Fall Guitar Studio Recital

Each fall at the Conservatory, I have the students play a public recital instead of playing private juries. It is much more fun for all involved. They get more engaged by the preparations, taking the performance more seriously, as their friends will attend. And instead of sitting alone with them in a classroom, quietly making notes on a "jury sheet," I get to sit in the audience and watch a concert. 

Each student plays 15-20 minutes of music, representative of new material they've studied during the semester. It's a very impressive show! Here is a recap. Unfortunately, as with several of the posts, the pics were taken on an iPhone6, and are predictably blurry. Sometimes I remember to bring my 35mm camera; in those cases, the shots are much better. But better crummy than nothing at all. Two members of the studio were not represented on the program: Brian King, who gave his junior recital earlier this semester, and Stephen Fazio, who is on sick leave, but will return spring semester. The full program is reproduced at the end.

Our program opened with Rebecca Klein. Not only is she playing all-Baroque guitar now, but she performs standing. It is remarkable. She handles the instrument beautifully and renders the style with impressive command. The music of de Visée and le Cocq rang true in the extraordinary acoustical space that is our cherished Fairchild Chapel:

Next up was Collin Sterne, presenting the entire Prelude, Fugue and Allegro plus works of Regondi and Villa-Lobos. He played with confidence and a huge, beautiful sound:

Jonathan Bodian played a range of styles, including works by Bach, Mertz, Villa-Lobos and Brouwer. He demonstrated a compelling and resonant expressive bent in the Mertz and a startling virtuosity in the Brouwer:

Aidan Wiley Lippke played three selections from his lengthy accumulation of newly-learned music, selections from a Bach Cello Suite, a Variations set of Giuliani and a couple of Venezuelan Waltzes by Lauro (the program inadvertently omitted El Marabino). He played with marvelous confidence, beautiful tone and impressive musicianship:

Finally, Mohit Dubey, closed our program with works by Lauro, Regondi and Dyens. His Vals from the Suite Venezolano hopped and danced as much as his Regondi sang. His closer, the irrepressible Fuoco, brought down the house:

Thanks to my students for a superb semester, for playing with such refined musicianship, attention to detail, and instrumental acuity. I look forward to big things next semester, when many of them will give full solo recitals. Until then, Happy Holidays!