The Guitar Orchestra will perform classical music live at the Hulen Barnes & Noble at 4801 Overton Ridge Blvd, south of the Hulen Mall, on October 16, 2011 from 3:00 – 4:30.

Shop at any Barnes & Noble store or online and give them the Guitar Ochestra’s ID number: 10507242. If you’re shopping online, there will be a field for you to put in the ID. A percentage of the proceeds from purchases made October 16 through October 21, 2011 go to the Orchestra!

Purchases of Books, DVDs, CDs, Nook devices, Nook accessories, all digital devices, including clocks, earphones, etc., and many other items can help benefit the Guitar Orchestra Fort Worth.

Not all items are included, of course, so here’s a brief overview of the things which don’t give a percentage to the GOFW:

• Gift cards (in-store or online)
• Shipping or handling fees, gift wrapping fees
• Text books, magazine subscriptions, video games, Nook e-books
• Downloadable audio books in MP3 or any other format
• Barnes & Noble may also exclude items at its discretion

Hope to see you at the Hulen Barnes & Nobel on the 16th! Here’s the event flyer as well. Feel free to print it out or share it with friends.

Guitar Ochestra Fundraiser: Barnes & Noble Book Fair from Guitar Fort Worth

That means you can now go get season tickets. Here’s the line up:

Kithara Duo – September 9, 2011
Matt Palmer – October 14, 2011
Emma Rush – November 18, 2011
Johannes Möller – February 24, 2012
Isaac Bustos – March 23, 2012

2011/2012 Season Tickets Now Available from Guitar Fort Worth

Sneak Peak at Gohar Vardanyan’s Concert from Guitar Fort Worth

Ms. Vardanyan holds a Master of Music Degree from The Juilliard School where she studied with Sharon Isbin and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Music where she studied with Manuel Barrueco. She is also an alumna of the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Ms. Vardanyan began studying the guitar at the age of five with her father. She gave her first public performance and appeared on Armenian National Television at the age of eight. She was the First prize winner in the Armenian National Music Contest “Amadeus” and was accepted into “New Names,” a group for talented young musicians. She went on to study with Antigoni Goni at the Pre-College Division of the Juilliard School. In 2001, Ms. Vardanyan studied with John Wunsch at the Interlochen Arts Academy. A graduate with High Honors, she has received numerous awards in academic and musical fields. Among these is the Young Artist’s Certificate, one of the highest awards offered to graduating seniors by the Academy, and the Harold Randolph Prize in performance from the Peabody Conservatory.

Gohar Vardanyan – February 25, 2011 from Guitar Fort Worth

Here’s a look at what Ms. Young will be performing this Friday. Below that, you’ll find a video of one of her past performances.

Program

J.S. Bach – Ciaccona in d minor, BWV 1004
David Kellner – Fantasia en Re Major, Fantasia en La Menor
Max Reger- Suite #1, op. 131 (originally for solo cello)

INTERMISSION

Max Reger – Suite #3, op. 131 (originally for solo cello)
Feliu Gasull – El Castell del Moro Muesser
Carlo Domeniconi – Koyunbaba, Op. 19

Watch Laura Play

Sneak Peak at Laura Young’s Concert Next Friday from Guitar Fort Worth

About Michael Dailey

Michael Dailey started playing guitar at the age of five. His first public performance followed three years later and he has been performing professionally since the age of fourteen. Mr. Dailey was self taught in those early years and did not start his formal training until he was in his early twenties due to the lack of quality instructors. Miguel Bernal, a long time student of Andrés Segovia, was his first true classical guitar teacher. He also studied with Tom Sheeley and had several private lessons with many well know guitarists including Andrés Segovia, Pepe Romero, Christopher Parkening and Manuel Lopez Ramos. Mr. Dailey has performed in every state in the US except for Hawaii and has also performed in Central and South America, Canada, and Western Europe. He moved to Fort Worth in 1986 and has been a central figure in the development of the classic guitar in Fort Worth ever since. Mr. Dailey is currently on the faculty of Texas Wesleyan University and Tarrant County College Northwest and is the owner of The Guitar Studio.

About Christopher Davis

A native of Iowa, Christopher began his musical training on the Clarinet. At 14 years old, inspired by Black Sabbath and Metallica, Chris took up the guitar.

Christopher holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Drake and Masters degree from Austin Peay State University where he studied with Stanley Yates. He has performed in masterclasses for world renowned artists such as Odair Assad and Christopher Parkening, and is currently studying at the University of North Texas. Chris’ performance experiences include solo classical guitar performances and work with rock, jazz, and Christian groups.

Christopher is passionate about teaching music on the guitar and teaches in Fort Worth and at the Southlake Music Academy. In addition to his performing and teaching activities, Chris is extremely interested in the entrepreneurial aspects of the music business, often lecturing and consulting on the subject, and writes The Classical Guitar Blog.

Gala Concert – April 29, 2011 from Guitar Fort Worth

Eliot Fisk

“Eliot Fisk plays like Eliot Fisk. Perhaps the difference between the older players and the new is how huge older guy’s musical personalities are. Fisk plays in his own style, and infuses every piece he does with it. Some times, as in the case of the spanish works he played, that works really well. Other times, I did not care for it. I did not care for his interpretation of the Scarlatti Sonatas (program below) or the Chaconne. Just not my cup of tea. Everything else he did, I found great. Especially the Red Violin Caprices.”
[read more...]

Valerie Hartzell

“If you get a chance to see Ms. Hartzell in concert, I suggest you go. She’s clearly a thoughtful, refined musician with the technique to pull off all of her musical ideas. Her programming is great, and you’re sure to come away from the concert with a good feeling.”
[read more...]

A Few Concert Reviews from Guitar Fort Worth

His solo concerts include performances at the Concours Internationale de Guitare in Paris, The European International Festival in Geneva, Switzerland and numerous recitals in four South American countries. He was first prize winner of the first Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Manuel M. Ponce, organized to celebrate the 100th birthday of the composer whom Segovia referred to as “the greatest composer for guitar.”

He currently teaches courses in guitar, Music literature, aesthetics and philosophy at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.

Tom Sheeley – March 25, 2011 from Guitar Fort Worth

Part of what I’m helping with is the website stuff. So, welcome to the new website! On here you’ll find all the info you need about GFW concerts and events. In addition, we’re going to try and keep up with this blog, and maintain a calendar of guitar events that encompasses most of the guitar organization, college, and community events related to guitar. Why? There’s a lot going on in this town, and we’d like to put all that information in the same place.

So, again, welcome to the new website! Please, get in touch if you have any suggestions or comments.

Weclome to the new GFW Website from Guitar Fort Worth

Program | Watch Laura Play

Connect with Laura on Facebook, or visit her website

Born in Toronto of Russian and Irish heritage, Laura began her study of music at the age of seven and became an educated student of the guitar when she was nine years old. With a rare passion and intensity, she applied herself to technical mastery of the instrument, building on the exceptional musicality evident from the moment she began to play.

From the time she was just a young girl and at every step of her career, Laura has been recognized as a gifted artist; winning prestigious prizes at international competitions such as the “Andrés Segovia” in Palma de Mallorca, Spain and the “Jacinto e Inocencio Guererro” in Madrid, Spain, among many others.

At the University of Toronto, Laura earned her Music Degree under the direction of Eli Kassner. Grants from Canada’s national arts organizations – the Canada Council and Ontario Arts Council – provided an opportunity for Laura to continue her studies with some of the world’s finest guitarists, including David Russel and Leo Brouwer. Studying with Hubert Kaeppel at the Hochshule in Cologne, Germany she received her Master’s Degree with Honours.

As a soloist Laura has given widely acclaimed performances, offering profound and often daring programs in concert halls around the world, from the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Germany to the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, Canada to the Auditorio Nacional in Madrid, Spain. She’s also a regularly invited performer and teacher in International Guitar Festivals: Toronto, Canada; Ezstergom, Hungary; Gdansk, Poland; Cologne, Germany; and Volos, Greece – to name but a few.

In addition to her solo career, Laura was a founding member of the very successful Trio de Cologne, which performed throughout the 1990’s in Europe and the Americas. Laura is currently working in duo with the Greek-Canadian singer Frances Pappas in the ensemble Lagrimosa Belta which presents pieces written for them by composers such as Helmut Jasbar, Feliu Gasull i Altisent, Stefan Hakenberg all based on contemporary explorations of traditional folk music.

From 1997 – 2001, Laura was the founder and Artistic Director of the Amsterdam International Guitar Festival. Laura Young was awarded professorship at the Escuela Superior de Musica en Catalunya (ESMUC) in Barcelona, Spain in 2003.

Program

J.S. Bach – Ciaccona in d minor, BWV 1004
David Kellner – Fantasia en Re Major, Fantasia en La Menor
Max Reger- Suite #1, op. 131 (originally for solo cello)

INTERMISSION

Max Reger – Suite #3, op. 131 (originally for solo cello)
Feliu Gasull – El Castell del Moro Muesser
Carlo Domeniconi – Koyunbaba, Op. 19

Watch Laura Play

Laura Young – Nov. 12, 2010 from Guitar Fort Worth