That is what I am asking myself these days. I last left you promising to get back to you about the wonderful performances of two exceptional artists: PIA GAZAREK - OFFERMANN AND ANA VIDOVIC! My dear Pia has been anxious to check out my review of her great performances at The New York Classical Guitar Society and The Long Island Guitar Festival. Let me say that it was a rare treat to hear such an incredibly sensitive artist share her immense and deep musicality with us. Her encore of a simple Etude by Fernando Sor transported us into another world as inner voices fluttered like the wings of gentle butterflys! Her masterful performances left all saying "WHY HAVE WE NOT HEARD ABOUT HER"! Her ascent into the limelight has been delayed due to familial obligations setting her career back several times.She now is going full speed ahead and alarming all who hear her because her mastery of both Music and Guitar,will leave you so touched and moved that you will crave more and more. I am presently working on the review of her concerts and will offer you a great glimpse into the mind of a very, very special artist!
ANA VIDOVIC has taken the Classical Guitar world by storm over the last several
years! She is an incredibly gifted artist in every way and what an incredibly beautiful and thoughtful person! I have been lucky to have known her for several years and I even had the care free nerve to ask her to marry me during a concert for the Upstate Classical Guitar Society a couple of years ago! ( I was of course joking but that comment mirroed the thoughts of all the guitar playing/loving males in the room!).Those of you who know me know that I never hold back my thoughts about people who touch me deeply! ANA VIDOVIC deserves every single accolade she has received because it is all true! Take, for instance,her performance at the Long Island Guitar Festival! After completely sending us to heaven with her fantastic concert, she asked the audience "What would you like to hear?". I didn't need to attend her Sunday Masterclass as I have been to a couple over the years and know that she has a gentle and loving way with her students. This woman also has a stage aura that just glows. Every gown I have seen her in has been so beautiful and she looks model perfect in them all! Her beauty is natural and I told her a couple of times over the years that she doesn't need any makeup at all! Let me tell you that she always serves the main intention of each composition she plays. She will not play anything she does not love just to fill out a program. I will relay to you that when she played a concert here in New York a year or so ago , she chose to play some Tarrega because she loves his works. I heard that some people walked out of her concert exclaiming that it was beneath her to play such trivial pieces! I am glad I was not at that concert because I would have given them a piece of my mind. At this time, Dear Ana is incredibly popular because she has it all: Fantastic Viruosity,Top Shelf Musicianship,Great Beauty and Darling personality. I've told her that I hope she never changes because she is such a lovely person and great example of a great artist and warm human being! I am glad she has been a part of my life over the past few years and I hope to continue our friendship till I kick the bucket!
Let me end this post by getting back to you about PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMANN.She will cast a spell on you when you get a chance to experience her mind blowing depth of artistry. This wonderful artist and beautiful human being, will have you travel to every nook and cranie of the musical world.I will be doing my best to have her better known by you all over the next year or so. I have taken my time to write about her because I am trying to figure out what is the best way to open you into her magnificent musical aura! I interviewed her a couple of times during her one week stay here in New York and have so much material that I am slapping my head to make sense of it all.I want to do her justice because she is one of our Classical Guitar World's great treasures! Mark my words: "WE ARE IN THE COMPANY OF GREATNESS IN THE PERSON OF PIA GAZAREK OFFERMANN!". Here I am at 4:36 am Wednesday morning tearing up my keyboard feeling good once again about this wonderful and facinating world of the Classical Guitar. I will not give you a timeline on the final post of the concert reviews of these two exceptional artists as I can't trust myself these days as I drift in and out of depression about the world situations. There is so much that has made me so sad and depressed about the Wars,Oil Spill,Haiti,New Orleans, our so called Leaders and generally people killing and harming each other. I will tell you that at times I feel like ending it all so I don't have to witness yet another bad thing that bumans do to each other, the animals, the earth!! What keeps me from not taking that terrible step is the sanity of MUSIC and the deep and enduring love of my lovely wife! When I yet leave my house for another gig-especially when I really would rather lie in bed and feel sad,I get immediate feedback when I touch the strings of my instrument and do my best to conquer this negative world of ours! On my darkest days, someone always take a second or two to let me know that my music making matters. Being 60 may have a little to do with it in that I have not truly made the mark I want to make in my music,so am in the mist of finally being all that I "Should have been"! Stay tuned because my best is yet to come!! Till next post, may you all keep the child-like wonder for this instrument alive and growing.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
I'm still Around!
It is already the beginning of May! I can't believe that I have been dormant for so long! As I believed I mentioned a while back, I have been looking at my Guitar life and have not been happy at what I have surveyed as I just turned 60 in April ( 6th ). By not being happy, I mean to say that I have been supporting so many of my friends and colleagues by attending their concerts and Festivals and workshops and gigs and neglecting my own career so it is time to concentrate on MY PLAYING! I have been on the Guitar scene since the early 60's playing my butt off starting as a Folk singing Guitarist then getting into the Classical Guitar thanks to Andres Segovia. I had a chance to thank Segovia during an intermission of Michael Lorimer's Debut concert here in New York a few decades ago. I told the Maestro how he converted me from the Classical Piano to the Classical Guitar. He said " MOOWEE BIEN ME AMIGO!YOU CHANGE FROM THEE PIANO TO THEE GEETARRR" MUY BIEN!!
Of course I looked around and people were all pointing to him but no one had the balls to just walk up and say Hello! After all, he is a human being and he doesn't walk on water! Although it was he who introduced me to the lovely world of the Classical Guitar, Julian Bream showed me the most extreme use of tone color which transported me to the land of the Sound Gods! I really miss Julian because he always left his musical guts on the stage when he performed. I always looked forward to what ever instrument he would be performing on as he would make a shoe box with strings sound the the most glorious sounds in heaven!
I have been fortunate to have studied with just about all of the finest I have wanted to study with in my life. I just gave a really nice performance ths past Saturday May 1st , at the public
Library Branch in New Dorp Staten Island. At this time I have no other library Gigs set up as I am trying to work on many new things! I know of so many wonderful works for the Guitar that are being ignored and I will devote the rest of my life on the Guitar bringing forth these gems in my concerts.
Recently, I attended two superb concerts by two outstanding female artists : ANA VIDOVIC and PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMANN. My next post will share the details of these great artists. Those concerts have re-awakened my desire to start up my blog again as they struck me deeply with the depth and beauty of their artistry. Of course, ANA VIDOVIC is on the front burner of the Classical Guitar world due to her great beauty and totally fantastic playing. have followed her for several years now and am proud to call her a friend. She is also one of the finest and sweetest people on the planet! She is totally gracious and warm and giving to the public. She has taken some pot shots from some people because she plays things that she likes and when she plays things like Tarrega , there was some grumbling and I heard some people walked. That is their loss because this young woman is totally comitted to each and every work that goes through her hands! I love her dearly! When she gave her concert recently at the Long Island Guitar Festival, she had the audacity to aks the audience what they wanted to hear! What spunk and graciousness! She has an aura of an exceptional ARTIST and extremely warm human bing! You just want to jump on the stage and hug her! As a matter of fact a few years ago whcn she was the guest artist at the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York , I shouted from the audience " WILL YOU MARRY ME"! This was after she totally melted the audience with her towering virtuosity and sweet stage presence! She must be seen in person even though there is a Concert video of her by Mel Bay available! She is also a exceptionally gifted teacher who knows how to encourage her students with gentility and clarity. More about my dear ANA in the concert post.
PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMANN is another totally phenominally gifted ARTIST who should be up there foremost in the minds of Classical Guitar community because she is one of our greatest living Guitarists but the least known for various reasons! I have been a colleague and friend of hers for a few years now 1st meeting her and her equally great husband THOMAS OFFERMANN at the Yale School a several years ago and then again here in Brooklyn when she was presented by my dear buddy LARS FRANDSEN at Brooklyn College! I was instrumental in securing her for the New York Classical Guitar Society "Second Sunday Concert Series" . She was already contracted to perform at the same Long Island Classical Guitar Festival as ANA VIDOVIC. PIAS' playing is both poetic and deep. Due to familial obligations, her rise to the top of the Classical Guitar world has been held up but once you hear this exceptional artistry, you will be knocked off of your ignorance seat! This woman is so incredible no matter what she touches! Her tone is all that great tone can be! Technique to give away! A great interpreter in the highest realms! I will give you more of the details in the coming blogg of her two excellent performances. I was also lucky to hang with Pia for a few hours during her New York stay and mark my words- You will be hearing quite a bit about this outstanding artist in our near future because I am devoting much energy to making sure she is better known in our Classical Guitar Community. Stay tuned Folks! Glad to be back!~
Donnie Witter
Of course I looked around and people were all pointing to him but no one had the balls to just walk up and say Hello! After all, he is a human being and he doesn't walk on water! Although it was he who introduced me to the lovely world of the Classical Guitar, Julian Bream showed me the most extreme use of tone color which transported me to the land of the Sound Gods! I really miss Julian because he always left his musical guts on the stage when he performed. I always looked forward to what ever instrument he would be performing on as he would make a shoe box with strings sound the the most glorious sounds in heaven!
I have been fortunate to have studied with just about all of the finest I have wanted to study with in my life. I just gave a really nice performance ths past Saturday May 1st , at the public
Library Branch in New Dorp Staten Island. At this time I have no other library Gigs set up as I am trying to work on many new things! I know of so many wonderful works for the Guitar that are being ignored and I will devote the rest of my life on the Guitar bringing forth these gems in my concerts.
Recently, I attended two superb concerts by two outstanding female artists : ANA VIDOVIC and PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMANN. My next post will share the details of these great artists. Those concerts have re-awakened my desire to start up my blog again as they struck me deeply with the depth and beauty of their artistry. Of course, ANA VIDOVIC is on the front burner of the Classical Guitar world due to her great beauty and totally fantastic playing. have followed her for several years now and am proud to call her a friend. She is also one of the finest and sweetest people on the planet! She is totally gracious and warm and giving to the public. She has taken some pot shots from some people because she plays things that she likes and when she plays things like Tarrega , there was some grumbling and I heard some people walked. That is their loss because this young woman is totally comitted to each and every work that goes through her hands! I love her dearly! When she gave her concert recently at the Long Island Guitar Festival, she had the audacity to aks the audience what they wanted to hear! What spunk and graciousness! She has an aura of an exceptional ARTIST and extremely warm human bing! You just want to jump on the stage and hug her! As a matter of fact a few years ago whcn she was the guest artist at the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York , I shouted from the audience " WILL YOU MARRY ME"! This was after she totally melted the audience with her towering virtuosity and sweet stage presence! She must be seen in person even though there is a Concert video of her by Mel Bay available! She is also a exceptionally gifted teacher who knows how to encourage her students with gentility and clarity. More about my dear ANA in the concert post.
PIA GAZAREK-OFFERMANN is another totally phenominally gifted ARTIST who should be up there foremost in the minds of Classical Guitar community because she is one of our greatest living Guitarists but the least known for various reasons! I have been a colleague and friend of hers for a few years now 1st meeting her and her equally great husband THOMAS OFFERMANN at the Yale School a several years ago and then again here in Brooklyn when she was presented by my dear buddy LARS FRANDSEN at Brooklyn College! I was instrumental in securing her for the New York Classical Guitar Society "Second Sunday Concert Series" . She was already contracted to perform at the same Long Island Classical Guitar Festival as ANA VIDOVIC. PIAS' playing is both poetic and deep. Due to familial obligations, her rise to the top of the Classical Guitar world has been held up but once you hear this exceptional artistry, you will be knocked off of your ignorance seat! This woman is so incredible no matter what she touches! Her tone is all that great tone can be! Technique to give away! A great interpreter in the highest realms! I will give you more of the details in the coming blogg of her two excellent performances. I was also lucky to hang with Pia for a few hours during her New York stay and mark my words- You will be hearing quite a bit about this outstanding artist in our near future because I am devoting much energy to making sure she is better known in our Classical Guitar Community. Stay tuned Folks! Glad to be back!~
Donnie Witter
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Back to posting after illness
Hi folks! I am attempting to get back into the swing of things after a very wierd 2009 in which I had a stent put into a vein due to 95% blockage and had also to deal with treatments for prostate cancer. This human body is a great invention but when things go wrong, it is always great to be able to catch it early in the stage.
Since this is my first post of 2010, I felt I should lead off with the reasons for no posts. I have been on the Classical and Jazz Guitar scene since the mid-60's going to workshops,masterclasses,lessons,Concerts like a madman! In 2008 an incident with the Classical Guitar Society of New York broke my heart so I decided to withdraw from the Guitar scene and concentrate on my own development which I have abdicated for decades in order to support my colleagues by attending their concerts and gigs around town. I will be 60 in April and find that I am playing better then ever because I have been using my private library to finally work with the great lessons I have collected over the decades. I am like a little child in a candy store because I am learning so many juicy things about playing this great instrument. Even on the web there is an enormous amount of great lessons for anything you may want to learn. Each of the major Guitar magazines have a site full of videos and lessons so the only thing stopping you is your laziness! As I return to this blogg, I intend to share what I have gathered in order to help you folks get into playing this great instrument. To those of you who know me, I remain a guitar lover of 1st rank. I'm getting back to hitting the workouts so I can live longer in order to accomplish my set goals for Guitar Mastery.
I am in my 14th year as a performing musician of the MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK program sponsored by the New York City Transit Authority and am proud of this achievement. I play year round in the Subway System and other public venues. I don't care what the weather is doing, rain,snow,sun, I make my gigs and am happy to show people what this great instrument can do with its' 6 strings! Even though we are in bad shape economically,I and my fellow artists in the program continue to move forward to add to the positive side of life by sharing our talent with the world. I have been fortunate to have studied with some of the greatest artists in the Guitar world, Classical,Jazz and otherwise.This year I hope to finally update my website which is woefully behind in current information about my most recent exploits. I must take a moment to publically hug my dear wife and life partner Heidi for putting up with me all this years! Especially through thick and thin, we remain in love with each other and I have many times told her how I don't deserve her. This woman is an incredible human being and would hope that you folks out there can be as lucky as I am to share your life with someone so special. Our body shapes have changed over the years but our devotion to each other remains as strong as when we first fell for each other!
Hope this is not too much rambling on. I know that at this point in my life, I want to accomplish all the things I have suspended by supporting my colleagues in their careers. Well as I listen to one of my favorite musicians - RALPH TOWNER who is 70 this year, I am stunned that I was a teenager following Ralph and his group OREGON ( which is 40 years old ! ). To know that I am as old as I am with so many great positive experiences under my life belt, I crave a future of more joyful ones. This coming Saturday, I will be giving a special Valentine's Day concert at the South Beach Branch of the Public Library System in Staten Island. It is a new program and I will be playing my butt off. It starts a 2pm and will be several sweet works to usher in the following days' celebration. See you there! Glad to be back in blogging service!
Since this is my first post of 2010, I felt I should lead off with the reasons for no posts. I have been on the Classical and Jazz Guitar scene since the mid-60's going to workshops,masterclasses,lessons,Concerts like a madman! In 2008 an incident with the Classical Guitar Society of New York broke my heart so I decided to withdraw from the Guitar scene and concentrate on my own development which I have abdicated for decades in order to support my colleagues by attending their concerts and gigs around town. I will be 60 in April and find that I am playing better then ever because I have been using my private library to finally work with the great lessons I have collected over the decades. I am like a little child in a candy store because I am learning so many juicy things about playing this great instrument. Even on the web there is an enormous amount of great lessons for anything you may want to learn. Each of the major Guitar magazines have a site full of videos and lessons so the only thing stopping you is your laziness! As I return to this blogg, I intend to share what I have gathered in order to help you folks get into playing this great instrument. To those of you who know me, I remain a guitar lover of 1st rank. I'm getting back to hitting the workouts so I can live longer in order to accomplish my set goals for Guitar Mastery.
I am in my 14th year as a performing musician of the MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK program sponsored by the New York City Transit Authority and am proud of this achievement. I play year round in the Subway System and other public venues. I don't care what the weather is doing, rain,snow,sun, I make my gigs and am happy to show people what this great instrument can do with its' 6 strings! Even though we are in bad shape economically,I and my fellow artists in the program continue to move forward to add to the positive side of life by sharing our talent with the world. I have been fortunate to have studied with some of the greatest artists in the Guitar world, Classical,Jazz and otherwise.This year I hope to finally update my website which is woefully behind in current information about my most recent exploits. I must take a moment to publically hug my dear wife and life partner Heidi for putting up with me all this years! Especially through thick and thin, we remain in love with each other and I have many times told her how I don't deserve her. This woman is an incredible human being and would hope that you folks out there can be as lucky as I am to share your life with someone so special. Our body shapes have changed over the years but our devotion to each other remains as strong as when we first fell for each other!
Hope this is not too much rambling on. I know that at this point in my life, I want to accomplish all the things I have suspended by supporting my colleagues in their careers. Well as I listen to one of my favorite musicians - RALPH TOWNER who is 70 this year, I am stunned that I was a teenager following Ralph and his group OREGON ( which is 40 years old ! ). To know that I am as old as I am with so many great positive experiences under my life belt, I crave a future of more joyful ones. This coming Saturday, I will be giving a special Valentine's Day concert at the South Beach Branch of the Public Library System in Staten Island. It is a new program and I will be playing my butt off. It starts a 2pm and will be several sweet works to usher in the following days' celebration. See you there! Glad to be back in blogging service!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
There is GOLD on the Newstand! Part 1
I would say there is a wise investment if you look at the newstand for learning material. Over the last year or so I have been feasting on the special dvd/magazine output of some of the Guitar Magazines and will followup this mini-post with the delicious details of my great finds! Some of the great Guitar Virtuosos have been plucked from the pages of some of the leading Guitar Magazines to give you a look into their Guitar houses and let me tell you it is a great feast! I have been learning some great stuff in the area of Shred,Rock and Blues Guitar that has snapped my had back as I watch these 58 year young(soon to be 59)fingers grow extra limbs! This old dog is always learning new tricks and having a ball! There is so much more I want to do on thsi instrument and the time is NOW!!! I'll grab some of my jewels and post in a few!
Donnie
Donnie
CLASSICAL GUITAR MAGAZINE!
In order to stay on top of what is happening in the Classical Guitar World, I anxiously await my monthly copy of Classical Guitar Magazine from England. For the last year or more, we have been honored to see that great magazine on the Barnes and Noble magazine stand and it is also featured in the Linclon Center Reference Library!We,here in New York get an added attraction by having the wide New York Guitar Scene covered by Guitarist/Writer/Composer JULIA CROWE(www.juliacrowe.com)in her monthly column "LETTER FROM NEW YORK". Julia does an excellent job of covering so many diverse Guitar gatherings with such an excellent use of the English Language.Her expertise is very wide ranging as she writes for several Music magazines and I always look forward to her next bit of coverage.We would meet at many of the same events over the last few years and I am so proud at how she covers the beat! It was I who suggested to Maurice that I would love top be the New York reporter as I would cover just about anything having to do with Classical and Jazz Guitar as I have been doing on my own since the 60's.Julia was the perfect choice as the magazine really needed someone with an exceptional command of the English Language. My strong points is a good dose of reality and a view from one who is on the main line performing just about every day of the week in public as a Musician in the "MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK" program sponsored by the New York City Transit Authority.I can get into some gritty reporting but there had to be someone who could meet those deadlines and I usually had too much going on to meet that task so in came the great Julia to add an important addition to this great magazine.
Anyway,(that is the title of the GREAT DVD by Guitarist/Composer/Arranger/Conductor and dear friend ROLAND DYENS) this excellent magazine published by my friend MAURICE SUMMERFIELD hits the mark each month if you are keenly interested in what is happening world wide with our great instrument. I want to do justice to this great publication by writing a followup post about the last few months because you need to really taste the excellent coverage in the pages of my favorite magazine so stay tuned to the Donnie line. I just wanted to touch base with you as I have been neglectful of this little blog and need to get myself back on track. MAURICE SUMMERFIELD should be hugged by us all for delivering such an important magazine to us! THANKS MAURICE AND MAY YOU CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 20 YEARS!!!!
Anyway,(that is the title of the GREAT DVD by Guitarist/Composer/Arranger/Conductor and dear friend ROLAND DYENS) this excellent magazine published by my friend MAURICE SUMMERFIELD hits the mark each month if you are keenly interested in what is happening world wide with our great instrument. I want to do justice to this great publication by writing a followup post about the last few months because you need to really taste the excellent coverage in the pages of my favorite magazine so stay tuned to the Donnie line. I just wanted to touch base with you as I have been neglectful of this little blog and need to get myself back on track. MAURICE SUMMERFIELD should be hugged by us all for delivering such an important magazine to us! THANKS MAURICE AND MAY YOU CONTINUE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 20 YEARS!!!!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
February Downbeat and 75 Guitarists!
Last night I picked up the February issue of DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE with Wes Montgomery on the cover as they have a listing of the 75 most influential Guitarists. Inside it also has a nice copy of Ken Hatfield explaining his 17th Etude taken from his recently published collection of 24 Etudes in all the Major and Minor Keys. He showed me the copy when I attended a private concert by Barbosa Lima and Berta Rojas last year.Ken Hatfield is an outstanding artist who plays every Thursday Night at a restaurant = "FETCH" in Manhattan.WWW.KENHATFIELD.COM is his website for more info! There was also a nice one page lesson by the great MARK ELF.Great thoughts to chew on!
Don
Don
Sunday, January 18, 2009
The GREAT ROLAND DYENS DOES BRAZIL!!
Hello Don,
I'm Russ De Angelo, Roland Dyens' North American Manager. He has told me a little about you and I look forward to meeting you some day.
I'm also a classical guitarist but only and intermediate level. I attended classical guitar classes at USC in LA for two years before moving to the beautiful coast of Central California.
Since you know Roland's work so well, let me tell you about Roland's latest project:
About 6 months ago, he began transcribing the music of the Brazilian musician known as Pixinguinha (1898-1973.) He participated at a prestigious guitar festival in Brazil on October 3rd where he performed the World Premier of these 11 beautiful pieces.
A week later Roland went to San Francisco to record his latest CD. The CD will be released in the next 60 days on the Guitar Solo Publications Label. GSP is also publishing the music scores which will be available when the CD is released.
I am currently promoting this CD and music. Would you be able to help us in some way to get the word out?
Here is a "Concert Program" that I wrote and used for Roland's recent concerts (yes, he actually almost has a set program - of course he'll start with an improv and announce his program from the stage and play some of his "standards," too.)
(I'm attaching my latest Press Release, too. Let me know what you think about all this and if you can help us.)
A Tribute to Pixinguinha
(b. Alfredo da Rocha Vianna Jr. 1898 - d. 1973)
The Genius of Brazilian Popular Music
During Roland Dyens' 2009 concerts, he will perform selections of his arrangements of the music of the Brazilian musician known as Pixinguinha (pronounced, “Pish-En-GUI-Nia”)
Pixinguinha, which translates as “Good little boy,” was a flute virtuoso, pianist and saxophonist. He has been called “The Cole Porter of Brazil” and he is recognized as “The Father of the Chôro.” He is an icon of Brazilian music and his music is enthusiastically played by all musicians in South America.
Dyens performed the World Premier of these arrangements on October 4, 2008 at the Great Theatre of the Arts House in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A week later, they were recorded in San Francisco (USA) on the Guitar Solo Publications Label. The music scores will also be published and available when the CD is released in Feb/Mar, 2009. (gspguitar.com)
CONCERT PROGRAM
Roland Dyens always starts his concerts with an improvisational piece. He will announce his program from the stage. In no particular order, the Pixinguinha pieces he may play are:
Atencioso - (attentive toward someone) - Choro
Carinhoso - (Sweetheart) - Choro Cancao
Desprezado - (a depreciated, undervalued person) - Choro Cancao
Gargalhada - (Hoot of Laughter) - Scottish
Ingênuo - (Naïve) - Choro Cancao
Lamentos - (Laments) - Choro
Naquele Tempo- (In those Times) - Choro Serenata
Oscarina - (slow waltz)
Proezas de Sólon - (Sólon’s Feat) - Choro
Rosa - (slow waltz)
Um a Zero - (One to zero) - This is said to be the final score of a historic soccer match many years ago in Rio de Janerio - Choro Vivo
Roland Dyens plays a Daryl Perry guitar and recommends Savarez strings
Russ De Angelo
North American Management for Roland Dyens: www.rolanddyens.com
PO Box 2308
Pismo Beach, CA 93448-2308
(rddeangelo@aol.com) 805-474-1777
I'm Russ De Angelo, Roland Dyens' North American Manager. He has told me a little about you and I look forward to meeting you some day.
I'm also a classical guitarist but only and intermediate level. I attended classical guitar classes at USC in LA for two years before moving to the beautiful coast of Central California.
Since you know Roland's work so well, let me tell you about Roland's latest project:
About 6 months ago, he began transcribing the music of the Brazilian musician known as Pixinguinha (1898-1973.) He participated at a prestigious guitar festival in Brazil on October 3rd where he performed the World Premier of these 11 beautiful pieces.
A week later Roland went to San Francisco to record his latest CD. The CD will be released in the next 60 days on the Guitar Solo Publications Label. GSP is also publishing the music scores which will be available when the CD is released.
I am currently promoting this CD and music. Would you be able to help us in some way to get the word out?
Here is a "Concert Program" that I wrote and used for Roland's recent concerts (yes, he actually almost has a set program - of course he'll start with an improv and announce his program from the stage and play some of his "standards," too.)
(I'm attaching my latest Press Release, too. Let me know what you think about all this and if you can help us.)
A Tribute to Pixinguinha
(b. Alfredo da Rocha Vianna Jr. 1898 - d. 1973)
The Genius of Brazilian Popular Music
During Roland Dyens' 2009 concerts, he will perform selections of his arrangements of the music of the Brazilian musician known as Pixinguinha (pronounced, “Pish-En-GUI-Nia”)
Pixinguinha, which translates as “Good little boy,” was a flute virtuoso, pianist and saxophonist. He has been called “The Cole Porter of Brazil” and he is recognized as “The Father of the Chôro.” He is an icon of Brazilian music and his music is enthusiastically played by all musicians in South America.
Dyens performed the World Premier of these arrangements on October 4, 2008 at the Great Theatre of the Arts House in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A week later, they were recorded in San Francisco (USA) on the Guitar Solo Publications Label. The music scores will also be published and available when the CD is released in Feb/Mar, 2009. (gspguitar.com)
CONCERT PROGRAM
Roland Dyens always starts his concerts with an improvisational piece. He will announce his program from the stage. In no particular order, the Pixinguinha pieces he may play are:
Atencioso - (attentive toward someone) - Choro
Carinhoso - (Sweetheart) - Choro Cancao
Desprezado - (a depreciated, undervalued person) - Choro Cancao
Gargalhada - (Hoot of Laughter) - Scottish
Ingênuo - (Naïve) - Choro Cancao
Lamentos - (Laments) - Choro
Naquele Tempo- (In those Times) - Choro Serenata
Oscarina - (slow waltz)
Proezas de Sólon - (Sólon’s Feat) - Choro
Rosa - (slow waltz)
Um a Zero - (One to zero) - This is said to be the final score of a historic soccer match many years ago in Rio de Janerio - Choro Vivo
Roland Dyens plays a Daryl Perry guitar and recommends Savarez strings
Russ De Angelo
North American Management for Roland Dyens: www.rolanddyens.com
PO Box 2308
Pismo Beach, CA 93448-2308
(rddeangelo@aol.com) 805-474-1777
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
