July 26 Meeting

July 6th, 2020 by bob No comments »

 

These pieces were played at our July 26 Meeting:

Valerie Nelson

  • Olhos Pretos (Black Eyes) — Francisco José Dias (“transcribed for classic guitar by John Chiodini”)

Paul Kennedy

  • Two Venezuelan Waltzes — Antonio Lauro
  1. El Negrito (The Black Haired One)
  2. La Gatica (The Cat)

Robert Ey

  • Scarborough Fair —, arr. Debbie Cracknell/Paul Simon

Ming Chao

  • Two pieces from West Side Story — Leonard Bernstein (Arr. Jorge Morel)
  1. I Feel Pretty
  2. Maria

Rick Florio

  • Natalia — Antonio Lauro

Daniel Zaurov

  • Valse Memories — B. Figotin
  • Valse Departure — H. Kvatromano

Jeff Griesemer

  • Sing Of One Who Walks Beside Us — Music by William Moore, lyrics by Ralph Wright, arr. Jeff Griesemer

Robert Vierschilling

  • 3 Short Studies — Robert Vierschilling

 

How Was Your Guitar Made? Online Workshop by Gary Lee on July 4

July 2nd, 2020 by bob No comments »

Please join me on July 4th for an online lecture/demonstration designed to give players an understanding of the challenges that luthiers face and the methods they use when building a soundboard. This 40-minute video recorded in my workshop will be followed by live Q&A via Zoom, as part of Ben Verdery’s Hawaii Masterclass—5 days of concerts, masterclasses, lectures and workshops. You can audit all or individual days of this fabulous online event.
Info and registration are here:
Watch a trailer for the presentation:

July 5 Meeting

June 15th, 2020 by bob No comments »

 

The theme for our July 5 meeting was Patriotic Songs. These pieces were played:

Rick Florio
• Two Venezuelan Waltzes — Antonio Lauro, arr. Alirio Diaz
1. Tatiana
2. Andreina
• Marching Thru Georgia — Henry Clay Work

Robert Ey
• I Vow to Thee, My Country (Thaxted) — Gustav Holst, arr. Robert Ey

Gad Berger
• Yankee Doodle — J.K. Mertz
• Polacca — “”

Ben London
• The Star Spangled Banner — Arr. Ben London
• Glory, Glory, Hallelujah — Arr. Ben London

Daniel Zaurov
• Your smile and your eyes — Anon. (soldier’s song)
• Moldovanska — Anon. (Moldovian dance)

Helen Shi-Yuen
• All of Me — Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons, arr. Yenne Lee
• Take Five — Paul Desmond, arr. Abigail James

Jeff Griesemer
• Sing Of One Who Walks Beside Us (American hymn) — Music by William Moore, Lyrics by
Ralph Wright, arr. Jeff Griesemer

Ming Chao
• Mirandote — Eduardo Martin
• America (from West Side Story) — Leonard Bernstein, arr. Jorge Morel

Stella Kosim
• Capricho Catalan — Isaac Albeniz
• Danza Espanola No 5 — E. Granados

Ming-Jui Liu
• Study No. 1 — Frederic Hand (b. 1947)
• Gran Vals — Francisco Tárrega (1852 – 1909)
• Minuet in G major, op. 11, No. 1 — Fernando Sor (1778 – 1839)

 

Aaron Shearer Foundation VIRTUAL MASTERCLASS SERIES: JULY 6 -10

June 12th, 2020 by bob No comments »

Join us for an inspiring week of virtual guitar study with the Xavier JaraColin DavinLaura SnowdenStephen Mattingly, and Manuel Barrueco!   The series will be 5 days of zoom classes from Monday to Friday, each about an hour in length and each conducted by a different concert artist (daily schedule TBA).  Each session begins with Q & A, open to all,  and at least one participant will work with the artist in a masterclass format.

To be a student, you must submit a video performance (no more than 5 minutes) by June 30, 2020.  All videos will be be posted at our Solo Corner page, but only 5 will be selected by the ASF to share with the artists, to form the basis for each session.  The selected students will be notified no later than July 2.

IMPORTANT: If you’re registering as a student, it’s recommend that you purchase a USB external microphone (helpful for your recording and your Zoom session with the artist).

COST: $60

More Information: https://www.aaronshearerfoundation.org/site/virtual-masterclass-week/

CD Sale / Fundraiser for Gig-less Musicians

June 1st, 2020 by bob No comments »

Saturday, June 6, 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
33 Mountain Ridge Dr., Wayne NJ 07470-4118
Hosted by David Graessle

To help during the pandemic, I’m selling my new classical guitar CD and donating the entire amount raised to gig-less musicians. The fundraising efforts will culminate with live music performed on my front lawn on Sat. June 6th from 6pm-7pm. Park and enjoy from your car or drive by and honk along!
To purchase a CD click below – 14.99
https://www.fatfreecartpro.com/i/zkqw?card
(A physical CD will be mailed to you and downloadable digital files will be included for free)
AIFF digital album download – $9.99
https://www.fatfreecartpro.com/i/zkqx?card
You can also stream the music
https://soundcloud.com/david-graessle/sets/the-sound-of-nylon
and make a donation of any amount here:
https://paypal.me/davidgraessle
Thanks for your support and enjoy the music! Maybe I’ll see you on the 6th.
Dave
_____________________________________________________________________
Many musicians I know are out of work and losing lots of money due to lost or canceled gigs. Monies raised will be distributed by need to requesting performers.
The requirements to apply to receive money are:
1) You are a performing musician
2) A substantial amount of your income has been lost due to canceled gigs
To apply, send me a message with the number of gigs you’ve lost in the month of April. Applicants will be drawn at random and I’m hoping to be able to present 2 musicians a week with $200 each for the next 5 weeks. Total goal=$2000.

 

June 14 Meeting

June 1st, 2020 by bob No comments »
These pieces were played at the June 14 meeting. Our theme was “Nationalities.”

Robert Ey

  • Ajde Jano (Macedonia/Serbia) – Trad., arr. Allan Alexander

Daniel Zaurov

  • You Are My Falling Maple (Russia) – Anon.
  • When I Met You (Russia) – Anon.

Ming Chao

  • (Longing For) Spring Breeze (望春風) (Taiwan) – Yu-Hsien Teng, arr. Gerald Garcia

Jeff Griesemer

  • If I Fell (British) – Lennon/McCartney, arr: Richard Drueding.

Jeffrey Wilt

  • Danza Brasilera – Jorge Morel

Stella Kosim

  • Blott en Dag (Day by Day) (Sweden) – Oscar Ahnfelt, arr. Jan-Olof Eriksson
  • Indonesia Pusaka (Indonesia) – Ismail Marzuki, arr. Jubing Kristianto

Gary Lee

  • The Banks O’ Doon (Scotland) – Robert Burns (1759-1796), arr. Guy Bergeron
  • 2 Sonatas (Italy/Portugal/Spain) – Domenico Scarlatti (1685-1757)
  1. Sonata, K. 69, arr. Gérard Abiton
  2. Sonata, K. 274, arr. Andrew Zohn

Ming-Jui Liu

  • Summer Nights of Formosa (Taiwan) – Ming-Jui Liu

Fabricio Dobner

  • Carta de Pedra – Guinga, arr. Marco Pereira
  • Estudos Litorâneos Number, 1 Brisa do Oceano ( ocean breeze) – Paulo Bellinati

“Guitar Study in the United States”

May 28th, 2020 by bob No comments »

The Music Educators Journal recently published a very original and unique article of major significance in the guitar education field titled “Guitar Study in the United States”. I wrote it with the clear purpose of providing deep and scholastic information for guitar researchers and the guitar community in general.

Best regards,

Dr. Ricardo Paz

Director of Guitar / Capital & Ortiz Middle School

Santa Fe Public Schools

Member-At-Large, NAFME Council for Guitar Education

2021 Guitar Vice President New Mexico Music Educators Association

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0027432119898663?fbclid=IwAR0cnREfkGYqISssMHEzwJSZRWRCWYndwgn7mKMtfpTZRad82QNp3u365c4

May 17 Meeting

May 18th, 2020 by bob No comments »

 

 These pieces were played at the May 17 meeting.

Daniel Zaurov

  • Yesterday — Paul McCartney
  • Love is Blue — Andre Pop

Robert Ey

  • Wild Mountain Thyme — Trad., arr. Scott Tennant

Indur B. Mandhyan

  • Melody in C Major — Indur B Mandhyan.

Rick Florio

  • Allemande & Saraband from Cello Suite #5 BWV 1011 — J.S. Bach

Stella Kosim

  • Variations on a Theme by Handel “The Harmonious Blacksmith” Opus 107 — Mauro Giuliani

Jeff Griesemer

  • When I’m Sixty Four — Lennon/McCartney, arr. Jeff Griesemer.

Ming Chao

  • Muneira from Suite Compostelana — Federico Mompou

Jeffrey Wilt

  • If You Were Here — Per-Olov Kindgren
  • Preludio de Adios — Alphonso Montes

May 3 Meeting

May 4th, 2020 by bob No comments »

Our next Zoom Meeting will be on Sunday, May 17, at 4:00 p.m.

These pieces were played at the May 3 meeting:

Helen Shi-Yuen

  • Kleine Romanze — Luise Walker

Stella Kosim

  • Les Adieux Opus 21 No.6 — Fernando Sor

Ming Chao

  • Aria from Inventions for Guitar (Hommage to Bach) — Alexandre Tansman
  • Um Amor de Valsa — Paulo Bellinati

Gad Berger

  • Unruhe — Johan Kaspar Mertz

Jeff Griesemer

  • The Ookpik Waltz — Frankie Rodgers, arr. Jeff Griesemer.

Rick Florio

  • Prélude from Cello Suite #5 BWV 1011 — J.S. Bach

April 19 Meeting

April 20th, 2020 by bob No comments »

Our next Zoom Meeting will be on Sunday, May 3, at 4:00 p.m.

These pieces were played in the April 19 Zoom Meeting:

Valerie Nelson

  • Divertimento, Movement 3 — Hans Gal
  • Sarabande — Francis Poulenc

Daniel Zaurov

  • O sole mio (my little sun) — traditional
  • El Condor Pasa (flight of a condor) — Daniel Robles

Ken Kraus

  • Lascia Ch’io Pianga (Aria from Rinaldo) — Handel
  • Ricercare XVI — Francesco da Milano

Helen Shi-Yuen

  • Tango — Francisco Tárrega

Ray Butler

  • Fantasia X. — Alonso Mudarra
  • Tango en Skai. — Roland Dyens

Parvathi Kumar

  • Aquarelle, Mv II Valseanna — Sergio Assad
  • Preludio (Serie Americana) — Hector Alaya

Ming Chao

  • Madrugada — John Williams

Jeff Griesemer 

  • Canción de Cuna — Leo Brouwer

Gad Berger

  • Unruhu — Johan Kaspar Mertz

Jeffrey Wilt

  • Adelita — Francisco Tarrega (arr. J. Wilt)
  • Lagrima — Francisco Tarrega
  • Evocacion — Jose Luis Merlin

Gary Lee

  • 10,000 Reasons — Matt Redman and Jonas Myrin, arr. G. Lee
  • Nuevos Estudios Sencillos No. 9, Omaggio a Szymanowski — Leo Brouwer