A dream Concert by Two Great young kids !

Weill Recital Hall,at Carnegie Hall,hosted two exceptional Prize Winning Classical Guitarists this past Thursday evening and for those of you who missed it,you missed one of the finest displays of great musicianship and virtuosity I have seen in my lifetime. Both young winners had their own individual stamp and their chosen instruments really suited their different characters. The wonderful Swedish Guitarist,JOHANNES MOLLER performed on a 2 week young CHRISTOPHER DEAN Spruce top that did everything JOHANNES requested of it! From my seat in front row balcony,the sound was crystal clear.I did not catch the make of the other young master, Mexican Virtuoso CECILIO PERERA, who played a Cedar top instrument that perfectly attacked the air with a vibrant tone,boldly articulating the powerful program presented.
I actually found out about the concert while attending the Masterclasses at The Manhattan School of Music, of legendary PEPE ROMERO. In the lobby, I saw the poster for the concert and wrote it down in my notebook.

TALE OF TWO VERY DIFFERENT APPROACHES

I thoroughly enjoyed both the programs presented by these two young Masters. CECILIO PERERA,started off the first half with a totally outrageously brilliant performance of the Leo Brouwer Sonata that KICKED SERIOUS GUITAR BUTT!! I heard the 3rd movement the day before at a special presentation at the Mannes School of Music and just about fell off my chair - his interpretation was like a savage beast clawing into the room with SO MUCH ENERGY AND ELECTRICITY!!W H E W !!!This Sonata was written for one of my greatest loved Guitarists-JULIAN BREAM-and I must admit that this kid had an attack and ferociousness that kicked my man JULIAN a little to the curb. He then followed that up with a totally NON BREAMIAN interpretation of the 5 Bagatelles of William Walton- again reaching into the well known JULIAN BREAM BAG of goodies but CECILIOS' interpretation was no slave to the BREAMIAN MANTLE! I loved each and every Bagatelle as CECILIO gave each it's own space and had such exquisite phrasing and tonal ideas that showed we had an intelligent interpreter at work.How many times have people copied Breams interpretation instead of imbuing their own intelligent thoughts about the works!CECILIO ended this triumphant first half of the program with an heroic and bold interpretation of the great Sonata op. 47 of ALBERTO GINASTERA! I have worked a little on this monster when it first came out through the hands of my former coach Carlos Barbosa Lima and attended a Masterclass in which he taught the piece.The GUITAR REVIEW also printed Carlos' Masterclass on the Sonata many years ago.This work is a tough baby to crack! It opens up with some juicy 6 string slow arpeggios and trills to slowly get into a mystical mood with each movement leading to that BOMBASTIC FINALE that calls on only the BRAVE AT HEART to attack as Ginastera pulls no punches in bringing up every conceivable Rhythm from the Argentine Pampas that rips your nails and just about breaks your wrist.We even get a little play of strings behind the nut of the guitar plus some body blows.Technically and interpretively there is a lot going on in these four movements.
CECILIO played the killer last movement like he was going for a little stroll in the park-such is his supreme technical equipment!! For his one encore, he stated that he was going to play play "Another piece by Brouwer-but unlike the previous composition". He then melted the audience with a sublime and deeply moving interpretation of the popular "A Day in November". This Brouwer piece is like a movie theme and so many rush to play it. This performance of it was the best I have heard - PERIOD! The use of vibrato and Rubato showed the audience that not only could he boldly scare the crap out of you with his demonic like attack when needed, it was as though he said - CHECK THIS OUT! YES! I can caress your heart and make you say OOOOHHHHHHHH MMMYYYYY!! This is the sign of a great artist who lives the music and can thoroughly transmit the essence of each work he touches. BRAVO YOUNG MAESTRO. If you want to melt your aural heart and grasp the power of attack, just check out this great young man on YOU TUBE!

Poetry and a Suave Swedish Master!

As mentioned,this concert presented two totally different approaches to our great and noble instrument and this young Swedish Champion dazzled the audience with a totally different stay on the concert platform as his half concentrated on several of his own compositions which was MYSTICAL and OTHER WORLDLY! Again, I thoroughly enjoyed everything JOHANNES performed as he brought absolutely gorgeous sounds from his two week young CHRISTOPHER DEAN SPRUCE TOP!He has his own compositional voice that sometimes concentrated on brushing across 6 string arpeggios against a repeated base but also had him magically interspersing harmonics both natural and artificial at appropriate points in his thematic development.His compositions have you expanding your aural senses to include the Universe as a fit place for the music to land!The program presented three of his compositions plus LAMENTO-SCHERZO by Canadian Composer DENIS GOUGEON, which was the commissioned competition piece for the 2010 GFA Competition won by JOHANNES.As his bow to a 'familiar' piece,he performed an exquisite interpretation of UN SUENO EN LA FLORESTA by Paraguyan Virtuoso/Composer AUGUSTINE BARRIOS MANGORE. This piece is a gem when the performer has total command of that elusive guitar technique- The Tremolo! JOHANNES has one of the most beautiful tremolos I have ever heard. Varying intensities and at times fluttering like the wings of a butterfly! Totally perfect tempo and tender nuance!His encore was his own composition "A Star in the Sky,A Universe within". Before he sat down to perform this lovely piece (also on You Tube),he mentioned that he had a DVD and 2 Cd's Available-Perfect promotion! Again,I refer you to YOU TUBE where you will find several videos of this excellent young artist including some of his original pieces performed as only he can.I spent some time congratulating his father at the reception and thanked his father for nurturing such a special young artist!

You should post these names on your cell phones or computers to know that you must jump to wherever these young vibrant and special artists are playing! DON'T MISS THEM!!!! THEY ARE GREAT!!!

I must also thank The D'Addario foundation for relaunching this series and making it affordable to the public which resulted in almost a full house for these two deserving young greats! I must also thank the following great people who added their great touches in bringing off this wonderful evening of musical joy for my dear noble instrument: MICHAEL NEWMAN & LAURA OLTMAN,LAURIE SHULMAN,MICAELA PITTALUGA,DAN MCDANIEL MANAGEMENT TEAM,LYNN MCGRATH,THOMAS OFFERMANN,BEN VERDERY,THE STAFF OF CARNEGIE AND WEILL HALL,THE D'ADDARIO CONCERT SERIES TEAM.

I must also say that I loved the format of the program.It was very attractive and the notes on the compositions were perfectly welcome. I always read them after the performance of the works so not to be swayed or conscious of what to look for. Music should be experienced and not made to be an intellectual exercise.Also check out the interesting interviews with JOHANNES on You Tube! Hope I have not overstayed my posting visit but I needed to give just due to such wonderful young people who make me proud that I love this great instrument.The future of the Classical Guitar is assured of success when we have these kids leading the way! THANKS CECILIO and JOHANNES. The world is yours!!!