Classical Guitar Festival and Competition

Please check back soon for details on the 4th Annual Salisbury University Classical Guitar Festival and Competition.

April 21, 2012

• Playing competitions
• Masterclasses
• Ensemble
• final concert by the Newman and Oltman duo

Review of the 2011 Guitar Festival:

The 3rd annual Salisbury University Classical Guitar Festival and Competition was a great success! Thank you to all participants, parents and teachers who traveled from Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Wisconsin and even Germany for a day of masterclasses, playing competitions and ensemble work. Thank you all for your enthusiasm and commitment.

The first event was the fabulous solo concert by Robert Trent on Friday, April 8 in the Wicomico Public Library. Alternating between playing a modern guitar and a 10-string Scherzer, Robert delighted the audience with his performances of La Source du Lyson, Op. 47 by Napoleon Coste, Fantasie Elegiaque, Op. 59 by Fernando Sor, Sonata III by Manuel Ponce, and “Le Gondolier” and “Fantaisie Hongroise” from Trois Morceaux, Op. 65 by Johann Kaspar Mertz.

Saturday began with a finger aerobics class led by Dr. Danielle Cumming. This was followed by masterclasses taught by Cumming and guest teachers Javier Calderon, Thomas Kirchhoff, Robert Trent and Douglas Seth. Zoe Johnstone Stewart taught the Guitar from Scratch class for beginners, and led a workshop for parents on “Practicing with your Child”.

All players shone in the performance competitions and the judges were very impressed with the high level of playing. In each of the age categories awards were given for first and second place, with a special prize given for the best performance of a work by a living composer. In the 11 and Under category the first place winner was Katie Cho who won a guitar from the Kirkpatrick Guitar Studio. Second place and the special prize were won by Harshal Shaw. In the 12-15 age category the winners were Jonathan Maranville (1st), Christian Sweger (2nd), Holden Sweger (special prize) and in the 16-18 age group the winners were Nicole Bonan (1st), Jacob Kelsey (2nd), and Loc Tran (honorable mention). In all, over $2500 in prizes was awarded.

The festival concluded with a concert, the first half of which featured two guitar ensembles. The first was the Festival Ensemble who performed Frieze, a work commissioned by the 2011 Festival and conducted by the composer, Dr. Jerry Tabor. Sitting in a circle around in the Great Hall perimeter balcony, the guitarists used extended experimental techniques to create waves of sound which spilled onto the audience below. This was followed by the Loudoun County (VA) Youth Guitar Orchestra directed by Dr. Miroslav Loncar, who demonstrated great polish and musicianship, performing Symphony No. 3 by Luka Sorkocevic.

The featured performer was esteemed guitarist Javier Calderon who has a special relationship with Salisbury University, having been the guitar instructor to President Dr. Janet Dudley-Eshbach when she was a student at Indiana University. Dr. Dudley-Eshbach’s generous support made Mr. Calderon's visit to campus possible. Mr. Calderon performed works by Abel Carlevaro, J.S Bach, Henry Purcell, Eduardo Falu, Eduardo Caba and concluded with Torre Bermeja by Isaac Albeniz, bringing the audience to its feet in a tremendous standing ovation.

Thank you to the donors and sponsors who helped make this festival possible:

• The D’Addario Foundation
• Salisbury Wicomico Arts Council
• The Salisbury University Office of the President
• The Salisbury University Music Department
• Mike Kirkpatrick, Kirkpatrick Guitar Studio, Baltimore MD
• David Pace, luthier, Baltimore MD
• David Hepple, Oasis, Columbia MD
• Col. Donald Stegman, private donor, Ocean Pines MD
• Rise Up Coffee, Salisbury MD
• and the many SU staff, students and volunteers.

Please check back here in the fall for details on the 2012 Festival.

See you then!

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