Avers in Austin: “A-M Journey” (part 2 of 7)
Part 2 of my 7-part series, about Randy Avers (read part 1). Randy is one half of the fabulous duo, Les Frères Méduses, who are writing and performing the original, live film score for us that will be performed on June 22nd to open our summer series. Info here.
When the Alamo’s Tim League asked me about creating an original film score for one of his favorite silent films (“The Unknown,” 1927, Dir. Tod Browning), I knew that no other duo on the planet was more perfect for the task than Randy (who is based now in Norway) and his amazing French duo partner Benoît Albert. Randy and I went to college together and I wanted to share a few stories.
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“A-M Journey” (part 2 of 7)
At Oberlin Randy was always coming up with new things. Writing pieces, improvising things, playing pop tunes in various degrees of manipulation. When Tuck Andress came out with his Michael Jackson “Man in the Mirror” arrangement (watch now), it instantly became a favorite of Randy’s – one he even played in Austin years later as an encore for a concert he gave at the home of Jeff and Gail Kodosky!
Once in “Robertson”, the Oberlin conservatory practice room building where we spent most of our lives from ’92-’96, I went in to Randy’s practice room on a break. He told me that the next “big thing” to practice was A-M independence. “A”, in guitar, means your right-hand ring finger, and “M” means your right-hand middle finger. If you’re not a guitarist, and you haven’t thought much about it before, take a moment to appreciate that A and M are not terribly independent fingers! When you move one, the other one wants to move too! So, naturally, on the guitar, one of the things we try to get good at, is alternating the two back and forth with relative independence.
So there he was playing the guitar’s highest string with “A”, and the guitar’s second highest string with “M” back and forth, repeatedly and rapidly. Not really all that cool to listen too, but I could see the value in the exercise.
So he’s sitting there, grinning at me, playing the top two strings of the guitar and talking about how important it is to develop A and M. Then he says: “So I’ve come up with this exercise…”
And he proceeded to add the intro bass line of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” underneath the continuous A-M alternation – and proceeded on to play the whole song! This is how technical practice can be fun!
Avers in Austin: Meeting (part 1 of 7)
Welcome to my 7-part series, about Randy Avers. Randy is one half of the fabulous duo, Les Frères Méduses, who are writing and performing the original, live film score for us that will be performed on June 22nd to open our summer series. Info here.
When the Alamo’s Tim League asked me about creating an original film score for one of his favorite silent films (“The Unknown,” 1927, Dir. Tod Browning), I knew that no other duo on the planet was more perfect for the task than Randy (who is based now in Norway) and his amazing French duo partner Benoît Albert. Randy and I went to college together and I wanted to share a few stories.
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Meeting (part 1 of 7)
Randy and I met in fall 1993. I was 17. He had transferred to Oberlin Conservatory as a sophomore and completely rocked my world.
Sometimes in concert, when I’m talking about one of my favorite pieces – a piece he introduced me to – I am fond of saying that up until the day we met, I was the best guitarist I had ever met! It’s not true, of course, but in my own little world – apart from my teachers – I had not ever seen truly transcendent playing by a young person. And that meant I was a very big fish in the little pond of my imagination.
Randy changed all that – and in the best way.
A year or two before, Randy – at 17 – had become the youngest-ever finalist in the world’s most prestigious international guitar competition – The Guitar Foundation of America. He took second that year. And when he arrived at Oberlin, it was like a whole new world of music and excellence came rushing into my world along with him.
That “piece” I mentioned above is the Elegy by Johann Kaspar Mertz. One of my all-time favorites. The first time I actually cried in a concert hall listening to music was the first time I heard Randy play it. I like to joke that I’m not sure if I was crying from how beautiful his playing was, or how freaked out Matt the 17-year-old guitarist was at seeing such fabulousness on the guitar!
Randy became one of my greatest friends and inspirations. He was a groomsman at my wedding, and I at his. He’s been, many times, to Austin over the years to the great delight of all who have heard him. And we remain incredibly close in spite of the Atlantic Ocean and vast expanses of land between us.
(read part 2 of this series...)
THE UNKNOWN: On Sale Now!
I am so excited.
Our live, original film score project with the Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow and AMOA-Arthouse is on sale now.
An Amazing Letter
If only students here could be touched by the divine power of music as I have. - Twelve-year-old Guitar Student, Central Texas, April 5th, 2012
Just a little over a week ago I was forwarded a remarkable letter written by a twelve-year-old boy here in Texas. It turns out, he had been a student in one of our (The Austin Classical Guitar Society’s) middle school programs in Austin before moving to a new district. He wrote this letter to the Director of Fine Arts of his new district in response to the lack of classical guitar classes there. His mom sent the letter on to me – hold on to your hats!
“I am in seventh grade in one of your district middle schools. For almost seven years, I have experienced the beauty and elegance of classical guitar. It has always kept my interest, beginning with private lessons the summer I turned 5 and continuing as a sixth grader in a middle school in the Austin school district, which has a classical guitar program. The experience has enriched me with the joy of music. I’m disappointed that no schools in my new district offer guitar classes. With little sacrifice, the district could bring the benefits of learning classical guitar to its middle schools and high schools.
The Austin Classical Guitar Society makes the program possible in Austin schools. Its guiding principle is, “Classical guitar is an unusually powerful ambassador for the fine arts.” The guitar is one of the most universal instruments -- heard in most every culture. Kids everywhere can relate to it.
Why start another music program when kids can choose from band, orchestra and choir? Classical guitar may interest those not playing an instrument at school now. Dr. Michael Quantz, a music professor at the University of Texas at Brownsville, explains that “students who really gravitate to a guitar class are not the same ones who like band, choir or orchestra. (It’s) an entirely new population of students, lots of them, who can be rewarded by the commitment and success that well-structured music classes impart.”
Disadvantaged kids benefit from the opportunity to learn classical guitar. In fact, 80% of the 22 Austin schools served by ACGS are low-income schools (such as mine was). The program is now at the Gardner-Betts juvenile detention center, where it is making a difference in the lives of kids who had been hard to reach. Learning the guitar could help special education students, too. When Dr. Quantz taught high school, a parent approached him after a spring concert. “Her son had been in the guitar group for three years; that night she was in tears and could hardly speak. She told me how wonderful it was that her son, who was in the special education program, was able to participate in anything at school as he had done in his guitar classes. She had never seen him be so committed, improve so much, or be such a welcomed member of a group that did cool stuff.”
But wouldn’t adding a new music program be expensive? A classical guitar program would be affordable and easy to run. ACGS teachers are free to Austin schools because of sponsored funding. They visit several schools each day, and when they’re not available, the school’s orchestra director fills in. ACGS started a website -- www.GuitarCurriculum.com -- to supply all the music, arranged by skill level within the ensemble, for a low annual fee. Guitars are fairly inexpensive instruments for students to buy or rent. If ACGS would need more funds to expand the program to our district, parents could help with fundraising.
Playing classical guitar is a wonderful skill and hobby that would thrive in our district as it thrives in Austin. We live in the “live music capital of the world,” and classical guitar is at our fingertips. A school program would be affordable, appropriate for everyone, fun and beneficial to growing minds. If only students here could be touched by the divine power of music as I have.”
- Twelve-year-old Guitar Student, Central Texas, April 5th, 2012
An Amazing Letter
If only students here could be touched by the divine power of music as I have.- Twelve-year-old Guitar Student, Central Texas, April 5th, 2012
I would like to share a truly remarkable letter I recently received from a 12 year-old here in Texas.
Then just a little over a week ago I was forwarded an unbelievable letter written by a twelve-year-old boy. It turns out, he had been a student in one of our (The Austin Classical Guitar Society’s) middle school programs here in Austin before moving to a new district. He wrote this letter to the Director of Fine Arts of his new district in response to the lack of classical guitar classes there. His mom sent the letter on to me – hold on to your hats!
“I am in seventh grade in one of your district middle schools. For almost seven years, I have experienced the beauty and elegance of classical guitar. It has always kept my interest, beginning with private lessons the summer I turned 5 and continuing as a sixth grader in a middle school in the Austin school district, which has a classical guitar program. The experience has enriched me with the joy of music. I’m disappointed that no schools in my new district offer guitar classes. With little sacrifice, the district could bring the benefits of learning classical guitar to its middle schools and high schools.
The Austin Classical Guitar Society makes the program possible in Austin schools. Its guiding principle is, “Classical guitar is an unusually powerful ambassador for the fine arts.” The guitar is one of the most universal instruments -- heard in most every culture. Kids everywhere can relate to it.
Why start another music program when kids can choose from band, orchestra and choir? Classical guitar may interest those not playing an instrument at school now. Dr. Michael Quantz, a music professor at the University of Texas at Brownsville, explains that “students who really gravitate to a guitar class are not the same ones who like band, choir or orchestra. (It’s) an entirely new population of students, lots of them, who can be rewarded by the commitment and success that well-structured music classes impart.”
Disadvantaged kids benefit from the opportunity to learn classical guitar. In fact, 80% of the 22 Austin schools served by ACGS are low-income schools (such as mine was). The program is now at the Gardner-Betts juvenile detention center, where it is making a difference in the lives of kids who had been hard to reach. Learning the guitar could help special education students, too. When Dr. Quantz taught high school, a parent approached him after a spring concert. “Her son had been in the guitar group for three years; that night she was in tears and could hardly speak. She told me how wonderful it was that her son, who was in the special education program, was able to participate in anything at school as he had done in his guitar classes. She had never seen him be so committed, improve so much, or be such a welcomed member of a group that did cool stuff.”
But wouldn’t adding a new music program be expensive? A classical guitar program would be affordable and easy to run. ACGS teachers are free to Austin schools because of sponsored funding. They visit several schools each day, and when they’re not available, the school’s orchestra director fills in. ACGS started a website -- www.GuitarCurriculum.com -- to supply all the music, arranged by skill level within the ensemble, for a low annual fee. Guitars are fairly inexpensive instruments for students to buy or rent. If ACGS would need more funds to expand the program to our district, parents could help with fundraising.
Playing classical guitar is a wonderful skill and hobby that would thrive in our district as it thrives in Austin. We live in the “live music capital of the world,” and classical guitar is at our fingertips. A school program would be affordable, appropriate for everyone, fun and beneficial to growing minds. If only students here could be touched by the divine power of music as I have.”
- Twelve-year-old Guitar Student, Central Texas, April 5th, 2012
Interplay! ACGS' Summer Chamber Series
Thank you to the over 550 of you that joined us for that rush of musical passion and joy brought to us by Yamandú Costa Saturday night. And thanks to everyone who attended our 2011-2012 International Concert Series and helped us to make it a success!
We are thrilled to announce our 2012 Summer Series Interplay! It's three astonishing events. Here's what we have in store...
The Unknown - Friday, June 22nd at Laguna Gloria
We team up again with the creative geniuses at the Alamo Drafthouse Rolling Roadshow to present the 1929 silent masterpiece "The Unknown" starring Lon Chaney Sr. and Joan Crawford. It's dark, bizarre, and brilliant. We've commissioned European-based ultra-inventive duo Les Freres Meduses to compose an original film score for two guitars and violin. They'll perform it live with virtuoso violinist Sandy Yamamoto (formerly of Miró Quartet fame!).
Brazil Duo - Friday July 6th at Bates Recital Hall
Wow, are these guys good! The Brasil Duo (João Luiz& Douglas Lora) blew us away last time we saw them - right after they won Concert Artists Guild in New York, one of the most prestigious multi-disciplinary performance competitions in the US - and they had barely left the stage when we started talking about bringing them back. We proudly present this performance in collaboration with our friends at the Austin Chamber Music Center during their amazing Summer Chamber Music Festival.
Miró Quartet with Jorge Caballero - Saturday, August 4th at The Long Center
"Stunning", "Captivating", "Enchanting", "Thrilling". All words we heard, many times, to describe the performance Caballero and the Miró Quartet gave last October at Austin Pictures. And that was just a small taste of what they can do. This time we decided to go for the whole entrée!
McCallum High gets national honor, benefit event May 18th
It’s hard for me to believe that more than ten years have passed since ACGS Educational Outreach began, in one class in one school with about 15 students. The program has grown dramatically, we’ve had the privilege of helping to build 25 school programs in the Austin area alone (and over 100 elsewhere!)– and served thousands of young people along the way.
Where did it all begin? McCallum Fine Arts Academy!
The McCallum Chamber Guitar Ensemble, stunningly six-time winners of the UT Brownsville National Guitar Ensemble Competition, have just been selected to be a showcase ensemble at this year’s Guitar Foundation of America Convention in Charleston, South Carolina.
McCallum is also presenting a benefit concert by Austin’s own award-winning, super creative Mother Falcon on Friday, May 18, 2012 at 8pm in the new McCallum Arts Center. Tickets are $20 and they are online here or available at the door.
This benefit concert is the first in the McCallum Arts Center Emerging Artist Series. Proceeds will help send McCallum classical guitar students to Charleston
McCallum’s guitar director Andrew Clark said, “Of the three age groups chosen, we are the only public school. We are honored to play at one of the largest and most prestigious international classical guitar festivals in the world.”
Mother Falcon is the natural choice for the opening of the MAC Emerging Artist Series. This innovative ensemble, which ranges from 10-20 musicians, features 10 McCallum Fine Arts Academy graduates, including Claire Puckett, a graduate of the McCallum Classical Guitar Ensemble. Claire said, “It is an honor for me to contribute in any way to the betterment of the McCallum Fine Arts Academy, whose Classical Guitar program cultivated a love of music in my heart that will last me the rest of my years. Mother Falcon is living proof of that love, and I am both excited and humbled to be able to share it with you. Congrats on going to the GFA convention!"
I’m so proud of McCallum – and I, and the education team here at ACGS, look forward to hearing them on May 18th when they open for Mother Falcon, and then again in Charleston!
Hartt Stearns: One World Theatre & Flamenco
The first time I visited, I wondered how a place like One World Theatre could come into existence! I’ve had the pleasure recently of working with One World Theatre’s Founder and Executive Director Hartt Stearns in the run up to their May 2nd presentation of flamenco icon Paco de Lucia. I thought I’d ask him a bit about the magic behind the theatre and all that happens there.
I also wanted to mention that One World is offering fans of ACGS 10% off tickets to see Paco de Lucia. Paco is inarguably the most influential flamenco guitarist of our time! Even though it’s 5 short days after the amazing Yamandú Costa, you must go see this concert!!!
You can Purchase tickets here for Paco de Lucia and enter code “ACGS” to obtain your discount (good for all but premium-level seating). Or call One World at (512) 330-9500 and mention ACGS!
Matthew Hinsley: Hartt, One World Theatre seems like is a work of art in and of itself, how did the concept come about?
Hartt Stearns: We’re very proud of the fact that we have a green-built work of art in which to present world-class performers. We were doing green, even before it was all the rage. Our buildings on the property (built in 1998/99) are made from a combination of rastra (which is 85% recycled Styrofoam) and straw bale construction. Many straw bale constructed buildings are kind of funky looking, and it is unusual for them to have such an artistic flare.
The concept was to have artists (my wife, Nada and I are both musicians as well as are many of the staff), present artists, in a piece of art. The beauty is magnified inside by the amazing acoustics and sound, and outside with the Austin Hill Country as the backdrop to this wonderful architecture.
MH: Paco de Lucia is a legend - one of many you've presented - how do you get the amazing artists you bring here, what's your selection process?
HS: I do the booking myself, so it’s a combination of artists that I know and have admired throughout the years, along with ones that are suggested from agents that recommend talent.
MH: We love having our gala at One World - you also do all kinds of things for the community, I'd love to hear about your community programming.
HS: We sponsor a number of artists from different cultures to go into the schools to perform assemblies and give workshops. We also present theatrical productions (Story Books Brought to Life) at One World Theatre that are for kids and families, where half of the tickets are given away for free to underserved families and organizations. And we have a summer camp where we give free admission to children of deployed soldiers. The final performance of the summer camp is seen by the deployed parents/soldiers from Iraq and Afghanistan through videoconferencing. We have screens at the theatre that allows our audience to see the soldiers watching their children perform. It’s a very moving experience.
MH: Wow Hartt, that’s amazing. What's next for One World Theatre?
HS: We have plans to expand the theatre but are waiting to get over some hurdles with the City of Austin. In the meantime, we’ve been doing shows at the Riverbend Centre, where we’re presenting Paco De Lucia, as well as Merle Haggard, Ravi Shankar and The Chieftains this season.
MH: All those shows sound amazing and we are, of course, especially excited about Paco de Lucia! Is there anything else you'd like to add?
HS: We’d love to do more in collaboration with the Austin Classical Guitar Society. We have presented a number of brilliant guitar players over the years, and although they have varied in genre, I do think any guitar player or aficionado would appreciate the talents of Larry Carlton, Tuck Andress (of Tuck & Patti), Bela Fleck (banjo), California Guitar Trio and Montreal Guitar Trio - who we’re presenting this season - and other amazing musicians like Pat Metheny, Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin, Mike Stern, The Assad Brothers as well as Badi Assad who we’ve presented over the years.
MH: We’d love that too, Hartt, and we look forward to making it happen. Those are all amazing artists indeed! Thank you for all you do for our community!
Views and Brews: Speaking with Classical Guitar
Remember back in February when KUT's Views and Brews featured Matt Hinsley, Steve Kostelnik, and Tom Echols speaking about music making on the guitar? Well now you can hear their fantastic conversation online here! Laugh, cry, learn, and enjoy some beautiful music in this hour-long talk on all things guitar!
Views and Brews: Speaking with Classical Guitar
Remember back in February when KUT's Views and Brews featured Matt Hinsley, Steve Kostelnik, and Tom Echols speaking about music making on the guitar? Well now you can hear their fantastic conversation online here! Laugh, cry, learn, and enjoy some beautiful music in this hour-long talk on all things guitar!