Benjamin Verdery at Oberlin
Back row: Caeli Massey, Stephen Fazio, Benjamin Verdery, Rebecca Klein, Collin Sterne, Craig Slagh, Aidan Wiley Lippke, JH, Archie Velasquez. Front row: Brian King, Stephen Aron, Mohit Dubey.
Benjamin Verdery has been my guest at Oberlin (and at the University of Akron) numerous times over the years. He is perhaps my most frequent repeat guest. We met as students (both playing at a master class Manuel Barrueco gave in Connecticut in 1978), and have been in close touch ever since. I love his irrepressible enthusiasm for music, his intense creative spark, his colorful approach to playing the guitar, his unique programming choices and his joyful embrace of all that we do. He is a favorite with the students, as his classes are engaging and informative, both. In short, it will not be his last visit!
His concert was terrific, featuring his own music, works written for him, classical 20th century pieces and original arrangements of classical music. Here are some shots from his visit. His program is at the end of the post.
Ben describes his next piece.
Ben waxes rhapsodic.
Digging in.
Ok, that was cool.
A moment of poetry.
And, well, that shot is self-explanatory.
Freshman, Craig Slagh played a variations set by Giuliani.
Senior, Brian King played the Passacaglia from Rodrigo's Three Spanish Pieces
Senior, Rebecca Klein played a Chaconne by Francesco Guerau on the Baroque guitar.
Senior, Stephen Fazio played a variations set by Luigi Legnani.
Finally, Sophomore Aidan Wiley Lippke played Barrios' La Catedral.
At our customary after-hours hang, the Feve. Left-to-right: Philip Lutz '15 (visiting), Stephen Aron, Aidan Wiley Lippke, Mohit Dubey, Craig Slagh, Benjamin Verdery, Brian King and Stephen Fazio.