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Portland Classic Guitar
is proud to announce its 2009-2010 concert
series. Now in its fifth year, this
one-of-a-kind program (directed by PCG
proprietor William Jenks) runs from October 2009
to October 2010, and features ten concerts. Each
is an unparalleled opportunity for Portland-area
music fans to experience world-renowned
classical guitarists – many of whom rarely
travel to Portland (and some of whom rarely
travel to the United States) – in one of three
fantastic settings. In addition, Jenks continues
his commitment to music education by scheduling
master classes to accompany many of these
concerts.
This year’s schedule is distinguished by two
rather astonishing bookings, both of which raise
the bar on a series that is already well on the
way to becoming a Portland-area cultural
institution. The first is the eagerly
anticipated reunion of guitarist Angel Romero
with the Romeros, the family-based guitar group
that he helped found. Rightly called the “Royal
Family of the Guitar” – not least because of
their invention and perfection of the guitar
quartet format – this ensemble is the world’s
only dynasty of guitar virtuosi (composer
Joaquin Roderigo referred to them as “the grand
masters of the guitar”). Angel Romero has not
performed with the Romeros since the 1970s – but
on January 22, 2010, he rejoins them for this
special PCG concert, which will in turn be the
world premiere of a quintet version of the
group, as well as the kickoff engagement for a
national tour. This concert promises to be a
must-see event.
The other standout booking this season will also
be the first Oregon appearance of an artist who
needs no introduction, but whose US concertizing
has been, unfortunately, all-too-rare: the
legendary John Williams. Arguably the greatest
living guitarist in the world – and one of those
rare guitarists who is well-loved by many who
are not otherwise fans of the genre – Williams
will be appearing in the series on October 22,
2010. Again, Williams needs no introduction,
though it should be noted that he studied with
Segovia; has worked with such luminaries as
Julian Bream, Itzhak Perlman, Andre Previn, Cleo
Laine, John Dankworth and Daniel Barenboim; and
records for Sony Classical. Again, a concert not
to be missed.
Both the Romeros and John Williams will be
appearing at the brand new Rolling Hills
Community Church in Tualatin – a venue that
features great acoustics, excellent parking, and
comfortable seating for up to 2500 people. But
another portion of the 2009-2010 PCG season will
take place at the First Congregational Church,
in downtown Portland (this stellar venue hosted
last season’s sold-out performance by Angel
Romero and Elliot Fisk).
Perhaps the best known of the artists to be
featured in this second venue is Grammy-winner
David Russell, who is both critically acclaimed
(the New York Times called him “a talent of
extraordinary dimension”) and an audience
favorite. Russell will be performing on April
20, 2010 (and offering a master class on
Wednesday, April 21). Rising star Ana Vidovic
will precede Russell on November 14, 2009 (with
a master class on Friday, November 13). A former
student of Manuel Barrueco, and one of the
youngest guitar virtuosos in the world (she was
also the youngest student to attend the
prestigious National Musical Academy in her
native Croatia), Vidovic has been wowing
audiences internationally since she was 11. In
her short career, she has already given over one
thousand public performances.
Rounding out the First Congregational Church
portion of the 2009-2010 PCG series are two
other in-demand artists. First is Portland-based
Latin American guitarist Alfredo Muro (appearing
on May 22, 2010). Originally from Peru, Mr. Muro
specializes in a wide range of musical styles,
though he has a particular love for Brazilian
music. Among other honors, he was the featured
artist at the Kennedy Center for the Millennium
Concert Series in Washington D.C. And finally,
there is the Acoustic Guitar Summit, featuring
Grammy-winning guitarists Doug Smith, Mark
Hanson, and Terry Rob (appearing on September
11, 2010). This group, widely recognized as one
of the premiere fingerstyle ensembles in the
country, will perform a program of blues, jazz,
folk, and pop pieces.
The remaining concerts in the 2009-2010 PCG
series will be held in Milwaukie, in Jenks’
well-known teaching studio – providing a rare
opportunity to hear world-class music in a more
intimate and engaging space. First up (October
2, 2009) is the Paris Guitar Duo, an exciting
French group featuring Judicaël Perroy and
Jeremy Jouve – two recent Guitar Foundation of
America First Prize winners, and each a highly
sought-after artist in his own right. Another
new pairing, well known on the concert circuit
for their performances of works by composers
like François de Fossa and Antoine de Lhoyer, is
the Italian group SoloDuo, featuring Lorenzo
Micheli and Matteo Mela (February 26, 2010). The
other two PCG-based concerts of the season are
equally promising: Duo Spiritoso, featuring
Jeffery McFadden and Dr. Andrew Zohn (June 5,
2010), have made a name for themselves in part
by exploring the oeuvre of such diverse
composers as Rossini, Vivaldi, Bartok, Sergio
Assad, and Celso Machado. And Gabriel Bianco
(March 20, 2010) has won numerous awards
(including the 2008 Guitar Foundation of America
International Solo Competition – the prize for
which was the 50-concert tour that brings him to
Portland) and has been featured in over 30 music
festivals.
In
short, with the announcement of the 2009-2010
PCG concert series, Jenks continues to raise the
artistic and cultural profile of the Portland
area. Each event promises to be a one-of-a-kind
experience. These performances will sell out, so
please consider purchasing tickets in advance.
Season passes are also available. |
