Remote Teaching Resources
As many teachers in our community are faced with the prospect of remote teaching, the GuitarCurriculum.com and Austin Classical Guitar Team want to share all the remote resources we have available.
Let's Play.com
This is a completely free, graded, solo study track with 44 expressive sequential pieces. You and your students can download the entire 82-page book for free online here (choose pdf download).
The music, mostly written and arranged by Joseph Palmer, is beautiful and engaging, with ample fingering and dynamic indications. Even more exciting is that each piece in the first seven levels have accompanying audio guides, also free, and available for streaming online here.
As you may know, we developed this site specifically for use by the blind and visually impaired community, so some of the audio guides are labeled Braille Lessons, which your sighted students may simply ignore. The other audio lessons, however, address detailed technical and musical subjects, and provide recorded examples of each piece.
How can this help you and your class?
For beginning and intermediate classes you could assign, for example, an appropriate piece for each student to learn on their own using the audio guides. This will assist the speed and quality of their progress through the new material, and allow your remote teaching sessions to be more productive. They can prepare a section on their own, and share their progress with you via video exchange or in remote consultation. Additionally, since the 44 pieces are directly sequential, you and your students will have a clear path forward.
How does this relate to GuitarCurriculum?
It relates directly! The LetsPlay material was created to mirror the sequencing of GuitarCurriculum as follows:
LP Level 1 = GC Level 1 (simple, open string songs)
LP Level 2 = GC Level 2 (introduces reading on strings 2 and 3)
LP Level 3 = GC Level 2 (introduces reading on string 1)
LP Level 4 = GC Level 3 (3 pieces + 1 scale to learn and master im alternation and string crossing)
LP Level 5 = GC Level 3 (im alternation solos with open string bass notes)
LP Level 6 = GC Level 4 (solos with fretted bass strings)
LP Level 7 = GC Level 5 (more advanced solos with fretted bass strings)
LP Level 8 = GC Level 5+ (parallel literature, 1st position only, no audio guides)
Other Resources & More GuitarCurriculum.com Materials:
GuitarCurriculum.com: Our Director of Curriculum, Eric Pearson, has just changed permissions on videos in GC.com and are available for anyone who navigates to the video page. These videos are tailored specifically towards students and you can find them here.
Using Zoom? Here is a great video on how to optimize audio on a Zoom call for music.
Need more resources? Here is a comprehensive list of remote teaching tools.
Please be kind to yourselves during this time. All the solutions proposed above are imperfect, and there will be a ton of troubleshooting in the weeks ahead.
Additionally, feel free to reach out to anyone on the ACG team if you have any questions or need support!
Interview: Clint Strait - Owner of Strait Music Company
Thanks to the generous support of our friends at Strait Music Company, we're thrilled to be able to offer FREE TICKETS to middle and high school students for all of our International Series concerts during the 2019-20 season.
On Saturday, we will be hosting International Acclaimed Guitarist, David Russell - and we will have a record number of students from Austin ISD and surrounding school districts in attendance. This is in large part due to Strait Music Company.
Interested in the inspiration for the ticket program, ACG Development Associate, Ciyadh Wells, headed out into the field to talk with the owner of Strait Music Company, Clint Strait.
Ciyadh Wells: Since this business has been in your family for 3 generations, can you provide some background as to how this business started?
Clint Strait: It’s actually crazy because we were at TMEA this past year and the theme of our booth was, “Set the Record Strait”. We did a 57 year museum-like timeline of Strait music company to tell the true story about this company. It was pretty cool. There were some instruments for instance, like this bugle on my desk that was my great grandfather's WW1 bugle. I never met my great grandfather, but he worked for a Lyons music company in Chicago.
My grandfather was in WW2 and when he came back he was living in Houston. I think he pestered this one guy enough to where he gave him a job selling pianos. So my grandfather was a pretty good salesman and back then the main piano franchises were Baldwin franchises. So he started selling those, and then he received the opportunity to open up his own franchise in Austin. Austin was a much smaller town back then - just a little college town. So he moved the family here and started Strait Piano and Organ. He had a bookkeeper, repair person, and he was the salesperson. That was it. That was pretty much the original staff.
What happened is that the Beatles started playing Vox amps, and Baldwin Piano owned Vox amps. We were able to get them pretty easily. So we started selling amps and guitars, and that was pretty much our first expansion. Beatles exploded, guitars exploded along with it. Then we started getting into the band instrument business and then we just expanded over time.
The 80’s happened and then we had big synths and keyboards and all that stuff. We really pride ourselves on being able to service everything that we sell in the store. So I have a full service repair shop . We’re really big into rock and roll stuff because this market supports that. The school, band, and orchestra side is a really big part of our business too. Rentals beginner rentals and yeah that is our music store.
CW: Do you have a first memory or experience about Strait Music that you would like to share?
CS: Oh man, definitely the store at 9th and Lamar. That’s the store I grew up at. So, honestly my first memories are of going to that store with my dad when the store was closed. We had an organ room, all those organs with all the buttons, and I would go back there and turn all the buttons on and just make noise. I was just banging on stuff to see what sounds they made and that’s kind of what I remember, the organ room.
I spent a lot of time there with my dad when I was a little kid. Whether we were open or not open. I really liked it when we weren’t open because I could just go around the store and make noise on anything. Play the drums or whatever so that’s kind of my first memory. Also that store was next to the original Whole Foods and my dad gave me money and I would go next door to buy fruit leathers - that’s what I remember.
CW: So you have some guitars on the wall in your office. Do you play guitar at all?
CS: I do not. I am not a musician. There really aren’t a lot of musicians in my family. I don’t know if that’s a bad thing. It might not be a bad thing really and it’s been good for business I think. You know, I’m so passionate about music and I think even more so than a lot of people in my family. I am a crazy music nerd. I have an amazing record collection that I still add to on a weekly and monthly basis.
Growing up I was super into music. I really identify with the different types of music that I listened to growing up. Like whatever music I was listening to at that time really defined that time in my life. Whether it was first when I got into Led Zeppelin, The Doors, The Dead and then going to college I was really into jam bands - so I would go on tour a lot and saw a lot of different bands in a lot of different places and now my musical taste is so wide open to hip-hop to jazz to whatever.
So I’m really crazy passionate about music. I see it sometimes through a different lens as the owner of this store. I’ll see people on stage and think about what they’re playing and their gear set up. I've developed a good ear for sound quality and stuff. So it’s weird, I see it through a different lens. It’s a fun place to work and I get to see all these great musicians who come by the store. I definitely do not take it for granted that I get to work in an industry like this because it’s a really good industry to be a part of and this is a fun place to work.
CW: Where does music education and the Strait music tickets for kids start? Did you start lessons here?
CS: So, we’ve never really provided lessons because the Austin School of Music has always been our partner. Dave started the school of music with one recital that was connected to our 9th and Lamar store. When we built out of the 5th Street store, we built out the school of music to be a part of us. So they have that entire side of our building - so Strait Music has never really provided lessons. For every iteration of this company and where we have been, the Austin School of Music has always been with us.
From a music education standpoint, I have kids now and so I now have a much deeper understanding of what music can mean for children. Everything from confidence and cognitive abilities just everything, music helps them. I was into sports, and I had a lot of friends who were into music and went to college on music scholarships. I have friends that still play a lot of music now even though that’s not what they do now for a living.
You know, music is a lifelong thing. It’s really amazing and just the impact it can have on a young child’s life, and through adolescence as well just for helping with everything and it’s really amazing. I’m on the board of directors of Kids in a New Groove. It’s an organization that provides mentorship through music to youth in foster care. So I get to see first hand what that impact is. So for the students, they have a dedicated music teacher that comes to them every week. Kids in that program have a 100% high school graduation rate compared to a much lower rate for kids who are not in these types of programs. So that alone, that stat to me, is mind blowing. I’ve really been subjected to the power of music through that organization. It’s amazing to see what those students can do.
I also spent time on our industry the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) board of directors. I did a three year term as a board member of NAMM. Their motto is more to start, fewer to quit. And we feel that it is every child’s right to have access to music education. It’s our job to fight for that right. I grew up with great music programs, and there’s other parts of the world inside and outside this market where we just want to make sure that as a member of NAMM that those kids have access to a quality music education. And once again we know what that can do for children. So I’m very passionate about what music education can do for kids whether that be in the public education sector or privately.
CW: How did you get involved with ACG? Where did that relationship begin?
CS: I don’t remember where I got involved originally. Probably just meeting ACG’s Executive Director, Matthew Hinsley. As far as the Tickets for Kids program is concerned, it’s just a natural fit. To be able to provide the opportunity for these students to be able to go see these amazing performers is just amazing. I think Matt said the next show might have as many as 100 kids - that’s just amazing. Additionally, to be able to go see that quality of performer, to be inspired and to be able to take that inspiration back to your own life and your own practice, it can have an amazing effect.
Even if only one of those kids is affected in a deeply positive way, whether it gets them to take that next step in their music playing journey is just awesome. So I am just really proud of that program, and that they thought it was really cool. I’m just so proud that we got to put our name behind it, because it’s going to give kids access to both directly through the Tickets for Kids program, but just being able to support ACG and being able to help to provide that access to kids is amazing.
CW: What about Strait Music is uniquely Austin?
CS: Well I think that Strait Music is the epitome of uniquely Austin. We’re a 3rd generation family owned business. We have been in Austin since it was so much smaller. My dad and I went to the same high school. When he went there, Westlake was finished being built and it was just a school far from everything. When I went there, I graduated with 600 people. Where houses exist now, there were just barb wire fences and ranches. And it's hard to imagine.
I think we’re helping keep Austin weird. We’ve always been a weird company. We have been forever. We’ve had to grow over time and we like to refer to ourselves as a professionally managed, family owned business. We’ve just grown so much that we’re not just a mom and pop shop anymore. We can’t run our business like that. Just alone in that 57 year business, Strait Music Company has bought out or absorbed 6 companies. Most recently, we bought Music Makers in 2013 and all of their employees are still here with the exception of 1 of them because he’s on tour with a grammy award winning band, but they're all still here. This past year we bought Violins Etc. and all their employees are still here. I have a brand new orchestral luthier shop with 2 luthiers. Their instrument manager is still here.
So we’ve been able to grow and then also continue to support the musicians who are working at these companies that for one reason or another haven’t continued on. I identify myself as an Austinite and I can’t think of anything that is more uniquely Austin than Strait Music Company. I hear stories all the time of how someone’s family member or friend bought a piano from my grandfather. There’s a lot of history here. My grandfather's line, that we still use today, is where customers become friends. And we’ve been lucky enough to make a lot of friends and we hope to continue to make more with people from where and that move here. And we just do us really well. We have a deep rooted culture as a company that we will never lose sight of and that’s a culture that’s based on customer service. The customer always comes first. We’ve got the best and most knowledgeable people working for us. I think as an employer we take pretty good care of our employees and we’ve got people who’ve been here for 10, 20, 35 years. We have just grown with this city, but we have kept our principles in tact.
Reflections on the Javier Niño Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Javier Niño Memorial Scholarship Fund at Austin Classical Guitar exists to honor the memory of a wonderful young man who brought joy through beauty and kindness to countless people during his lifetime, and to support young classical guitarists in Austin, Texas—through scholarship lessons and other means—who show great promise and who will benefit from access to expert instruction and mentorship.
As we come up on the first anniversary of Javier's passing, ACG is dedicating this year’s Amplify Austin campaign to this scholarship fund. We are hoping to raise the money necessary for the Javier Niño Memorial Scholarship Fund to become self-sustaining, ensuring that Javi's legacy will be carried forward by other talented young musicians in our community for years to come.
In this interview, Jess Griggs talks with Diane Skeel. The mother of one of Javier's friends and the amazing individual that started the Javier Niño Memorial Scholarship fund.
Jess: How did you know Javier Niño?
Diane: I met Javi because he and my son were both in the Classical Guitar program at McCallum High School. They met in English class as sophomores, when they were both new transfers into the Fine Arts Academy. Later, as they became better friends, my son would frequently talk about Javi at the dinner table. I felt like I knew him, even though we had never met. During their senior year, I took their quartet to Mary Hardin-Baylor for a coaching session with Joe Williams. I had the opportunity to talk with Javi on that trip, and I instantly knew why Aaron thought so highly of him. I had one more chance to talk to him, in depth, later that year. We talked about the things he loved, like guitar, computers, and his friends. He told me how happy he was for my son, having been accepted to the UT Classical Guitar program. I could hear, in his voice, how genuinely proud he was.
Jess: What inspired you to start the scholarship in memory of Javier Niño?
Diane: Javi was an important friend of my son's, and they met because of their shared interest and talent in classical guitar. I was devastated by the news of his death, and I wanted to make something positive out of something so tragic. I couldn't imagine a better way than this scholarship.
Jess: Who do you hope to impact and help with the scholarship?
I want to honor Javi's memory by helping others, who like Javi, love classical guitar, and are interested in pursuing education beyond high school. Like Javi, they don't need to be interested in majoring in classical guitar. I want the recipients to reflect what made Javi a very special young man.
Jess: Why is the Javier Niño scholarship important to the Austin community?
Diane: It honors the memory of a remarkable young man, who, through classical guitar, hard work and determination, was able to make opportunities to create a better future for himself. And, by honoring his memory with this scholarship, we can help create opportunities for others like him.
Jess: What is your hope for the longevity of this scholarship?
Diane: I would love for this scholarship to outlive me, and to create opportunities for students for as long as Austin Classical Guitar is part of our community.
Jess: Would you like to add anything?
Diane: I am so grateful that Austin Classical Guitar is dedicating the money raised during this year's Amplify Austin to the scholarship fund. If enough money is raised, I would love to be able to provide the recipients with a nice guitar, and maybe even some scholarship money for their future education pursuits.
If you would like to learn more about the Memorial Fund you can find that information here. Additionally, if you would like to contribute to the to the longevity of the scholarship, you can give via Austin Classical Guitar's Amplify Austin website.
Interview: Ashley Lucero - Composer and Guitarist
Ashley Lucero is a Texas based composer, performer, and teacher. Lucero was recently commission by the ACG Youth Orchestra for their Tour March 12th - 17th. In this interview, she discusses her compositions, and specific challenges and inspirations for the Youth Orchestra piece.
What are your earliest experiences in music?
My parents are both musicians, and my father’s side of the family has a history of musicianship for generations. I would attend my father’s concerts when he played the french horn in the community orchestra and I would create stories along with the music as I listened. I have been singing and creating my own songs for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest experiences with music performance, was singing Christmas music at nursing homes when I was about 6 years old while my sister played the piano. I was extremely shy and hated being complimented for my voice. I went on to learn piano and violin later. However, I never took as keen an interest in them as I did when I picked up the guitar at the age of 17.
What did you grow up listening too?
My parents were both 60’s babies so I heard a lot of 80’s hits around the house, but my dad was always listening to Beethoven and other various classical composers. I believe this really helped me in developing my ear. When I hit middle school, I continued to listen to classical music, but also began listening to a broad variety of styles such as punk rock, ska, and music from many other countries around the world. My parents tried as hard as they could to keep my from listening to pop music and rap when I was younger because they hated the message most of it sent, and I really appreciate that now in a way.
What are you doing now?
I am currently an adjunct professor at the Baptist University of the Americas in South San Antonio. There I am the guitar instructor and I also teach music theory classes. I am preparing to audition for USC in Los Angeles, and I gig pretty regularly as a soloist. I recently formed a new guitar duo with a good friend of mine, a Cuban guitarist, and we are called Duo Morningstar.
Can you talk about some of the themes you explore in your music? Both as a composer and performer?
As a composer and a performer, my goal is to be as honest as possible. By honesty, I mean avoiding the ego and my belief systems as a backdrop - because they can be very inhibitive. I believe that is the best way to connect with an audience and to improve as an artist.
What are some influences in your work?
I am highly influenced by the music that I play, so that changes depending on what I am learning and performing at the time. For example, my earlier music was highly influenced by Baden Powell, Astor Piazzolla, and Roland Dyens. While I studied at UTSA, my music reflected characteristics of my teacher Matthew Dunne’s music and Leo Brouwer along with my old influences. I also include elements of flamenco guitar in my solo works because I love playing flamenco and I have obsessively listened to Paco de Lucia for about 4 years straight.
How do you hope your work influences or affects others?
First off, I want people to know that it is possible for audiences to connect with contemporary classical music. Secondly, I hope that other young guitarist composers can be inspired by how hard I strive to write guitar music that is fun to play but is also sophisticated and challenging. Third, I want young women and those in disadvantaged positions to know that their struggles are valid and constructive towards their journeys as artists. And my own selfish hopes are that my music will open people’s hearts and minds to explore any imaginative inclinations they might have while listening to my music.
What are you hoping to accomplish as an artist?
To remain truthful in my composing, teaching, and performing, and to help others that so desperately want to do great things feel hopeful and confident in the possibilities that exist in their favor. I want to share my discoveries with anyone willing to listen to my music or my words.
Can you talk a little about your composition for the ACGYO?
Magpie Lullaby is a simple yet deceptively challenging piece written in four parts. It is based on the well-known lullaby by Johannes Brahms and features charming little harmonies and textures. Its meant to be a bit of a paradox because it is a lullaby that gets a little rowdy near the middle in homage to the talkative nature of the magpie, but ends with a satisfactory lulling nature.
What are some challenges to composing for a student ensemble?
When composing for anyone you must be aware of their skill level, so with a student ensemble it can be very easy to over-simplify things in fear that they won’t be up for a challenge. As an educator, I am very aware of how to push students’ limits so I think I can more successfully play off of that specific challenge in my writing.
How does working with this ensemble inspire you?
I have always been a fan of the ACGYO and Joe William’s work as a director. I played in the guitar orchestra at the Belton Guitar conference twice under his direction, so I know first hand his standards and expectations.
Seeing young guitarists play so refined is inspiring and to be a part of it is extremely exciting. I have taught young students ensemble music before and hope to do so again in the future, so seeing the possibilities through ACGYO’s work is inspiring for me as an educator.
If you would like to know more about the ACG Youth Orchestra Tour, you can click here.
We are Expanding Let’s Play! Braille curriculum!
We at Austin Classical Guitar (ACG) are extremely proud of our longtime commitment to bringing the universal love of music to under-represented populations.
In response to a worldwide lack of comprehensive tools for Braille-based music learning, we created Let’s Play! In July 2018. The Braille lifelong learning resource, created in partnership with the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (TSBVI), provides meticulous students at school and online with stepwise Braille and audio classical guitar in Levels 1-4, suited for their first six to 18 months of study.
The groundbreaking curriculum, created by our very own guitarist Joseph Palmer, is comprised of newly composed musical selections and others taken from our collection. Of each of the engaging compositions, students receive access to audio recordings and a braille notated version of the sheet music.
“I believe the reason I was asked to be the designer of the curriculum was due to my passion and experience as an educator along with my tendency to be detailed and pour myself into the work I do,” said Palmer.
Jeremy Coleman, who runs the renowned guitar program at TSBVI, aides students through the material, demonstrating how to use the braille notation, as well as assist them in the learning and memorization of the rest of the song.
Students at TSBVI have been extremely responsive to the program, as indicated by Superintendent William Daugherty in a released statement. “There is something about the guitar that connects with these students in a way that instruction on piano and other common instruments had not done.”
“Students who have participated have really enjoyed the camaraderie with other student musicians, the sense of accomplishment in learning something new and self-confidence that comes with a successful performance,” said TSBVI principal, Miles Fain.
It was instrumental to expand on the success of Phase 1 and continue to provide ongoing resources for the enthusiastic students eager to learn more.
It is with great pleasure that we announce the addition of Phase 2 to the program. Through the hard work of our team and Palmer, Let’s Play! will now offer Levels 5-8, providing lessons for up to five years of learning.
At the completion of Phase 2, featuring 26 new pieces of music, musicians will become fluent Braille music readers in first position across all six strings.
“After phase 2 launches, I think the future direction of the project will largely be determined on feedback from the users of the resource,” said Palmer. “A lot of content has been created at this point, and though the resource has been met with much enthusiasm and thanks from users, we're ready to really hear from the students and users of the resource and see the results and impact.”
According to ACG Matthew Hinsley, Phase 2 was always part of the plan. “Learning to read and play (all notes in the first position) and combine it in a sophisticated way is a milestone in the lifelong learning pathway,” he said. “Even though we couldn’t get to everything in Phase 1, we knew we needed to do Phase 2 as fast as possible.”
With the launch, we are excited to hear the success stories across the U.S. and abroad. Shortly after introducing the first four levels of the program, we discovered that Let’s Play! had been utilized by musicians in 25 different countries. Additionally, Palmer received an email from an adult learner in South Africa who expressed gratitude for the program, as he had been seeking someone who could teach him guitar for years.
Rados Malidzan translates Let’s Play! for Balkan learners!
In a recent and outstanding development, we are pleased to announce Montenegrin guitarist and Director of the Montenegro Guitar Foundation Rados Malidzan has secured funding to translate the Let’s Play! curriculum for Balkan learners.
The translation is part of the Music Into All Hearts (Muziku U Sva Srca) program, which was created to bridge the gaps between music schools, teachers and blind and visually impaired pupils. The program will utilize the Let’s Play! Curriculum, as well as acquire braille printers for schools.
The innovative program earned funding by winning the Montenegrin Telekom Contest for Best Socially Beneficial Project.
“This project, not surprisingly at all, has awakened a great wave of sympathy and love among people in the small Montenegrin community... not only by means of a small nonprofit, but also through the participation of the thousands of people who voted for the funding of this project,” said Malidzan.
Malidzan was introduced to Let’s Play! two years ago when he performed in our UpClose Concert Series. Malidzan was amazed, not only because of its importance, but because he too has experience working musically with the blind and visually impaired, and the resources to collaborate with our team and the Let’s Play! program.
“My initial thought was saying ‘God works in mysterious ways’ - I felt like it was not me that heard about the project, instead it was the project that has found me,” said Malidzan.
Malidzan has worked with the Library of the Blind of Montenegro as a performer and assisting them in organizing concerts. Now, after conducting research and securing funding and partnerships, he is ready to make the curriculum available to the thousands of families with blind or visually impaired members in the Balkan region.
During his initial assessment of the region’s music education situation, Malidzan quickly realized how few blind or visually impaired students there are, that music teachers weren’t experienced in assisting them and that schools didn’t have access to braille printers. His program will address these shortcomings.
With the translation of Let’s Play!, Malidzan believes the curriculum will bring guitar music to the homes of those who don’t have an assistant to escort them to music schools, those too old to enter music schools, those who live in remote villages with no available music schools or simply those who prefer to learn to play on their own.
“I find this connection between me and the project nothing less than a miracle,” said Malidzan. “What are the odds that a guitarist with interests, experiences and characteristics needed for the realization of this project, from such a small country such as Montenegro, comes to Austin, Texas, and learns about Letsplayguitar.org?”
To say Malidzan is excited about the partnership would be an understatement.
“Together with you guys from ACG, we can spread Music into All Hearts....I am so happy to have you in my life, and to witness, share and get inspired by your wonderful and truly inspiring work. So, as Matthew (Hinsley) said,‘dear friends, lets make some magic together.’”
- by Benjamin Beane, ACG communications
'together' Artist Profile: Joe Williams - Artistic Director and Composer-in-Residence
We are thrilled to be collaborating with some incredible artists for our January 24-26 season centerpiece together. Over the past two weeks, we've been talking with the artists and composers - but today we talk with Joe Williams. Joe is ACG's Artistic Director and Composer-in-Residence. He has been shaping and conceptualizing 'together' from the very beginning.
In this interview, Joe updates us on how the production is going, the inspiration for the theme, and his hope for the audience.
Austin Classical Guitar: Tell us what’s going on with together?
Joe Williams: together is a beautiful community based concert project that has been developing over the past year. together is the third and final installment of a series of projects that we have created about deepening compassion and understanding of the people that make up our community. Ultimately, it is about how we connect and how we experience being here right now.
With together, we realized that one of the greatest challenges of our time is isolation. Some of the most terrible things that are happening in our world are due to isolation and loss of community. Because when we are isolated, our compassion for ourselves and others begins to slip away. The principal effort of this project is to disrupt isolation and foster belonging. The principal question of together is how can we promote the generosity and caring that allows belonging to grow?
Our conclusion was to listen. For the past year, Travis Marcum has interviewed people from all over our community, asking “how are you alone and how do you belong?” We invited our community to share and help us all remember that this is a universal experience.
John O'Donohue, the great philosopher and poet, talked about how belonging starts with with one’s desire for a sense of community and connection. Belonging begins with longing- longing for connection and we have a deep human desire for this. One of my favorite quotes of his is “There is a huge abyss within every mind. When we belong, we have an outside mooring to prevent us from falling into ourselves.” Everyone has a personal relationship with that continually flexing space that stretches between isolation and belonging. The circumstances are different for everyone, whether your 18 or 80, but the feeling of is the same. It’s a massive topic and it’s been inspiring to listen to people’s personal experiences.
I believe art, and music in particular, has this amazing ability to empower us to confront the harder things. To soothe the harder things, and to also celebrate the most joyous things. Ultimately, I think this concert is an opportunity to share. We can go into a space surrounded and empowered by art and music. We can be ourselves and we can listen to others - and hopefully hear ourselves in others.
ACG: How has isolation affected you?
JW: I struggle with it. I think we are most cruel to ourselves. Thats true for me and it is a constant practice to exercise compassion. I work on that. The stories that people have shared make it easier.
Last year, a dear friend of mine passed away from alcoholism. In the end, he was alone even when he wasn’t. I carry him around with me all the time. I miss him. I resolutely celebrate the time we spent together and I also think about the times that he had when he was so alone and so distant. I think that experience isn’t far away from any of us. We are so much more delicate than we believe.
ACG: How does together navigate these topics?
JW: At the very beginning of this, I struggled to understand how we could make this tangible. Almost immediately I arrived at the idea of a forest. Where there’s all these trees, and scrubs, and dirt, and rocks - and all these things that are existing within an ecosystem. They all thrive and fail within that place, but there is an amazing interconnectedness that is part of that.
So from the beginning, a forest has been the metaphor that made complete sense because there is an ecological support system. Sometimes it fails, and sometimes it thrives.
I have to read this piece for you. We excerpted it from Peter Wohlleben’s Hidden Life of Trees: A tree is not a forest.
On its own, a tree cannot establish a consistent local climate. It is at the mercy of wind and weather. But together, many trees create an ecosystem that moderates extremes of heat and cold, stores a great deal of water, and generates a great deal of humidity.
...
If every tree were looking out only for itself, then quite a few of them would never reach old age. Regular fatalities would result in many large gaps in the tree canopy, making it easier for storms to get inside the forest and uproot trees.
Every tree would suffer.
...
And that is why even sick individuals are supported and nourished until they recover. Next time, perhaps it will be the other way round, and the supporting tree might be the one in need of assistance.
A tree can be only as strong as the forest that surrounds it.
That helps me understand how we need each other and why sometimes we carry the person next to us. The ecology of forests has become the main organizing element that draws the entire concert together.
ACG: As an artist, as the person that has conceptualized this triptych from the beginning, does this feel like a satisfying resolution to you artistically?
JW: I think there is no end to these types of work. I personally believe that art is a way to understand ourselves. All of my music is inspired by narrative, people, and experience. So for me, it is endless.
What is fascinating about this triptych, is how it expands. i/we was about the experience of small group of people on a journey: refugees from Syria and Irag that had settled here in Austin in their first 90 days. Dream was about young people in Austin and their hopes, fears and dreams of the future. Finally, together is everybody. Everybody has a relationship with this. In that aspect artistically, in terms of a narrative, it has grown and opened up to include all of us.
And so that feels right and it feels good.
ACG: How do you hope to impact the community beyond this concert?
JW: This is a call to action for all of us to savor the relationships we cherish. To nurture. To look for opportunities where we can positively impact someone's life, and also to have some deep and sincere compassion for ourselves when we are suffering. To break that cycle of suffering.
Ultimately, I think when a person comes into this space and they hear all these stories, these different composers and the music we created that was inspired by these interviews - that they will see the incredibly rich landscape or forest scape that we inhabit. That they listen to any of it and recognize that a piece or a story might mirror their own experience or discover that someone they know carries this experience with them. That is what I hope for.
ACG: Would you like to add anything?
JW: Yes! This concert is a celebration. These topics are heavy and there is heaviness here, but there is so much joy and lift in it too. I am overwhelmingly filled with hope and astounded by the beauty we have created here. The interviews Travis put together are gorgeous. The music Russell Pinkston, Celil Refik Kaya and I have made is so deeply connected to those interviews
I hope people will allow themselves to go on this journey. By seeing ourselves in others, we all become stronger.
If you would like to know more about the inspiration of ‘together,’ we invite you to read this article by Artistic Director, Joe Williams, and Education Director, Travis Marcum.
'together' Artist Profile: Jennifer Choi - Violinist
We are thrilled to be collaborating with some incredible artists for our January 24-26 season centerpiece together. Jennifer Choi will be the violinist on the show. We asked Jennifer to tell us a bit about the process and a bit about herself.
Austin Classical Guitar: You’ve been part of this series form the beginning. i/we, dream, together. What does this series mean to you?
Jennifer Choi: I feel so honored to have been a part of all three concerts in this series, which is one of the most unique projects that I have been involved in. I loved how much the community at large has been interwoven within the programs, and that we heard these voices from the heart. It brought us a real perspective and deeper understanding of the events happening around us each day, and made the music so meaningful to perform.
ACG: What do you wish everyone knew about the process of creating, collaborating on, and sharing new music and new art?
JC: With new music, there is always a sense of adventure because you are meeting the music for the first time, and on some occasions, you're meeting the composer for the first time too, like going on a musical blind date! You don't know exactly what you're gonna get, so of course there's a feeling of the unknown. But then, you take a peek, and when the music speaks to you, it can feel like something strikes a chord in your being and that something can be soul-moving, bring you to tears.. or it can be joyful and exciting, and you just want to get more of it! I have so much respect for composers. They are putting all their energy into something they believe in for us to listen to and be moved with them.
ACG: What’s it been like work with this team?
The process here at ACG has been one of deep connections and collaboration from the beginning. So much thought has gone into each concert with a vision that is large and all encompassing. I loved that there were no constraints. Every idea was considered, and in the end, a wide range of music and genres has been incorporated into the format. It says a lot about an organization when year after year, the core team stays the same and everyone is in it for the same, beautiful purpose.
ACG: Tell us a little about what else you have going on - how can people learn more about you?
JC: Last month I was in Toulouse, France playing with Les Freres Meduses -no strangers to ACG- guitarists, Randall Avers and Benoit Albert. I have found that chamber music with guitars and violin to be a divine combination. The Texas Guitar Quartet with Isaac Bustos and Alejandro Montiel have also graciously invited me to perform with them and I also brought Isaac and Al to NYC last season and it was just so much fun to reunite then as it is now. I continue my various collaborations with composer/performers in New York, and most recently I have joined the Artist Faculty of Juilliard Global which takes me around the world for performances and master classes. My website is www.jenniferchoi.com if you'd like to know more about me go to https://www.jenniferchoi.com.
If you would like to know more about the inspiration of ‘together,’ we invite you to read this article by Artistic Director, Joe Williams, and Education Director, Travis Marcum.
'together' Artist Profile: Celil Refik Kaya - Composer
We are thrilled to be collaborating with some incredible artists for our January 24-26 season centerpiece together. Composer and guitarist Celil Refik Kaya has created a beautiful and moving new work for these shows: There Is Life In This Room. We asked Celil to tell us a bit about the process and a bit about himself.
Austin Classical Guitar: Tell us about together? What has this project meant to you so far, has anything surprised you?
Celil Refik Kaya: I believe this project is very enlightening in an age that people are disconnected from each other. Today, we as a society are more disconnected than ever. When we think about a family, it is like the smallest country. Family members love, trust and support each other. We should achieve this as humanity as well. When I heard the interview with the young patient, it was one of the most touching things I have ever heard, and I dedicated “There is life in this Room” for her. The title is taken from her interview expressing her feelings and life in the hospital room. I believe the commissioned pieces that we will hear for this project will change the way people see each other, and will guide us to have superior empathy toward each other.
ACG: What do you wish everyone knew about the process of creating, collaborating on, and sharing new music and new art?
CRK: Today new music and arts in general should be supported more. Performing, composing and sharing beautiful projects as artists are possible thanks to the support of people. People often don’t realize how important music is in our lives as a whole. It is everywhere—we almost don’t live a moment without it. New music and arts in general reflect our civilization, and people should realize how important this is not only for today but also for future generations. All the creation, collaboration and sharing process comes with a tremendous amount of work, practice and sacrifice just so we change people’s lives and touch people’s souls.
ACG: What’s it been like working with this team?
CRK: Working with the Austin Classical Guitar team is a wonderful experience. They are full of creative ideas and every project is meaningful and immortal in my opinion. I always think of an artist as a person of creativity rather than imitator or craftsman. Although we don’t create from nothing, the unique ideas come from an artist’s mind and this is what ACG is doing. Over the years, I enjoyed collaboration with Matthew Hinsley, Joe Williams and all my other friends in ACG team. I was able to express myself as composer and performer.
ACG: Tell us a little about what else you have going on - how can people learn more about you?
CRK: I have a busy performing schedule while teaching classical guitar privately. For the future, I have 4 CD projects coming up with Naxos records. I will be continuing recording the works of Agustin Barrios Mangore, Jorge Morel and Carlo Domeniconi. Sometime around next year my 4th recording, the music of Joaquin Rodrigo, will be released. I am currently planning on publishing new works that I have written including Five Turkish Folk Dances for solo guitar, Dicle ve Fırat (Tigris and Euphrates) for trio and many others. My recordings are on Naxos Records and can be found on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Some of my compositions, recorded by me and my colleagues, are on Youtube. People can also visit my website for more information about concerts and other news.
If you would like to know more about the inspiration of 'together,' we invite you to read this article by Artistic Director, Joe Williams, and Education Director, Travis Marcum.
'together' Artist Profile: Isaac Bustos - Guitarist
We are thrilled to be collaborating with some incredible artists for our January 24-26 season centerpiece together. Guitarist Isaac Bustos has been with us since the beginning of this series playing in both i/we and dream, and many others. We asked Isaac to tell us a bit about this project and a bit about himself.
Austin Classical Guitar: You’ve been part of this series from the beginning. i/we, dream, together. What’s it mean to you?
Issac Bustos: It has been a powerful experience to be part of each of these projects because of the profound impact each event has had on me as an artist and person. I/WE, in particular, hit so close to home because of how I related to the refugee experience expressed in the interviews. This short anecdote encapsulates how significant this concert was for me: I vividly remember that while working on the solo of "I am not afraid", I was overwhelmed by how perfectly Joe's music captured the message of the text! I remember how my own experience was guiding my phrasing, the way I breathed with the music, which colors to bring out, what kind of touch to use on the strings, how loud/soft to play. All these things, obviously, are always part of our interpretative process, but the fact that they were serving a greater purpose - at least from my perspective - made the whole experience much more meaningful.
ACG: What do you wish everyone knew about the process of creating, collaborating on, and sharing new music and new art?
IB: The music, collaborative efforts, creation, and production of these new works of art reveal our humanity and how much we have in common. One of the most fascinating aspects of these events is the fact that most musicians involved in these concerts have never worked together! Somehow, however, the music brings us all together to serve a common purpose - which we in return share with audiences that have come to experience something new. This entire process takes open minds and hearts.
ACG: What’s it been like work with this team?
IB: Inspiring! The professionalism, dedication, and camaraderie are nothing short of exceptional. I have gotten to work with top-notch musicians in settings that allow the creative process to flourish. Plus, we get to share beautiful and impactful music.
ACG: Tell us a little about what else you have going on - how can people learn more about you?
IB: This spring is full of exciting new adventures for me! I have concerts with the Texas Guitar Quartet in Feb, March, and April! In the summer, we are touring Mexico. Plus, I am hosting the Southwest Guitar Symposium and competition in March (13-15) as part of my new position as director of guitar studies at UT -San Antonio! Then, a solo show in Anaheim, California followed by a performance of the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Rapides Symphony in Alexandria, LA. Lots of music to be made and I can't wait to share it with people.
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If you would like to know more about the inspiration of 'together,' we invite you to read this article by Artistic Director, Joe Williams, and Education Director, Travis Marcum.
'together' Artist Profile: Russell Pinkston - Composer
We are thrilled to be collaborating with some incredible artists for our January 24-26 season centerpiece together. Composer Russell Pinkston has created to beautiful and moving new works for these shows: AloneTogether and Nobody Tells You. We asked Russell to tell us a bit about the process and a bit about himself.
Austin Classical Guitar: What has this project meant to you so far, has anything surprised you?
Russell Pinkston: It’s truly an honor to be part of this project. I think what ACG has done the past two seasons is wonderful, both artistically and in terms of the underlying concepts. I am sure that “together” will be just as powerful and well-produced and I hope that my little pieces will contribute in some small way. I’m especially looking forward to working with these great musicians!
ACG: What do you wish everyone knew about the process of creating, collaborating on, and sharing new music and new art?
RP: I first got into writing music when I was playing in a “Prog Rock” band in New England, back in the late sixties and early seventies. We had a pretty big following and we played all over the northeast, mostly doing our own music. We lived in a rambling old farm house in Vermont, which had a separate outbuilding where we practiced and worked out our songs and arrangements. For a songwriter/arranger, there’s just nothing quite like the experience of coming up with a new idea, sharing it with your friends/fellow musicians the same day, working out the arrangement collaboratively, and then performing it together onstage – sometimes that very night. And best of all, to be playing your own music for people who know you, have come to hear you, and really appreciate what you’re doing – that’s an amazing experience! Since leaving rock ‘n roll and becoming a “Composer” with a capital “C,” I haven’t had that kind of musical fellowship very often, and I miss it. Writing music for other people to perform is a very different, much more solitary experience. But when I finally get to hear what I’ve written played, especially by such outstanding musicians as I have been privileged to work with over the years, it’s no less of a joyful and satisfying experience. Delayed gratification, if you will! One of the pieces I wrote for this event is called “Alone, Together,” and it’s about the joy of communal music-making, and how it can lift us up when we’re feeling isolated.
ACG: What’s it been like work with this team?
RP: Well, I’ve certainly enjoyed my conversations about the project with Joe and Travis, and I’m looking forward to working with the musicians in the near future. I hope they like what I’ve come up with for them!
ACG: Tell us a little about what else you have going on - how can people learn more about you?
RP: Since retiring from UT after 35 years of teaching there, I’ve been splitting my time between Harpswell, Maine, and Austin. One of my great joys has been starting to study classical guitar (with Joe Williams). I was a self-taught electric blues/rock guitarist back in the day, but I never really knew what I was doing. I’m loving the experience now – practicing a lot, unlearning bad habits and discovering the wonderful literature for this instrument. Playing classical guitar is right up there with sailing these days – at least, when I’m up in Maine! There’s more of my music, for anyone interested (including some of my rock ‘n roll) on my website. Thanks for listening!
If you would like to know more about the inspiration of 'together,' we invite you to read this article by Artistic Director, Joe Williams, and Education Director, Travis Marcum.