Corvallis Guitar Society Events in October 2024

Bringing Local Guitarists Out of the Woodwork

  • Our next Guitar Society Meeting is on Monday October 7th , 2024 (first Monday of the month) at Odd Fellows Hall and will begin at 7:15 pm ; free and open to the public.
  • Peter Zisa is our Featured Artist guitarist, and will also have some music together with flutist Gabriela Gimenes😊
  • Isaac Engle will be running the Ensemble Session; the music scores are available (see below) and any one of you will be delighted to join in and play. And all three pieces are provided by Andrew Forrest. 😊
  • The Open Stage is an opportunity for anyone to play classical guitar music – beginners, intermediate, and advanced!
  • The After School Guitar Program is going to take place on Monday October 7th at 6:00pm run by Isaac Engel, and on Monday 21st at 7:00pm run by Jacob Ripley.

Our next monthly meeting is on Monday, October 7th, 7:15pm – 9:15pm
Venue: Odd Fellows Hall, 223 SW 2nd St, Corvallis
Free & Open to the Public

The Agenda
7:15 – 7:20 pm Welcome
7:20 – 7:50 pm Open Guitar Ensemble: See below for the Guitar Ensemble music – everyone is welcome to play in the group!
7:50 – 8:20 pm Open Stage: beginners, intermediates, and advanced guitarists are all welcome to come and share their music with us.
8:20 – 8:30 pm BREAK and Refreshments
8:30 – 9:15 pm Peter Zisa and Gabriela Gimenes 😊

Dr. Peter Joseph Zisa is an acclaimed classical guitar performer who has performed across the country and abroad for over 50 years. The distinctive quality of his performances has been described by critics and fans as “poetic, moving, exciting, engaging, authentic, powerfully expressive, and musical.” His high-performance standard and remarkable stylistic versatility add to his exceptionalness as a performer.
Peter Joseph Zisa is an award-winning performer on the six and eight string guitar. Reviewers and audiences across the U.S. and abroad describe Zisa’s musicianship as “dynamic, sensitive, authentic, inspiring and emotionally expressive”.
Peter is very supportive of the Corvallis Guitar Society and it’s great to have him come relatively often. 😊

Gabriela Gimenes
 Gabriela was an adjutant professor at University of Mobile, Harding University and Brookhaven College, as well as chair of the Online Music department at Universidade Metropolitana de Santos. She has played with Sao Paulo Youth Wind Symphony, Conway Symphony Orchestra, Orquestra Academica do Estado de São Paulo, Fiddler on the Roof Production in São Paulo Brazil, as well as flute substitute for Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, USP Symphony Orquestra, and Theatro São Pedro Symphony Orchestra.
She is an artist for Sopro Novo Project at Yamaha Musical do Brasil. Gabriela has published a Flute notebook through Ricordi for Yamaha Musical do Brasil in 2013. Currently she is performing with Choro da Alegria and Peter Ziza flute guitar duo in Portland, OR.
–  Bravo 😊

Open Guitar Ensemble
Isaac Engel is running the Open Guitar Ensemble in which anyone is welcome to participate.
When you look at the pieces, decide which part you wish to play, and maybe let Isaac know ahead of time – his email is [email protected] and bring the music with you to the Guitar Society meeting.

Here are the Three pieces of music for the ensemble session:

Two of the three pieces for guitar ensemble are available from Andrew Forrest.

Ensemble Scores & Parts:

  1. A little Sadness – Aramaki, Michio Score https://ks15.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/7/70/IMSLP525329-PMLP848755-Abens09-S.pdf
    Parts https://ks15.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/8/8f/IMSLP525436-PMLP848755-Abens09-P.pdf
    notes: this piece is larger and more challenging than usual, so please read through ahead of the meeting. It’s a lovely piece, and I’m excited for us to play it!
  2. Champagnoise – Andrew Forrest
    Score & Parts
    https://www.forrestguitarensembles.co.uk/resources/Scores/Quartets/Q0046Champagnoise.pdf
    notes: this is a quick lively dance and a great deal of fun.
  3. Fond Youth is a Bubble – Tallis arr. Andrew Forrest
    Score & Parts
    https://www.forrestguitarensembles.co.uk/resources/Scores/Quartets/Q0084FondYouth.pdf
    notes: a reflective easy piece friendly to all levels of players.

Here are Online Recordings of The Ensemble Pieces:
You can listen to these on the website, and also practice playing along together with them before coming to the Guitar Society at Odd Fellows 😊

  1. A Little Sadness – Aramaki, Michio
    https://ks15.imslp.org/files/imglnks/usimg/e/e6/IMSLP525442-PMLP848755-A_Abens09-1.mp3
  2. Champagnoise – Andrew Forrest
    https://www.forrestguitarensembles.co.uk/resources/Sounds/Quartets/Champagnoise.mp3
  3. Fond Youth is a Bubble – Tallis arr. Forrest 
    https://www.forrestguitarensembles.co.uk/resources/Sounds/Quartets/Fond-Youth.mp3

The Open Stage at the Corvallis Guitar Society monthly meeting is available for anyone to play their own music featuring beginner, intermediate, and advanced. So, bring your guitar and plan on performing a piece 😊

The Guitar Program Lessons will return and start performing in October this month by Isaac Engel, and Jacob Ripley.

The After School Guitar Program free and open to the public. Focusing on mid and high school students, the goal is to raise their awareness and understanding of the guitar instrument by featuring group lessons, private lessons and ensemble music. Jacob also provides Community Beginning Lesson for people of all ages, so anyone can come for this lesson.
Feel free to come along and meet up with Jacob and Isaac at their sessions if you are interested.
For more information contact Jacob on [email protected]  or phone 541 357 2513, or contact Isaac Engel [email protected] or phone 971 718 4535 and you can view his website: https://isaacengelmusic.com/

Times are as follows:
The First Monday on October 7th at Odd Fellows Hall – Isaac Engel
6:00pm to 7:00pm is the After School Guitar Program (group lesson and ensemble)
The Third Monday on October 21st at Odd Fellows Hall – Jacob Ripley
7:00 – 8:30pm is the After School Guitar Program group lesson & the Community Beginning group lesson.

Entrance to the above events is free and open to the public (donations gratefully received). Location:Odd Fellows Hall, 223 SW 2nd St, Corvallis, OR 97333. The entrance door is between New Morning Bakery and Sedlaks Boots and Shoes.

Thanks much and all best wishes,
Best Regards
Jon Sharp, President Corvallis Guitar Society

Corvallis Guitar Society Events in May 2024

Bringing Local Guitarists Out of the Woodwork

  • Our next Guitar Society Meeting is on Monday May 6th, 2024 (first Monday of the month) at Odd Fellows Hall and will begin at 7:15 pm; free and open to the public.
  • DRAGOS ILIE is our Featured Artist for May 6th  –😊
  • Isaac Engel will be running the Ensemble Session; the music scores are available (see below) and any one of you will be delighted to join in and play. And all three pieces have been produced by members of the Corvallis Guitar Society 😊!
  • The Open Stage is an opportunity for anyone to play classical guitar music – beginners, intermediate, and advanced!
  • The After School Guitar Program is going to take place on Monday May 6th at 6:00pm run by Isaac Engel, and on Monday 20th at 6:00pm run by Jacob Ripley.

Our next monthly meeting is on Monday, May 6th, 7:15pm – 9:15pm
Venue: Odd Fellows Hall, 223 SW 2nd St, Corvallis
Free & Open to the Public

Featured Artist DRAGOS ILIE

You can observe Dragos online here: https://www.dragosilie.com/

Romanian guitarist Dragos Ilie has delighted audiences across Europe, Asia and the United States with his charismatic and dynamic interpretations. At an early age, Dragos fell in love with the instrument after listening to his father play. Soon he enrolled at the Popular School of Arts and later the National College of Arts in his native city Iasi, with professor Marius Timpau. During that time, Dragos also studied with Dr. Daniel Dragomirescu at the National Music Conservatoire of Iasi.

After receiving the prestigious “Wooddruff Award”, Dragos went on to complete his Bachelor studies at “Schwob School of Music” – Columbus State University, at the class of composer and pedagogue Andrew Zohn.

Dragos has participated in over 40 international competitions, with more than 20 Grand Prizes. Some of these include the Koblenz International Festival, Changsha International Guitar Festival, the Tokyo International Guitar Competition, Culiacan International Competition, Indiana Guitar Festival, the Columbus Guitar Symposium, Texas A&M Guitar Competition, and Florida Guitar Festival. He has performed, taught masterclasses and workshops across the United States and Europe, and has been featured in Classical Guitar Magazine, Gendai Magazine, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, as well a series of lessons and workshops on Tonebase. Performances with orchestras include the “Transylvania” State Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Radio Orchestra of Romania. 

Passionate about integrating Romanian repertory within the global scene, Dragos recorded a project that blends both arrangements (works of Porumbescu, Bartók ​) and works of living Dragos is currently completing his Doctoral studies at the University of Austin Texas, with the renowned performer, recording artist, and teacher Adam Holzman. Concomitantly, he is serving as Teacher Assistant for the same institution –  Bravo 😊

Open Guitar Ensemble
Isaac Engel is running the Open Guitar Ensemble in which anyone is welcome to participate. When you look at the pieces, decide which part you wish to play, and maybe let Isaac know ahead of time – his email is [email protected] and bring the music with you to the Guitar Society meeting.

Here are the Three pieces of music for the ensemble session:
All of the three pieces for guitar ensemble have been produced by members of the Corvallis Guitar Society, and they are attached to this newsletter – YAY!  Two of the pieces have online recording that is also available here on the newsletter.


Online Recordings of The Ensemble Pieces
1) First Lullaby – Attached here:


2) Prelude in E Minor – Attached here:

Jacob Ripley and Isaac Engel are continuing the After School Guitar Program free and open to the public. Focusing on mid and high school students, the goal is to raise their awareness and understanding of the guitar instrument by featuring group lessons, private lessons and ensemble music.

Jacob also provides Community Beginning Lesson for people of all ages, so anyone can come for this lesson.

Feel free to come along and meet up with Jacob and Isaac at their sessions if you are interested, and if you don’t have a guitar, we can lend you one!

For more information contact Jacob on [email protected]  or phone 541 357 2513, or contact Isaac Engel [email protected] or phone 971 718 4535 and you can view his website: https://isaacengelmusic.com/

Times are as follows:
First Monday of the month at Odd Fellows Hall – Isaac Engel
6:00pm to 7:00pm is the After School Guitar Program (group lesson and ensemble)
Third Monday of the Month at Odd Fellows Hall – Jacob Ripley
6:00pm to 6:50pm is the After School Guitar Program group lesson.
7:00pm to 7:30pm is the Community Beginning group lesson.

Entrance to the above events is free and open to the public (donations gratefully received). Location:Odd Fellows Hall, 223 SW 2nd St, Corvallis, OR 97333. The entrance door is between New Morning Bakery and Sedlaks Boots and Shoes.

Best Regards
Jon Sharp, President Corvallis Guitar Society

Upcoming Concerts in Oregon


Ana Vidović is a Croatian classical guitarist. A guitarist child prodigy, she has won a number of prizes and international competitions all over the world.

Concert – Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 7:30 PM
Master Class – Wednesday, April 24, 2024 at 7:00 PM
Her performance is at Christ Church Episcopal Parish Main Sanctuary
1060 Chandler Rd.
Lake Oswego, OR 97034

Best Regards

Jon Sharp