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I am very pleased to announce that OSU School of Arts and Communication has established a guitar program with Cameron O’Conner as the new guitar instructor. Cameron is a true maestro of classical guitar with a diverse career in solo, chamber, and contemporary music as well as a prizewinner in 10 international competitions, including the Frances Walton and Tokyo International Guitar Competition. He is strong believer in the importance of the accessibility of arts for the public and we look forward to working with him to continue growing the classical and related guitar scene here in the greater Willamette Valley area. In the meantime, check out his website including some great performances on YouTube:
http://www.cameronoconnor.com/

Plus check out his teaching program which includes private & group lesson opportunities for the general public:

Dear Guitar Friends,
We want to thank Ryan Walsh for a lovely evening of guitar music at the Society meeting on April 3rd and also to thank everyone who joined in for the ensemble and got up to play during the open stage session. Our meetings are all about participation and inspiration and the last one fitted that bill beautifully.

Looking forward to our next meeting on May 1st, I have high expectations of another wonderful evening with featured artist James Bishop Edwards. Over his lengthy professional career James has arranged everything from Renaissance and Baroque harpsichord music to Spanish keyboard works and classic ragtime piano, to operatic arias, Jazz age standards and Beatles songs. James is looking forward to his visit to Corvallis and says, “I thought it would be fun to revisit, and also share, some of the beautiful pieces I’ve found compelling enough to make arrangements of for solo guitar.” So come along and enjoy works by composers including Enrique Granados, Georges Bizet, Frederic Chopin, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Debussy, and Turlough O’Carolan.

Also bring you own guitar and join in with the Ensemble (music will be posted to the website one week ahead of the meeting) and share your own music with us during the open stage session – ALL levels of music are very welcome J

The agenda for the May 1st Meeting is as follows:
7:00 – 7:05pm Welcome
7:05 – 7:40pm Open Ensemble: bring your guitar, footstool and join in. Music can be downloaded from the website one week ahead of time.
7:40 – 8:10pm Open Stage: please share your music with us – all ages and abilities welcome.
8:10 – 8:20pm BREAK and Refreshments
8:20 – 9:00pm Featured Artist James Bishop Edwards

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

Looking forward…

First Corvallis Guitar Festival!
The next big event will be the first Corvallis Guitar Festival scheduled for June 9th and 10th. Adam del Monte will be our headline artist for the Saturday concert. Adam is one of the leading flamenco and classical guitarist/composers of his generation with a remarkably diverse list of accomplishments under a banner of artistic and cultural diversity. Oregonian and rising star Jaxon Williams will be opening the festival on Friday night and there will be Master Classes and workshops which will be free and open to the public. So mark your calendar, bring your guitar and join in the fun.

Regarding the Master Classes
Adam will be conducting Master Classes with four students. Each student will have 30 mins in which they will perform pre-prepared music and then receive coaching, advice and insight on their playing from the maestro himself. If you are interested in participating in the Master Class then get in touch with me via email at [email protected]

Here’s the Festival Schedule:
Friday  June 9th
7:00pm                    Opening Concert: Jaxon Williams
Saturday June 10th
10:00am – 12:00     Masterclass with Adam; 4 students, 30 mins each
12:00 – 1:00pm                 LUNCH
1:00 – 2:45pm        Workshop: Intro to Classical Guitar – Mickey Jones
2:45 – 3:00pm                  BREAK
3:00 – 4pm             Workshop: Flamenco Technique – Berto Boyd
4:00pm – 5pm         Workshop: Fundamentals of right & left hand for all fingerstyle guitar – Jaxon Williams
5pm – 7pm                       DINNER
7pm- —                    Concert: Maestro Adam del Monte

All festival events will take place at the 1st Presbyterian Church downtown Corvallis: 114 SW 8th St.

And to Our Sponsors…
As a 501c 3 registered public charity we are looking for sponsors for the festival as well as for all our events through mid 2018. We are offering annual program advertising space, online, and video promotion for your business. If you are interested in learning more, email me or Board Member Jeff Muhr: [email protected]

Neil and Tamara Caulkins coming to Corvallis
Neil and Tamara are experts in the world of early nineteenth century music for two guitars and will be coming to Corvallis to share their knowledge and music on period instruments at the Troubadour at 2:00pm on Sunday May 28th. Neil plays a replica of a seven string guitar made in Mirecourt, France, by Aubry-Maire in 1830 and Tamara plays an original anonymous French instrument from about 1825. The program will be entirely of 19th century guitar duets and will include works by Henry, Giuliani, Lhoyer, and Mertz.  Neil will also be presenting a paper on the early 19th century performance practice of the improvised prelude at a conference at the Musicking Conference at 3:00pm in the Univ. of Oregon Collier House in Eugene at the U of O on May 26th.

PDX Classic Guitar Concert Series
Next up are the Assad Brothers, one of my favourite guitar duets and will be playing at the Marylhurst University, Portland on April 27th.
http://www.portlandclassicguitar.com/app-news/the-assad-brothers

Thank you and I hope to see you on May 1st

Best Regards
Jon Sharp
President, Corvallis Guitar Society