Oberlin student Damian Goggans saved his “sophomore recital” for the beginning of his junior year, making it our first guitar event of the season. Damian programmed a delightful array of pieces, making for a compelling evening. His friends and supporters came out in great numbers, making for a loud and joyous feel in Kulas Recital Hall.

Damian opened with three short, gentle works by Tarrega, showing immediately his beautiful tone and lyrical sensibility.

He followed with several movements from Bach’s second cello suite, demonstrating a fine sense of the rhythmic character of the dances.

From there, he turned to Leo Brouwer for an outing in a more modern language, the beloved Elogio de la Danza. He delivered the varied gestures with confidence and purpose. The crowd loved it.

Giuliani then took center stage, with one of the most interesting and virtuosic of the variations sets, his Op 149. The audience went crazy.

Scott Jopin’s most famous rag followed, in a delightful solo guitar arrangement: the Maple Leaf Rag. Damian got the syncopated rhythms and tempo just right. The audience was tapping their feet and smiling. Finally, he played the three-movement Mexican piece, Aires de Son, by Gerardo Tamez. The audience erupted into a standing ovation.

This was an auspicious start to Damian’s third year at Oberlin. We look forward to another solo program in the spring: his Junior Recital! The full program is at the end of the post.

Damian and his family in a celebratory mood, after the concert.

Damian’s first guitar teacher, Erik Mann, came too. He is Executive Director of the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society and an old friend. Here were are together, after the show: