There’s something remarkable about watching music pass through generations. Not just in the notes themselves, but in the way passion, wisdom, and connection are handed down, shaping lives along the way.
A year in the making, GIVE was a radiant testament to the spirit of generosity between generations, across cultures, and through music itself.
Earlier this month, our 2024-25 Season, GIVE, came to a close with a remarkable concert.
Inspired by our season theme: Give, brought together the legendary Pepe Romero, ACG’s Artist-in-Residence, with nine young guitarists from Austin to perform in three quartets where Pepe joined as the fourth member performing music written and performed by the Romero family.
The Give Quartets featured The Palmer Trio with Paul Devens, Noah Melendrez & Kian Mitchell The Orpheus Trio: Satvik Chawla, Allen Liu & Brandon Kim, and The Baker 3: Jianna Zamora, Teddy McCoy & Greg Sonnier.
They were coached by teaching artists Joseph Palmer, Stephen Krishnan & Alex Lew with support from Joe Williams, Travis Marcum & Tony Mariano over the past year. For the concerts themselves, these dedicated mentors stepped aside, and Pepe Romero joined in their place.
The concerts were breathtaking, a radiant testament to the spirit of generosity between mentors and students, parents and children, generations and cultures. Not only did these young artists share music with one of the greatest living legends of classical guitar, but they did so through the very repertoire created and passed down through Pepe’s own family.
After the final concert, we gathered with the ensembles and Maestro Romero to reflect and celebrate. Among the moving words shared were reflections from the students themselves.
Noah Melendrez, a member of the Palmer Trio, reflected with,
“This has been probably the coolest thing I have ever done. It was about nine months ago that I got a random email from ACG mentioning working with Pepe Romero and I was in disbelief. Over the past year, I loved working with my quartet and it’s really bittersweet being here now at the end of this project and looking back on it. I’ve gotten to know people better and spend more time with people I haven’t spent more time with already and I will never forget this. This was so special so thank you.”
His ensemble mate, Kian Mitchell, added:
“Last august, we sat down and began playing together and it was amazing how quickly we started communicating between each other and our mentor, Joseph Palmer. It was a lot of fun learning the music in general, but so much fun to collaborate together to make it our own. When we met Pepe for this first time in October, it enhanced our connection with the music even more by understanding the story behind what we were playing. This experience overall helped me become a better musician and communicator and I’m grateful.”
And then, Maestro Pepe Romero shared something unforgettable.
“I have been for a long time completely passionate about the work that’s been done by Austin Classical Guitar. When we started talking about doing the residency and deciding what that was going to be, I don’t remember how we came to the details of forming the guitar quartets, but for me—this came at a very important time.
In 1961, my family and I started the first classical guitar quartet, and we have continued to perform together ever since. Due to my brother’s health challenges recently, we were unsure that we would still be able to play our next concert. But from hearing this music—you playing this music—he was inspired to continue.
I’ve been a soloist and quartet member my whole life, and I think playing in guitar ensembles is so unique and beautiful because everyone is doing exactly the same thing, but creating something so much bigger than ourselves.
When I was a child, I was listening to my father play music written by Francisco Tárrega’s students. That tradition has continued—Tárrega, his students, my father, me, and now, you. You are the fifth generation of that Spanish tradition. And you have beautifully understood and expressed Spanish music not just technically, but emotionally—with your heart, your ideas, your stories.
I hope I’ve helped guide you to see that every note you play should carry a piece of your soul. Whether it’s the right note or a wrong one doesn’t matter—what matters is the intention. Each of you has done this brilliantly throughout the entire process. I have connected with each of your hearts, and I will carry a part of each of you in mine.
I hope the memory of this project, and of working with me, helps you love music. Never fear it. Music is here to heal us. Music is here to uplift us. Whether you’re in front of an audience, in an ensemble, or playing alone in your home—let your music always bring beauty and love into the world.
I have done this for many years. Now it is your turn. Carry it into the future. Don’t lose the purity that’s in your hearts right now. Make that purity become sound—become phrases—become music.
Preparation is important, yes—but we prepare with a purpose. To carry a deeper meaning. To heal, to give hope, to show gratitude, and to bring out the best in each other.
I think these four concerts have done that for all of us—me included. I hope you have learned from me at least a portion of what I have learned from you. And I love you all, very much.”
It was a profound way to close our season. The Give Quartets project was about far more than performance. It was about legacy. About connection. And most of all, it was about the deep, transformative power of music passed from one heart to another.
From all of us at ACG, thank you for being part of this journey.
Watch all nine students perform with Pepe in this piece, EL VITO