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Cleveland Classical Guitar Society presents Cavatina Duo: a conversation with Denis Azabagić and Eugenia Moliner

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by Mike Telin

cavatina-duoWhen Bosnian guitarist Denis Azabagić and Spanish flutist Eugenia Moliner performed their first concert together in 1993, neither of them imagined that performing as a duo would become such an important part of their careers. But, as Azabagić and Moliner began appearing together more frequently, they realized that pursuing a career as a duo was something they should seriously consider.

On Saturday, November 15 at 7:30 pm in Plymouth Church, the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society will present Cavatina Duo in their Cleveland debut concert featuring music by J.S. Bach, Toru Takemitsu, Clarice Assad, Astor Piazzolla, and Fernando Sor. A pre-concert performance by students from the Society’s education program at Buchtel Community Learning Center in Akron will begin at 6:45. [Read more…]

Cleveland Classical Guitar Society: Lukasz Kuropaczewski at Plymouth Church (Oct. 18)

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by Mike Telin

Kuropaczewski-LukaszAll was perfect inside Plymouth Church this past Saturday evening, October 18. The responsibility for that perfection lay squarely in the hands of Polish classical guitarist Lukasz Kuropaczewski, who was making his Cleveland debut. The program was presented as part of the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society’s International Series. [Read more…]

Cleveland Classical Guitar Society: Lukasz Kuropaczewski makes his Cleveland Debut

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by Mike Telin

Kuropaczewski-LukaszFrom the moment he first heard the sound of the guitar at the age of nine, Lukasz Kuropaczewski knew he wanted to be a classical guitarist. “Every Sunday we went to church and one day there was a girl in the church, singing with the accompaniment of the guitar and I thought, this is the instrument of my life,” Kuropaczewski said during a recent Skype conversation from his home in Poland. On Saturday, October 18, at 7:30 pm in Plymouth Church Lukasz Kuropaczewski, will his Cleveland debut on the The Cleveland Classical Guitar Society International Series. As part of his Cleveland visit, Kuropaczewski will present a masterclass from 6:30–8:30 pm on Friday, October 17 at The Music Settlement. [Read more…]

Cleveland Classical Guitar Society opens season with its annual Showcase Concert September 27

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by Mike Telin

Vieaux-Jason“This week’s concert is going to be really great,” classical guitarist Jason Vieaux exclaimed during a recent telephone conversation. On Saturday, September 27, beginning at 7:30 pm in Plymouth Church in Shaker Heights, the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society will begin its International Series. And in keeping with tradition, the series will kick off with a free Showcase Concert.

[Read more…]

Review: Cleveland Classical Guitar Society — David Russell at Plymouth Church (March 29)

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by James Flood

Russell-DavidThe Cleveland Classical Guitar Society (CCGS) concluded its 2013-2014 season on Saturday evening, March 29 at Plymouth Church in Shaker Heights with a performance by the celebrated guitarist, David Russell. Within the span of just four years, under the direction of Erik Mann, the CCGS has gone from offering a handful of small local events per year to presenting high-profile international performers like Grammy-award winning David Russell, arguably the best classical guitarist in the world.

David Russell was born in Scotland and now resides in Spain. He has a unique connection to Cleveland in that for the last 20 years he’s been recording with the Cleveland-based Telarc International. And one extra piece of trivia: Russell is a devoted and accomplished golfer, having won amateur tournaments.

Despite adverse weather conditions, the audience was nonetheless sizable, and judging by its enthusiasm when Russell took the stage it was apparent that he enjoys a base of devoted fans.

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Preview: Cleveland Classical Guitar Society — an interview with David Russell

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by Mike Telin

Russell-DavidOn Saturday, March 29 beginning at 7:30 pm in Plymouth Church, Cleveland Classical Guitar Society presents internationally acclaimed classical guitarist David Russell in a concert featuring works by Giuliani, Scarlatti, Granados, Bach and Albéniz. At 6:45 students from the CCGS education program will perform a program under the direction of Teaching Artist Mike McNamara.

Considered one of today’s preeminent musical performers, David Russell received a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance (without orchestra) for his 2004 recording of “Aire Latino.” His many additional awards include being named a Fellow of The Royal Academy of Music in London and having a conservatory hall and a street in Spain named after him.

While preparing for our conversation I read a number of interviews with David Russell and nearly all the interviewers commented on what a genuinely nice, down to earth guy he is. And I must concur. I reached David Russell by telephone in San Francisco and began by asking him about how he makes his programming decisions.

[Read more…]

Review: Cleveland Classical Guitar Society — Gomez and Davin in an enticing tribute to Dowland and Britten (Feb. 22)

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by Timothy Robson

Davin-GomezSoprano Estelí Gomez and classical guitarist Colin Davin presented a splendid and fascinating program on Saturday, February 22, at Plymouth Church, sponsored by the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society. The program was a belated tribute to the Benjamin Britten centennial celebration, but was, in fact, as much a tribute to Peter Pears, tenor and Britten’s life partner, and Julian Bream, guitarist, lutenist, and a long-time recital collaborator with Pears.

The two also presented an arresting new work by Caroline Shaw, which easily could have fit into a Pears/Bream recital program. Colin Davin closed the program with Britten’s only solo guitar work, Nocturnal after John Dowland, op. 70, composed for Julian Bream and first performed by him in 1964.

Under the title “Ancient Melodies, Modern Echoes,” Davin and Gomez alternated lute songs by Elizabethan composer John Dowland with songs from Britten’s cycle Songs from the Chinese, op. 58, which was written for Pears and Bream. [Read more…]

Preview: Cleveland Classical Guitar Society — Estelí Gomez & Colin Davin on February 22

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by Mike Telin

Davin-Gomez“I love working with Estelí and Colin because they are that wonderful combination of brilliant musicianship and enthusiastic personality,” says Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Caroline Shaw. They are both musicians that I admire and respect so much. And we all just get along!”

On Saturday, February 22 beginning at 7:30 pm in Plymouth Church, the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society presents soprano Estelí Gomez and classical guitarist Colin Davin.The program, “Ancient Melodies, Modern Echoes” includes music by Dowland, Britten and Caroline Shaw. The concert is part of the CCGS’s International Series.

The story of how the three came to be friends and collaborators is fitting for a television movie and begins well before Caroline Shaw won the 2013 Pulitzer. And before Shaw and Gomez became Grammy winners as members of the vocal ensemble Roomful of Teeth.

“Caroline and I worked together with a composer who writes Rap cantatas. It’s kind of a modern meets baroque meets hip-hop mash-up,” recalls Davin. “We did the business card trade, and I went to her website and started listening to some of her music.”

Shaw and Gomez first met while doing their undergraduate studies at Yale, “at the time she was doing her violin degree,” Gomez said, “then we met again as members of Roomful of Teeth.” And it was after a Roomful of Teeth performance at Lincoln Center that Shaw introduced Gomez and Davin to each other. [Read more…]

Review: Cleveland Classical Guitar Society — Beijing Guitar Duo at Plymouth (Jan. 25)

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by James Flood

Beijing-Guitar-DuoDespite Saturday’s prodigious snow, a decent-sized crowd braved hazardous road conditions to greet the Beijing Guitar Duo for their Cleveland appearance. As the snow swirled outside Plymouth Church UCC, the duo warmed the audience with an engaging performance.

Duo members Meng Su and Yameng Wang opened the program with transcriptions of four Domenico Scarlatti harpsichord sonatas. The Beijing Guitar Duo’s warm, gentle, yet full-bodied tone brought an ease and naturalness throughout the four works. In the opening K.173, L. 447 in G minor, their keen sense of phrasing gave the piece an undulating quality. In the second and fourth sonatas of the set (K. 45, L. 265 in D Major, K.151, L. 422 in D minor) Su and Wang established their status as virtuosi with exceptionally fast and effortless scales which moved simultaneously, executed in perfect lockstep between the two. [Read more…]

Preview: Cleveland Classical Guitar Society — Beijing Guitar Duo at Plymouth on January 25

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by Mike Telin

Beijing-Guitar-DuoFollowing their May of 2011 performance at Classical Guitar Weekend, ClevelandClassical wrote: “The Beijing Guitar Duo’s recital…was a musically stunning lesson in ensemble playing. Like concentric circles, Meng Su and Yameng Wang performed from a common center: articulations, tonal colors, crescendos, decrescendos, whether jointly or individually were perfectly matched…”

On Saturday, January 25 beginning at 7:30 pm in Plymouth Church, the Beijing Guitar Duo returns to Northeast Ohio for a performance on the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society’s International Series. The concert features music of Domenico Scarlatti, Tan Dun, Giulio Regondi, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Granados and Piazzolla. A pre-concert demonstration of traditional Chinese painting will be given by Jerry Wang.

“We are very excited to be returning to Cleveland,” Meng Su told us by telephone from Baltimore. “We’re especially looking forward to playing Tan Dun’s Eight Memories in Watercolor,’ recalling a visit that she, Yameng Wang and their teacher Manuel Barrueco made to the composer’s home in New York. [Read more…]

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