Thursday, February 9, 2012
Donnie in Concert This Saturday at Aguilar Public Library 2pm
I will be giving a Latin American Guitar Recital this Saturday at 2pm at the Aguilar Public Library in Manhattan. 174 East 110Th Street (Between Lexington and 3rd avenue) Phone=212-534-2930.Admission is free and it will last at least an hour.Works by Riera,Cardoso,Yupanqui,Morel and others. Since this is Black History month, I will end with some Jazz Standards. Hope to see you there.In my next post, I will list my upcoming Public Library Concerts over the next few months.Stay Tuned to the Donnie Channel.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Another fantastic Artist-ANNA LIKHACHEVA
JUMP on YOU TUBE and witness another unbelievable talent. You can see videos of her when she is a little kid playing.You have gotta check out ANNA LIKHACHEVA!!!!
W H E W !
W H E W !
Sunday, February 5, 2012
MARCH 15TH AT WEILL RECITAL-TWO MORE SUPER YOUNG ARTISTS
D'ADDARIO WILL PRESENT ANOTHER CONCERT OF TWO MORE INTERNATIONAL GUITAR COMPETITION WINNERS - EDEL MUNOZ FROM CUBA AND ROVSHAN MAMEDKULIEV FROM RUSSIA AT WEILL RECITAL ON MARCH 15TH. IT'S 1:26AM MONDAY MORNING AND I AM PRESENTLY VIEWING AND LISTENING TO THE COMPETITION VIDEO OF MR.MUNOZ-Beautiful playing!Clean and musical.Next I will check out Mr. Mamedkuliev.Just checked him out and he is also worth the trip to the box office. Boy- I tell you there are so many of these kids all over the world who have it all together.Technique and musicianship. The Conservatories are doing one hell of a great job.There are so many!! Well, I will continue to report on what I see and hear. Here in New York, the students at The Manhattan School of Music and Mannes School of Music have some really superb young kids just getting ready to strut their stuff. I will get a list and tell you about them in the future ok!
If there is a video of them performing,why show up to the concert hall? Because we should support our young artists in their performance environment. We get a feel for them as breathing human beings transmitting music directly to us. Pus we may have some nice surprises.Maybe we can get a few pointers either on repertoire or technical tidbits.It is also fun to discuss the program with fellow audience members. Maybe a new piece will catch our eyes and minds or an interpretation may shed light on a familiar piece causing us to say HHMMM!That's' interesting! Also we must not forget that the live concert is something that is really special and must be experienced in itself.
If there is a video of them performing,why show up to the concert hall? Because we should support our young artists in their performance environment. We get a feel for them as breathing human beings transmitting music directly to us. Pus we may have some nice surprises.Maybe we can get a few pointers either on repertoire or technical tidbits.It is also fun to discuss the program with fellow audience members. Maybe a new piece will catch our eyes and minds or an interpretation may shed light on a familiar piece causing us to say HHMMM!That's' interesting! Also we must not forget that the live concert is something that is really special and must be experienced in itself.
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!!!
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!!!
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Another great not mentioned - ROBERTO AUSSEL
Since I have been on the Guitar scene so long, I am having a feast on YOU TUBE by being able to visit so many of my Guitar Heros and one of them is the super virtuoso ROBERTO AUSSEL! I am listening to him right now remembering how awesome he is! He is playing is FREIDERICH and as always,sounding great! He is playing a concert of all Atahualpa Yupanqui works. I was just visiting with Yupanqui videos as I will be playing a couple of his works next Saturday in Concert. Back to the great ROBERTO AUSSEL. Get a taste of this great on YOU TUBE!
THE BRAZIL GUITAR DUO = AGAIN
I can't say enough about two outrageously gifted artists - THE BRAZIL GUITAR DUO! When you have a question "Who will follow the ASSAD DUO"? Here they are here- JOAO LUIZ and DOUGLAS LORA.As I write this post, I have them,playing one of their YOU TUBE Videos and their fresh interpretive skills just "BOWL ME OVER"!! I know I have posted about them a while ago but great things have to be reemphasised especially sine I run into Joao at Mannes every time I attend a concert there.Go on YOU TUBE to experience these two great artists in action! You will be mesmerized by their FANTASTIC ARTISTRY!!!!
Don - Still crazy after all these years!!!
Don - Still crazy after all these years!!!
Report on Weill Recital Hall coming up!!
Within the next couple of days, I will follow up on that FANTASTIC Weill Recital Hall Concert of those two highly Gifted Young men presented by the D'Daddario Sting Company! I would first love to publically thank D'Daddario for just about filling the hall due to their offering tickets at affordable prices! I will be 62 in April and have been on the Classical and Jazz Guitar Scene since 1962 and have studied with the best of the best and heard the best in the world as they traveled through New York and I feel like a kid in my teens- STILL HUNGRY FOR SOME GREAT GUITAR PLAYING AFTER ALL THESE YEARS! I cry when I know a great player is in town and get a piss poor audience!In this case, I was so happy to see and almost sold out house for these two exceptionally gifted young tigers! Of course lucky me caught them twice this week and I will have to publicly thank MARK GREENBERG for telling me about the special Mannes event on Wednesday, THANKS MARK!! This post is just to touch base with you folks as my head is spinning from the amount of Guitar Concerts I have been to over the last two weeks and I believe I will be going tonight to another. I have had to slow down my event hopping a bit but I happy to receive the good feedback from my work. I receive no money for this but feel it important that my life here on the Guitar planet means something. I want only the best for my lovely instrument - the Guitar and hope that you too aspire to do the same. Speak to you soon and keep working on your guitars!!!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Two Young Contest Winners to Play At Weill Recital Hall tomorrow February 2nd
I was fortunate today to be at the MANNES SCHOOL OF MUSIC, where they held a private "for students" presentation of a 20 minute film about the History of The MICHELE PITTALUGA INTERNATIONAL GUITAR COMPETITION and on hand were two superb young virtuosos : CECILIO PERERA ( 2011 Michele Pittaluga Winner) and JOHANNES MOLLER(2010 GFA 1st Prize).Both brilliant young men will be in concert at the Weill Recital Hall tomorrow night Thursday February 2nd at 8pm, presented by The D'addario String Company. While having a little computer snafu delay the proceedings, as usual my buddy Michael Newman, with the help of some computer savvy students sent us on our merry stay in Goldmark Hall as we had a chance to taste the excellent Techniques and musicianship of these two extraordinary young men.I suggest you turn on your YOU TUBE channel and feast on the existing videos exposing the exploita of these seasoned artists! You will find more than enough examples of greatness. For their pre concert visit, they both played two pieces and answered questions about warm up procedures.
CECILIO PERERA played the third movement from Leo Brouwers'Sonata with an absolutely monstrous technical facility that knocked us all out! His second piece was "Son de La Negra by Blas Galindo/ transcribed by Julio Cesar Oliva. You can find a performance of both Cecilio and Julio on You Tube. Cecilio also treated us to his warm up exercises that were very interesting.I'll have to pick my brains for a future detailed report as I did not carry my usual 4 pens and notebook. His articulation was really something to behold! Bold and clean~!!By the way Cecilio is from Mexico.
The young Swedish Virtuoso and 2010 GFA FOUNDATION 1st Prize Winner JOHANNES MOLLER, played an original composition that was "Out of this world" lovely exposing an extremely sensitive and powerful technique which was followed by that beautiful tremolo piece,JULIA FLORIDA by the equally fabulous Guitarist/Composer Augustin Barrios Mangore. That tremolo of Johannes was simply a joy to behold how it fluttered like a butterfly and was so elastic! One of the finest tremolos I have ever heard on our great instrument. Even though I am scheduled for a gig before their concert tomorrow night, I will cut my last hour so I can drop off my rig and get to the hall in time to check out these two wonderful kids in action. I tell you that I fall in love with this instrument every time someone steps up to the performance plate and delivers a musical and or technical "home run" like these two young men did! In the audience,the "CREAM OF THE CROP" of Mannes students were on hand to nourish their thoughts. Johannes had his father with him - who is a flautist. I also had a chance to check out a Greg Byers guitar that Johannes had for sale.Nice Guitar. We must also extend a good hug and thanks to the daughter of Michele Pittaluga for giving us such an excellent lecture about the History of the Guitar and Composition Competition started by her Father. The Composer side is about 10 years old while the initial Guitar Competition is 45 years old- W O W ! In these times of short lived and poorly funded Musical Events, this is surely a miracle whcih can only be achieved by always having only the best minds and passions for our beloved Guitar at work! CONGRATULATIONS to the PITTALUGA FAMILY and Artistic director ALIRIO DIAZ!!!! Check out Aliro Diaz on YOU TUBE! WHAT A GREAT ONE!!!!
CECILIO PERERA played the third movement from Leo Brouwers'Sonata with an absolutely monstrous technical facility that knocked us all out! His second piece was "Son de La Negra by Blas Galindo/ transcribed by Julio Cesar Oliva. You can find a performance of both Cecilio and Julio on You Tube. Cecilio also treated us to his warm up exercises that were very interesting.I'll have to pick my brains for a future detailed report as I did not carry my usual 4 pens and notebook. His articulation was really something to behold! Bold and clean~!!By the way Cecilio is from Mexico.
The young Swedish Virtuoso and 2010 GFA FOUNDATION 1st Prize Winner JOHANNES MOLLER, played an original composition that was "Out of this world" lovely exposing an extremely sensitive and powerful technique which was followed by that beautiful tremolo piece,JULIA FLORIDA by the equally fabulous Guitarist/Composer Augustin Barrios Mangore. That tremolo of Johannes was simply a joy to behold how it fluttered like a butterfly and was so elastic! One of the finest tremolos I have ever heard on our great instrument. Even though I am scheduled for a gig before their concert tomorrow night, I will cut my last hour so I can drop off my rig and get to the hall in time to check out these two wonderful kids in action. I tell you that I fall in love with this instrument every time someone steps up to the performance plate and delivers a musical and or technical "home run" like these two young men did! In the audience,the "CREAM OF THE CROP" of Mannes students were on hand to nourish their thoughts. Johannes had his father with him - who is a flautist. I also had a chance to check out a Greg Byers guitar that Johannes had for sale.Nice Guitar. We must also extend a good hug and thanks to the daughter of Michele Pittaluga for giving us such an excellent lecture about the History of the Guitar and Composition Competition started by her Father. The Composer side is about 10 years old while the initial Guitar Competition is 45 years old- W O W ! In these times of short lived and poorly funded Musical Events, this is surely a miracle whcih can only be achieved by always having only the best minds and passions for our beloved Guitar at work! CONGRATULATIONS to the PITTALUGA FAMILY and Artistic director ALIRIO DIAZ!!!! Check out Aliro Diaz on YOU TUBE! WHAT A GREAT ONE!!!!
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