himself set. By giving us a lute version of the 5th Cello Suite, BWV 1011 (or possibly the other way around, a cello version of the Lute Suite BWV 995), Bach showed once and for all just how adaptable his music is, and how flexible his basic attitude was in matters of transcription. And the guitar is a close enough relative to the lute for guitarists to also feel themselves heir to this wondrous music. -PG

An exact chronology of the suites (regarding both the order in which the suites were composed and whether they were composed before or after the solo violin sonatas) cannot be completely established. However, scholars generally believe that-based on a comparative analysis of the styles of the sets of works-the cello suites arose first, effectively dating the suites pre-1720, the year on the title page of Bach's autograph of the violin sonatas.

The suites were not widely known before the 1900s, and for a long time it was generally thought that the pieces were intended to be études. There were even attempts to compose piano accompaniments to them, most notably by the composer Robert Schumann. Pablo Casals, however, is credited with increasing their popularity. After discovering Grützmacher's edition in a thrift shop, Casals began studying and performing the works, although it was 35 years before he agreed to record the pieces. Their popularity soared soon after, and Casals' original recording is still widely available today.

Unlike Bach's violin sonatas, no autograph manuscript survives, thus ruling out the use of an urtext performing edition. However, analysis of secondary sources-including a hand-written copy by Bach's second wife, Anna Magdalena-have produced passably authentic editions, although critically deficient in the placement of slurs and other articulation. As a result, many interpretations of the suites exist, with no singularly accepted version.

Scholars believe that Bach conceived the works as a cycle, rather than an arbitrary series of pieces; compared to Bach's other suite collections, the cello suites are the most consistent in order of their movements. In addition, to achieve a symmetrical design and go beyond the traditional layout, Bach inserted intermezzo or galanterie movements in the form of pairs between the Sarabande and the Gigue. Furthermore, the suites increase in technical complexity and emotional richness from the first to the last.

HAYDN

"We would run through . . . Haydn . . . and Mozart . . . I was deeply saddened by the fact that the guitar, an intrument so rich in shading and so suited to the dreams and fantasies of a composer, should be so lacking in beautiful works such as these. [This] compelled me to seek . . . to dig a deeper and wider course so that greater streams of music could run through it." -Segovia, from his autobiography

Haydn's suitability for guitar was an early discovery for me. Even as a nine-year-old, I gravitated toward the music of Mozart and Haydn, as was soon trying out piano music of both composers on my six-string guitar. I found Mozart difficult to transcribe, whereas Haydn looked tantalisingly playable.

Finally, in my late teens, I plucked up the courage to perform a Haydn sonata. Ironically, in hindsight, I innocently chose one of the most challenging and least guitaristic ones-thus learning to swim à la Haydn at the deep end! Reaction was mostly favourable-provided, I was told, you closed your eyes whilst listening; the sound was fine, but the constant shifting needed to play this music on the six-string was distracting to watch. I let Haydn rest for a couple of years.

In fact, it was a favourite Brahms piece (the Variations Op.21a) that pushed the six strings to-and beyond-their limit. I needed an instrument that would enable me to realise more fully and completely this glorious music. Working together with the late luthier David Rubio, we came up with the eight-string "Brahms Guitar," so called because you could play Brahms on it! The result for the Haydn Sonatas was that they, too, finally fell into place. They not only sounded fuller and better, but they felt right, as if Haydn himself had had an intimate knowledge of this instrument, and had written these extraordinary works especially for it. (Adapted from Mr. Galbraith's liner notes to his CD of Haydn Sonatas) The Haydn sonata performed here commemorates the 200th anniversary of the composer's death, and also marks the 10th anniversary of the release of Mr. Galbraith's critically acclaimed CD of Haydn Sonatas ("A beautiful album . . . a textbook case of the living, breathing art of classical music." -Billboard)

PONCE

The legendary Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia wrote in his autobiography: "It would be unfair to limit the beauty of [the guitar] to the mere accompaniment of folksong and dances. The scope of the guitar has to be widened, music of greater significance should be played on it." In Spain, this proved to be a hard task. But after his first concert in Paris, on April 7th 1924, he started asking composers from all over the world to write original and innovating music for the guitar: "In relation to other instruments, the guitar is what the Lied is to the opera or a quartet to an orchestra." Manuel Ponce, Mexico's most famous composer, was one of those who responded to the challenge. Segovia came across the theme (thought to be of medieval Portuguese origin, and used in sets of variations by composers from Corelli to Rachmaninoff) in 1930 in Berlin. He wrote to Ponce: "Do not deny me the pleasure of composing a grand variational work on this theme. In exchange ask for any sacrifice, but do not deny me this!" The result pleased him: "The variations are as beautiful as any in the Bach Chaconne." The Variations and Fugue on 'La Folia' have become a core part of the 20th century guitar repertoire. It was the first of four such sets Ponce would compose, each demonstrating the guitar's range of textures and idiomatic effects.

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE:

PAUL GALBRAITH's recording of the Complete Bach Violin Sonatas and Partitas (Delos) was nominated for a 1998 GRAMMY AWARD in the category of Best Solo Instrumental Album. This 2-CD set was also chosen as one of the two best CDs of 1998 by Gramophone Magazine, which called it "a landmark in the history of guitar recordings." It received a "Four Star" rating in Stereo Review, and reached the TOP 10 on Billboard's classical charts. Galbraith has been featured twice on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" and numerous times on "Performance Today." He made his New York début at the Frick Collection, receiving a rave review in the New York Times; a subsequent NYC engagement on Lincoln Center's "Great Performances" series was sold out. Recent and forthcoming North American recitals include NYC, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, San Diego, Atlanta, St. Louis, Albuquerque, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Portland, Eugene, Seattle, Miami, Baltimore, Buffalo, Amherst, Milwaukee, San Antonio, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Cuernavaca, Mexico. In addition, tours of Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Hungary, and the Netherlands are among Mr. Galbraith's international activities. During the Bach Year (2000) he was featured artist at the Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Denver and Carmel Bach Festivals.

Orchestral engagements in the U.S. include concertos with the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, among others. Galbraith and the St. Petersburg String Quartet gave the World Premiere in March 2003 at Stanford University of a new work, "Rhapsody for Guitar and String Quartet," that they co-commissioned from the acclaimed Georgian composer Zurab Nadarejshvili. Galbraith's unique playing position was first revealed at the Edinburgh Festival in 1989. His guitar (designed in collaboration with the late luthier David Rubio) is supported by a metal endpin, similar to that of a cello, which rests on a wooden resonance box. The instrument has two extra strings, one high, one low. Both the guitar's extraordinary design and Galbraith's playing style are considered groundbreaking development in the history of the instrument, increasing its range to an unprecedented extent.

At the age of 17, Galbraith won the Silver Medal at the Segovia International Guitar Competition. Andrés Segovia, who was present, called his playing "magnificent." This award helped launch an international career including engagements with some of the finest orchestras in Britain and Europe (Royal Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, BBC Philharmonic, Scottish Symphony Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Scottish Orchestra, Scottish Baroque Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra and Scottish Chamber Orchestra among them). He toured the U.S. as soloist with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, and performed in Prague's Dvorák Hall with the National Chamber Orchestra of Chile. His international touring has also brought him to Canada, Spain, Italy, Greece, Norway, Hungary, Brazil, China, India and Iceland.

Born in Scotland, Galbraith has lived in Malawi, Greece, London, and, for the last 12 years, Brazil. He was a founding member of the Brazilian Guitar Quartet, playing with them until 2003. His principal teacher, since 1983, has been the Greek conductor, pianist and philosopher George Hadjinikos.

Further information on Paul Galbraith is available at www.paul-galbraith.com

Discography (on the Delos label):
Bach: The Complete Violin Sonatas and Partitas
Bach Lute Suites
Paul Galbraith Plays Haydn
"In Every Lake the Moon Shines Full" (folk tunes from various countries)
French Impressions: Music by Debussy and Ravel

Forthcoming: a DVD of works by Bach, Mozart, Britten and Ravel.

Paris Guitar Duo Perroy-Jouve

Paris Guitar Duo Perroy-Jouve

Artist web sites:
www.judicaelperroy.com
www.jeremyjouve.com
www.myspace.com/perroyjouveduet

Concert Saturday 10/31/09, 8 PM, at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church (click for directions...).

Master Class Saturday 10/31/09 12-3 pm at the Andrea Cannon Guitar Arts Studio

Judicael Perroy has presented numerous concerts with Guitar Houston, where his performances have been among the very best of the best concerts we have ever witnessed in both virtuosity and musicality. This year, Judicael is with his duo partner Jeremy Jouve, presenting a concert for two guitars. Both performers are based in Paris, France and both performers are Naxos recording artists and Guitar Foundation of America competition 1st prize winners (considered to be the most prestigious guitar competition in the world by many).

The two french guitarists Judicaël Perroy and Jérémy Jouve surely share a lot of common points. Both of them were Prize-winners from the "Ecole Normale de musique de Paris" and the Paris National Conservatory of Music in Alberto Ponce's class. Both of them have received 1st Prizes at the prestigious International Guitar Foundation of America Competition, which was followed by a 50 concert tour in Canada, Mexico and United States. These two musicians met in Paris, where they decided to form a duet. Their repertoire goes from Baroque to contemporary music with a special interest for French music. Both Judicaël Perroy's and Jérémy Jouve's careers go towards teaching and solo performing, and at the same time they develop their duet with passion and great enthusiasm. They have recently recorded for the Naxos Label the Joaquin Rodrigo's “Tonadilla”, which came out in March 2008.

Judicaël Perroy was born in Paris in 1973. At the age of 7, he began guitar studies at the Paris Academy of Music.

During the period from 1983 to 1988, Judicaël studied with Delia Estrada, then Raymond Gratien at the National School Academy of Aulnay-sous-Bois. An acknowledged prodigy by the age of 11, he played two Vivaldi Concertos conducted by famous French musician André Girard at the Theatre of Le Mans in 1984 and won the Second Prize of the International Competition of the Ile-de France at the 14 years of age. In 1988 he was awarded a unanimous First Prize with a special mention at the Academy of Aulnay-sous-Bois. Perroy's studies continued under the tutelage of Roberto Aussel and Daniel Lavialle.

In 1992 Judicaël won a unanimous first prize and the Prix du Publique (prize awarded by the audience) at the René Bartoli International Competition.

In 1994 Judicaël earned his diploma at the Ecole Normale of Paris in the class of Alberto Ponce and won the 7th International Competition of Bourg-Madame, a competition in which the audience selects the prize-winner. In 1996 he graduated from the Paris National Conservatoire of Music, earning the highest placement in his class. In October 1997, Perroy won the Guitar foundation of America International Solo Competition in La Jolla, California and took is GFA "Winner's Tour of the Americas" performing over 60 concerts and master classes.

Since then, he extensively tours in France (including multiple performances for the National Radio in "France-Musiques"), Guadeloupe, Tahiti, Martinique Germany, Spain, Portugal, Italia, Denmark, Russia, Yugoslavia, Singapore, Australia, USA, Mexico, Canada…

Five CDs are currently available: one under the French label Quantum (the CD was awarded a 5 stars Prize by the French magazine Diapason); the second CD Aspen Suite was recorded in Colorado. A third CD of duos was edited with the flutist Florence Bellon for the collection Méditation of Bayard Presse, and a fourth for the same collection with the harpist Joanna Kozielska. In February 2000, he recorded a piece by Nikita Koshkin in trio with the composer himself and Frank Koonce for the CD Company Soundset. A video of a live performance in Lubbock (Texas) has also been recorded for the label Mel Bay in 1999.

In 1995, he was awarded the "CA", the highest teaching certificate that an individual must have in order to teach in a National Academy. Whereas Judicael usually teaches at the National Academy of Aulnay-sous-Bois near Paris, he stood in for Stephen Robinson, the guitar teacher at Stetson University in DeLand (Florida) for the first semester 2000.

Jérémy Jouve, 2003 winner of the First Prize of the prestigious International Guitar Competition organized by the Guitar Foundation of America, enjoys an international concert career, playing in some of the world's most important festivals in addition to being a Naxos Records recording artist.

"Without a doubt one of the bright lights of the young generation of classical guitarists." (Univers guitare, January 2005)

Born in 1979, Jouve began studying the guitar in Chambéry, France, and obtained at the early age of 13 the "Premier Prix" of the Grenoble Conservatoire National de Région. This prize enabled him to be admitted to the studio of Eric Franceries, who was to become extremely important to Jouve's early musical development. Moving to Paris at 18, he studied with Maestro Alberto Ponce at the Ecole Normale de Musique/Alfred Cortot and at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse (CNSMDP), where he was also a student of Roland Dyens. After graduating with degrees in guitar and chamber music, Jérémy decided to broaden his musical horizons. He elected to join an advanced training course under the guidance of Laszlo Hadady, oboe soloist of the Paris-based Ensemble Intercontemporain.

Already an award winner at several international competitions, in 2002 Jouve won First Prize at the Tychy International Guitar Competition (Poland) followed by First Prize at the prestigious International Guitar competition organized in Mexico during November 2003 by the Guitar Foundation of America. Following this success, he embarked upon a 40-recital tour of the United States, Canada and Mexico during the 2004-2005 season.

Jérémy Jouve's career has brought him to some of the most important stages and festivals of the musical world, including Moscow's Tchaikowsky Hall, Germany's Iserlhon Guitar Symposium, the French National Radio festival, the Sanok International Guitar Festival in Poland, the Alliances Francaises of India, and elsewhere in Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Greece, Italy, Switzerland and Macedonia, among other countries.

Jérémy Jouve has always been active in a diverse array of musical projects. Among his many abiding interests are jazz, Indian classical music and contemporary music, which has found him concertizing on the electric guitar in various ensembles. A seasoned chamber musician, he regulary performs in several chamber music groups, in association with Sébastien Droy (tenor, nominated for French National Classical Music Award 2007) and Judicael Perroy (winner of the GFA competition in 1997), with whom Jouve has formed a duo currently enjoying widespread attention.

Jérémy Jouve released his first solo compact disc on the Naxos label in 2004. He is currently working on a multi-disc set of the complete guitar of Joaquín Rodrigo, also for Naxos. The first volume of this set is due to come out in march 2008.

Concert Program

-Suite pour deux luth (Suite for two lutes) by Francois Dufault (1604-1672)
Prélude
Allemande
Sarabande
Courante
Gigue

-Quartetto op.2 n°2 by Joseph HAYDN (1732-1809) (arrangement by François de Fossa (1775-1849)
Allegro
Menuet
Adagio
Menuetto Allegro
Finale Presto

-Il Barbiere di Siviglia Overture (Barber of Seville Overture) by Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868) (Arrangement by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829))

Intermission

-Prélude, Fugue et Variation op.18 by César FRANCK (1822-1890)
Prélude
Lento
Fugue
Variation

-Gran Duo Concertant by Napoléon COSTE (1805-1883)
Allegro
Andante
Barcarolle
Finale Allegro

-Tonadilla by Joaquin RODRIGO (1901-1999)

Grammy nominated artist Ronn McFarlane

Ronn McFarlane is widely recognized as one of the world's top virtuoso lutenists. Ronn teaches at the Peabody Conservatory and is a member of the Baltimore Consort. He records exclusively for Dorian Recordings and has recorded three discs of solo lute music, three lute-song albums with Julianne Baird and Frederick Urrey, and six ensemble recordings with the Baltimore Consort.

The lute is an older instrument than the guitar, widely played in the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods. The guitar gradually evolved from the lute into its present form.

One of the most outstanding lutenists performing today, Ronn McFarlane is largely responsible for bringing the transcendent charm and timeless quality of the lute into the musical mainstream and making it accessible to a larger audience.

Ronn graduated with honors from Shenandoah Conservatory and continued studies at Peabody Conservatory before turning his full attention and energy to the lute in 1978. The following year, Ronn performed his first solo recitals on the lute and became a member of the Baltimore Consort. Since that time, he has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada and Europe with the Baltimore Consort and as a soloist.

Ronn was a faculty member of the Peabody Conservatory from 1984 to 1995, teaching lute and lute-related subjects. In 1996, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Music from Shenandoah Conservatory for his achievements in bringing the lute and its music to the world. Ronn has numerous recordings on the Dorian label including solo recordings, lute song recordings with Julianne Baird, soprano and Frederick Urrey, tenor, over ten CDs with the Baltimore Consort and ballad recordings with Custer LaRue and members of the Baltimore Consort.

Recently, Ronn has been engaged in composing new music for the lute, building on the tradition of the lutenist/composers of the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. This new music is the focus of his new solo CD, Indigo Road.

Ronn McFarlane has been nominated for a Grammy Award for the album "Indigo Road" in the Best Classical Crossover Album category.

Ronn McFarlane REVIEWS

The Washington Post
"He played along with the moods while weaving delicate timbres and keeping a sharp musical focus. And, when called for in pieces like Dowland's 'Fantasie', he showed a quicksilver virtuosity."

Chicago Tribune
"His intense concentration, technical prowess and rapport with the audience showed that, in time, he could become the Segovia of the lute."

The Washington Times
"...the most ravishing lute playing to be heard anywhere."

Washington Post
"Ronn McFarlane's talent is comparable to James Galway's for the flute or Yo-Yo Ma's for the cello."


Concert Program

S. L. Weiss (1687-1750):
Suite # 34 in d minor

J. S. Bach (1685-1750):
Prelude & Fugue BWV 999 & 1000
Bach Suite in C major BWV 1007

Intermission

Adrian LeRoy (c.1520-1598):
Passemeze

John Dowland (1563-1626):
Tarleton’s Resurrection
A Fancy

Anonymous (Scotland c. 1620):
A Scots Tune
Corne Yards
Gypsies Lilt
Two Scots Tunes
Two Canories

Ronn McFarlane:
Cathedral Cave
Indigo Road
Denali
Overland
Pinetops

Concert Saturday 1/9/10, 8 PM, at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church (click for directions...).

Master Class Sunday, Jan 10, 1-4 pm

Black Labrador Pub
4100 Montrose (between Richmond and Alabama)
Winston Churchill Room
Food & Beverage available for purchase
Free parking garage behind the pub

GFA Competition 1st Prize Winner Gabriel Bianco

The Guitar Foundation of America competition is widely considered to be the most prestigious competition in the world. The first prize winners are catapulted onto the world stage and careers are launched. Guitar Houston is presenting this year's 1st prize winner, Gabriel Bianco from Paris, on his victory tour. This is a unique opportunity to see up and coming players before they become famous !

For more information about Gabriel Bianco, view the artist website:

www.myspace.com/biancoguitar
http://www.gabrielbianco.com

Gabriel Bianco began playing the guitar at age 5 with his father. In 1997 he entered the CNR-CSP of Paris, under the direction of Ramon de Herrera, completing in 2005 with a unanimous first prize. The same year, he received the highest rank in the entrance competition to the Superior National Conservatory in Paris (CNSMDP), where he studied with Olivier Chassain. At the same time, Gabriel studied with Judicaël Perroy.

Playing his first concert in Paris when he was 15, he is now invited to play in different countries (France, Italy, Austria, Cechz Republic, Hungary, Poland, Spain...). Gabriel has just recorded a DVD for the Italian magazine "La Guitarra" and his first CD will be released in 2008.

Gabriel has already won several prizes in international competitions in Europe, including:

- First prize : Sernancelhe International Guitar Competition, Portugal - 2005

- First prize : Ile de Ré International Guitar Competition, France - 2006

- First prize : Vienna International Guitar Competition (Gitarre Forum Wien), Austria - 2006

- First prize : Tychy International Guitar Competition, Poland - 2006

- First prize : Koblenz International Guitar Competition, Germany - 2007

- First prize : Barbezieux International Guitar Competition, France - 2007

- First prize : GFA International Guitar Competition, USA - 2008

Concert Saturday 2/27/10, 8 PM, at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church (click for directions...).

Master Class TBA

Duo Melis

Sometimes compared to the Presti & Lagoya duo, Duo Melis is known for their beautiful concert playing.

Spanish guitarist, Susana Prieto, and Greek guitarist, Alexis Muzurakis, made their debut as the Duo Melis in 1999 at the International Guitar Festival of Volos (Greece).

Since then they have performed in such prestigious halls as the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Megaron in Athens and Merkin Concert Hall in New York. They have been invited to play concerts and give master classes at international guitar festivals in Europe and America.

Since 2006 they have taught at the Conservatoire National de Region de Strasbourg in France.

Susana and Alexis have won numerous prizes, both individually and as a duo. In 1999 they were awarded the first prize at the International Guitar Duo Competition of Frechen (Germany). The next year they won the prestigious Guitar Duo Competition of Montelimar (France) as well as the XXI International Guitar Duo Competition Mauro Giuliani (Italy). In 2001 they won the Duo/Ensemble prize at the Chamber Music Competition of Leipzig (Germany) and were winners at the International Guitar Duo Competition of Paris (France). In 2003 they recorded their first CD after winning the recording prize, Citta di Verona, at the International Chamber Music Competition, Gaetano Zinetti (Italy). In 2005 they successfully auditioned for the Yehudi Menuhin Society's Live Music Now.

Their repertory extends from the Baroque period to the music of Piazzolla and Ginastera. One of the areas of study to which they have devoted much time and research is 19th century performance practice. As a result, in addition to their modern concert guitars on which they regularly perform, they use period instruments when performing XIX century repertory. Complimenting their wide range of solo programs, Duo Melis performs concertos for two guitars and orchestra by J. Rodrigo and A. Vivaldi. They have collaborated with the Berliner Symphoniker, the Neubrandenburger Philharmonie, the Bayerische Kammerphilharmonie, the Radio Orchestra of Bucharest and the National Orchestra of Thessaloniki conducted by Leo Brouwer.

Susana Prieto's earliest guitar studies were in Spain, Alexis Muzurakis' in Greece. Later they pursued postgraduate studies as a duo and as soloists at the Koninklijk Conservatorium in The Hague (Holland), at the High Conservatory Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy in Leipzig (Germany) and at the High Conservatory Hanns Eisler in Berlin (Germany).

Concert Saturday 3/13/10, 8 PM, at Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church (click for directions...).

Master Class Sunday TBA

Duo Melis

2009-2010 Concert Season

The Guitar Houston Concert Season brings you established, top-tier artists who are recognized at an international level. All the artists selected for the Concert Season have won at least one major guitar competition, have production CD releases, major press reviews, and an established concert career. Whereas the open meetings and Salon Concert series will feature up-and-coming artists or local talent, the Concert Season is a guaranteed level of premium quality.

Concert tickets will be sold individually at the show and at Guitar Houston events. Tickets can be purchased in advance by contacting the phone # and email addresses below. As always, the concert ticket price is kept as low as possible to break even on the event. GH ticket prices are generally half the amount paid at commercial events. Guitar Houston is a non-profit organization, and we pass this savings on to you.

If you are not yet a member of GH, now is the perfect time to join and save money on the concert season and enjoy the other membership benefits, as well as to support the mission of GH to enhance the classical guitar presence in Houston.

Guitar Houston Season Ticket Benefits:

Ticket Prices

As a non-profit organization, Guitar Houston offers unbeatable low ticket prices for high quality concerts.

Single ticket prices for soloist concerts are as follows:

$ 22 (Individual)
$ 18 (GH Member)
$ 15 (Student or Child)

Single ticket prices for duos (Duo Melis & Paris Guitar Duo Perroy-Jouve) are:

$ 25 (Individual)
$ 22 (GH Member)
$ 18 (Student or Child)

Season Tickets

The price for the entire concert season is only $90 per person for Guitar Houston members, and only $110 for non-members. The season ticket provides admission to all 5 concerts in our season with preferred seating.

Information, Ticket Sales, Master Class & Private Lesson slots:

Contact Joe Hanlon at 713-665-2712 for ticket reservations.

A $2 processing fee will be applied for mailing tickets, or you may arrange to get them in person. We can take credit card orders by telephone. Tickets may be purchased by mailing a personal check payable to Guitar Houston; mailing address is:

Guitar Houston c/o Joe Hanlon
4149 Bellaire Blvd #229
Houston, TX 77025

Please enclose in your envelope the address where the tickets are to be forwarded and the number of tickets and events requested. The "will call" tickets are the price indicated on this web site. There will be a $2 postage and handling fee per order to mail the tickets.

For additional information, contact Joe Hanlon at 713-665-2712.

Lessons and Master Classes:

Master classes are usually arranged with all the artists in the concert season. The classes will occur the day following the concert. The exact time and location will be announced later for each class.

It is not every day that you have an opportunity to study with world-class performers. Why not learn from the very best? Guitar Houston is very committed to providing opportunities for players at all levels to sign up for master classes or private lessons with our concert artists for a very reasonable price. Contact Guitar Houston if you are interested in studying with these great artists. Season ticket holders will have preference in booking reservations - but once Guitar Houston receives your check, your slot is guaranteed. Sign up early to avoid missing out!

You can also "audit" the master class as a non-participant observer. These classes can be very informative.

Admission Policy and Concert Etiquette

The nature of classical recitals is such that all audience noise must be kept to a minimum so that everyone can enjoy the show. Since classical guitar is not a very loud instrument comparatively, this is even more important to remove distractions. One noisy patron can ruin the experience of many others. Often the patron does not realize how loud they are being; in a quiet room, even small sounds carry. We ask:

All ticket sales are final. GH reserves the right to remove any patron who creates a disturbance and refuses to heed advisements.

2009-2010 Concert Season Venue

The concerts are at the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church at 1900 Bering Drive. Their website directions are at this URL: http://emersonhouston.org/how/directions.html.

The easiest way to get there from 610 is to take the San Felipe exit and turn left on Bering, and the building is on the right.

All concert performances are at 8 pm.

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