WHAT: Michael Morgan and Benjamin Lougheed, classical guitar
WHERE: Collins Library, Downtown Tallahassee
WHEN: April 29, 2015 at 6:30 pm
COST: FREE!

Michael Morgan and Benjamin Lougheed were Concert Prize Winners of the 2014 CGST International Guitar Competition held in December of 2014.

Michael Morgan began his guitar studies at the age of thirteen with David Hoge at the David Hoge Guitar Studio in Tallahassee, Florida. He continued his guitar studies at Leon High School with Ed Prasse and was a three-year member and student director of Frets, the advanced guitar ensemble at Leon High School. He was an inaugural member of the Florida Music Educator’s Association All-State Guitar Ensemble, as well as a member for the next two years until his graduation in 2013. He has studied privately with several FSU alumni, including Dr. Eric Robles, Dr. Adam Foster, and Dr. Stephen Robinson. He has participated in masterclasses with Pavel Steidl and Jorge Caballero at the Domaine Forget in Quebec, and was a prize winner in the first Classical Guitar Society of Tallahassee International Competition. He is currently pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in Music Performance and Music Education with Bruce Holzman at Florida State University.

Michael will perform works by Frederico Moreno Torroba and Johann Sebastian Bach.

Benjamin Lougheed attended the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where he studied with world-renowned teacher and current department chair Julian Gray, earning his Bachelor’s of Music in Guitar Performance with honors. He is currently completing his Masters of Music in Guitar Performance at Florida State, where he is studying with Bruce Holzman, who was recently inducted into the Guitar Foundation of America Hall of Fame. He has participated in master classes with several of the most accomplished guitarists in the world, including Jason Vieaux, Ana Vidovic, Denis Azabagic, and Paul Galbraith.

Benjamin will perform works by Johann Sebastian Bach and Roland Dyens.

WHAT: Jessie Acker-Johnson and Vijay Meunier, classical guitar
WHERE: Collins Library, Downtown Tallahassee
WHEN: Wednesday, March 25, 2015 at 6:30 pm
COST: FREE!

Vijay Meunier and Jessie Acker-Johnson were Concert Prize Winners of the 2014 CGST International Guitar Competition held in December of 2014.

Vijay Meunier is a classical guitarist from Austin, TX, currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree in guitar performance from Florida State University. In high school, he was a member of the McCallum HS Chamber Guitar Ensemble, and studied privately with Jon Dotson and Joe Williams, members of the acclaimed Texas Guitar Quartet. In his freshman year, Vijay received the Texas Young Masters award from the Texas Commission on the Arts, allowing him to travel to the Domaine Forget guitar festival in Canada, the Iserlohn festival in Germany, as well as various guitar events around the U.S. Vijay has been awarded top prizes in guitar competitions around the country, including 1st prize in the youth division of the 2012 Texas Guitar Competition in Dallas, TX and 1st prize in the undergraduate division of the 2013 Mississippi Guitar Festival in Hattiesburg, MS.

Vijay will perform works by Antonio Lauro, J.S. Bach, Fernando Sor, and Manuel Ponce.

Jesse Acker-Johnson is an active performer, composer, and teacher in the California, Massachusetts, New Mexico, and Florida music scene.  Jesse Acker-Johnson first began to play and study music as a young teenager.  He played in rock and jazz ensembles as an electric guitarist before concentrating on classical music. While studying to earn his B.A. in Philosophy, he began studies in classical guitar With Michael Chapdelaine at the University of New Mexico. He then continued his studies with Marc Teicholz while studying to earn his B.A. in composition from California State University East Bay.  Jesse recently graduated with a master’s degree in classical guitar performance where he studied with Eliot Fisk at The New England Conservatory.  Together with Mr. Fisk, Jesse is currently compiling collections of Renaissance lute music transcribed for guitar.

Jesse has performed in America and Italy.  His concert venues include play in churches, community centers, resting home, museums, private homes, and recital and concert halls.  His compositions range from solo guitar and piano to use of electronic media and site-­‐specific recordings. Mr. Acker‐Johnson is a dedicated and committed educator.  He actively engages in outreach within his community, spreading the word of music and the guitar to listeners young and old, and while giving lessons and classes.  Jesse is currently pursuing his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in classical guitar at Florida State University studying with Bruce Holzman.

“Jesse Acker‐Johnson….smart, talented and searching. Frequently find ng something of deep meaning from his seeking and work and we get to hear it manifest as beauty coming from his guitar.”-­Michael Chapdelaine

“Jesse Acker-Johnson: a guitarist of great promise blessed with an inquiring mind and a warm musical soul.”-­Eliot Fisk

Jessie will perform works by Heitor Villa Lobos, Frank Martin, Anthony Holborne, and David Bowie.

http://www.wtxl.com/lifestyle/sunrise-rocks—preview-of-upcoming-classical-guitar-performance/article_afedaa28-cf2f-11e4-88dc-933901cb5df2.html

The FSU College of Music and the Classical Guitar Society of Tallahassee will present the internationally renowned Amadeus Guitar Duo featuring Dale Kavanagh and Thomas Kirchhoff in concert on Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8:00 pm.  The performance will take place in Dohnanyi Recital Hall inside the Housewright Music Building at the corner of Copeland and Call Streets.  The Amadeus Duo will present two masterclasses on Thursday evening at 6:30 pm at the College of Music.  Admission to the concert is $10 general admission at the door, and the masterclasses will be free to audit.

Dale Kavanagh (Canada) & Thomas Kirchhoff (Germany) of the Amadeus Guitar Duo have been performing together since 1991.  Their program will feature music from Europe and South America and includes “Madrigal Suite” by the Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo, “Introduccion y Forreando Caprichoso” by the Bolivian composer Jaime M. Zenamon, and “Amasur” by Alfonso Montes (also Bolivian) as well as works by George Friedrich Händel (Germany) and Mario Gangi (Italy).

Favorites of Tallahassee audiences, the Amadeus Guitar Duo has appeared several times at FSU as guest artists.  Of their return engagement, Bruce Holzman, Associate Professor of Guitar at FSU said, “We are again lucky to have Dale and Thomas back to perform.  Each time they have played for us, the audiences have left wanting more.  Their performances are dynamic, exciting and are at the highest level of artistic achievement.”  Their stop at FSU is one of many in their 2014-2015 tour which includes performances in Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Austria, United States, South Korea, China, Thailand, England, Turkey, Romania, and Greece.  In addition to their extensive tours and recording schedule where they have produced 16 titles on the Haenssler-Classic FONO label, both Kavanagh and Kirchhoff teach at the Musikhochschule in Detmold, Germany and have established one of the largest classical guitar summer festivals in Iserlohn, Germany.

What:   Amadeus Guitar Duo in Concert
When: Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 8 pm
Where: Dohnanyi Recital Hall, Housewright Music Building, FSU
Music of Rodrigo, Handel, Zenamon, Gangi, Kavanagh, Bach, and Montes
Cost:  $10 general admission at the door

What:  Amadeus Guitar Duo Masterclasses
When: Thursday, March 5, 2015 at 6:30 pm
Where: 2 classes: (1) Lindsay Recital Hall in Keursteiner Music Building (KMU) & (2) Room 302 KMU
Cost:  Free to audit

The Classical Guitar Society of Tallahassee, the Classical Guitar Society at FSU and the FSU College of Music will present Kevin Ginty and Steven Jay Lerman in concert on Wednesday, February 25, 2015 at 6:30 pm in Dohnanyi Recital Hall, Housewright Music Building, FSU, at the corner of Copeland and Call Streets.  Kevin and Steven were Concert Prize Winners of the 2014 CGST International Guitar Competition held in December of 2014.  The concert is free.

Kevin Ginty is an active classical guitarist, teacher, and arts administrator in the Tallahassee community. In 2010, Kevin moved from his hometown of Las Vegas, Nevada to Tallahassee in order to pursue a Bachelor of Music degree in Guitar Performance from the College of Music at Florida State University. During his time as an undergraduate at FSU, Kevin co-founded The Classical Guitar Society at Florida State University (CGS@FSU) and was one of a select few undergraduate students to take private lessons with renowned pedagogue Bruce Holzman.

Upon graduating in the spring of 2014, Kevin was offered an administrative assistantship to complete a Master’s of Arts in Arts Administration at FSU. This unique degree program allows Kevin to learn vital skills in non-profit arts management, while still maintaining his craft as a musician. Kevin hopes to use these professional abilities to help create a thriving community for classical guitar in Tallahassee.

Kevin’s program will include works by Leo Brouwer, Issac Albeniz, and Joaquin Rodrigo.

Steven Jay Lerman began studying classical guitar at the age of 16 in San Diego, CA. Just 3 years later Steven was offered a full-tuition music scholarship to attend the University of Arizona’s world renowned Bolton Guitar Studies program. During his undergraduate study, Steven served as the artistic director for the Tucson Guitar Society, was a member of the Tucson Guitar Orchestra, taught in public schools throughout Arizona, and managed a private lessons studio.

In 2012 Steven was awarded a research grant that paid for travel to Canada to study with Grammy-Award-Winning Brazilian guitarist and composer Sergio Assad. The following year he was invited to present his research at the University of Arizona research exposition, and was subsequently one of only four chosen to be featured researchers.

Steven is a frequent competition participant. He has won 3 and reached the finals of 12 classical guitar competitions, winning over $15,000 in cash and prizes. Steven has performed in masterclasses for some of the most important classical guitar figures including: David Russell, the Assad brothers, Solo Duo, Nicholas Goluses, Rene Izquierdo, Johannes Moller, Vladimir Gorbach, Marcin Dylla, Carlos Perez, Carlos Bonnell, Anton Baranov, and Pavel Steidl. Steven has been able to study privately with Thomas Viloteau, Tom Patterson, and Bruce Holzman; some of the top teachers in the world. Steven is currently finishing his Master’s of Music degree at Florida State University and working as a graduate assistant.

Steve’s program will include works by J.K. Mertz, J.S. Bach, and Joaquin Turina.

The Seven Hills Guitar Series proudly presents the FSU Guitar Studio Showcase!

Lots of great young guitarists – all in one concert!

Includes winners of the 2014 Classical Guitar Society of Tallahassee International Guitar Competition (Marco Villa, Matthew Gillen, Steve Lerman, Jessie Acker-Johnson, Vijay Meunier, Kevin Ginty, Michael Morgan, and Benjamin Lougheed).

Co-Grand Prize Winners: Marco Villa and Matthew Gillen.  In addition to a $100 cash prize (each), they have the opportunity to perform in special concerts in the Spring of 2015.

Concert Prize Winners: Steve Lerman, Jessie Acker-Johnson, Vijay Meunier, Kevin Ginty, Michael Morgan, and Benjamin Lougheed  They each have the opportunity to perform in special concerts in the Spring of 2015.

Congratulations to the winners, and also all of the performers who participated!  The competitors all performed at a very high artistic level and it was a joy to hear such powerful, vibrant music!  We look forward to the prize concerts and will be posting more information at a later date.  We also look forward to the next competition, which will probably be in January of 2016.

December 7 @ 3 pm: Tallahassee Youth Showcase Concert @ St. Johns Episcopal Church

January 18 @ 3 pm: FSU Guitar Studio Concert @ St. Johns Episcopal Church

February 15 @ 3pm: Zohn/Sharpe Duo @ St. Johns Episcopal Church. The musical relationship between guitarists Robert Sharpe and Andrew Zohn began in 1997 as student and teacher. Robert received his first guitar lesson from Zohn at the age of 12 and would continue under his direction at the Schwob School of Music (Columbus State University). Upon Sharpe’s joining the faculty of the Schwob School in 2012, the two formed this exciting new duo and are performing a diverse program which includes Mozart, Gnattali, Soler and Zohn. They have performed to wide acclaim throughout the United States and Europe.

Andrew Eliot Zohn is recognized internationally for his work as a performer, instructor, and composer. He has performed concerts on five continents including venues in Beijing, Cairo, New York, Rotterdam, Paris, Vancouver, Honolulu, Buenos Aires, Atlanta, Toronto, and Puerto Rico. He has also served as a guest artist at many of the world’s most prestigious music festivals including the Festival of New Music (Central Conservatory of Music, China) the Guitar on the Mediterranean Guitar Festival (Italy), the Iserlohn Guitar Symposium (Germany), the National Guitar Workshop (USA), and Guitare Montreal (Canada). Students of Andrew Zohn have won prizes in dozens of national and international competitions and have been featured on National Public Radio. Original compositions and transcriptions by Andrew Zohn are published through Les Productions d’Oz, Canada, Tuscany publications (Theodore Presser), and FJH Publications. His recordings for Clear Note and Centaur Records have received wide acclaim from American Record Guide, Classical Guitar Magazine, GuitArt Magazine, Soundboard, Guitarra Magazine, and Rosewood Review.

Since his national radio debut on National Public Radio’s acclaimed program From the Top, Robert Fielding Sharpe has received top prizes in national and international competitions. He has been a guest artist at the East Carolina University Guitar Festival, the Tennessee State University Classical Guitar Seminar, the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society, the Greater Cincinnati Guitar Society, the Virtuoso Showcase Classical Guitar Series, and the Fort Worth Guitar Guild. International performances include concerts at the Guitar Festival on the Mediterranean in Italy, the Sauble Beach Guitar Festival in Canada, and the Kras Guitar Festival in Slovenia. Mr. Sharpe has served on the faculty of the Tennessee State University Classical Guitar Seminar and the East Carolina University Guitar Festival. Recently, he joined the music faculty at Columbus State University’s Schwob School of Music. Mr. Sharpe holds a Bachelor of Music from Columbus State University and a Master of Music from Yale University. He is currently completing a Doctor of Musical Arts at the Cleveland Institute of Music under the direction of guitarist Jason Vieaux.

April 12 @ 3 pm: Petrit Ceku @ St. Johns Episcopal Church.  Petrit Ceku was born in 1985 in Prizren, Kosovo where, at primary music school, he received instruction from Luan Sapunxhiu. In 2002 he moved to Zagreb, where he continued his music education under the instruction of Xhevdet Sahatxhija. He won first prize in the All-Croatian Competition in Dubrovnik in 2003 and in the international Anna Amalia Guitar Competition in Weimar. The following year he won the Emilio Pujol Guitar Competition in Sassari, Italy, as well as the German Andrés Segovia in Velbert. Also in 2004, he represented Croatia in the European Music Prize for Youth in Dubrovnik and won first prize as well as the Croatian Composers’ Union prize for the performance of a work by a Croatian composer. In the same year he became a student in Darko Petrinjak’s class at the Music Academy in Zagreb. Petrit Ceku was the only guitarist in the Ferdo Livadiç International Young Music Artists’ competition in Samobor, Croatia, and won first prize by a unanimous decision of the jury. He won the annual prize of The Croatian Music Youth in 2005. He was awarded the Silver Medal in The Parkening Competition in Malibu, California and second prize in the Belgian Printemps de la guitare in Charleroi in 2006. Winning the Pittaluga Competition in Alessandria, Italy in 2007, Petrit Ceku established himself as one of the leading guitarists of the younger generation. He has taken part in master-classes led by Manuel Barrueco, Leo Brouwer, Zoran Dukiç, Carlo Marchione, Ehat Musa, Scott Tennant and Ana Vidovic. For several years he has attended Strings Only!, the summer school for string instruments, led by the renowned cellist Valter Despalj. Petrit Ceku is currently based in Zagreb.