New Release: "continuation"
for solo guitar by Philip Collins
New CD: "Anatolian Fantasy" by Mesut Özgen
New Publication: "Designing
Technical Training Programs" by Mesut Özgen
New Publication: "Quaditorio"
for guitar ensemble by Jack Vees
"New Dimensions in Classical
Guitar" in Istanbul
Mesut Özgen DVD Release Concert
"New Dimensions in Classical
Guitar DVD" released
Work in Progress: "Passacaglia,
Sarabande, and Gigue" by Anthony Newman
Work in Progress:
"Meditation on Down by the Riverside"
by Robert Strizich
Work in Progress:
"Divining Road" by Christopher Pratorius
Work in Progress:
"From the Major Arcana" by Anthony Newman
"New Dimensions
in Classical Guitar" broadcast on TV
"New Dimensions
in Classical Guitar" wins 2006 Telly Award
"New Dimensions
in Classical Guitar" DVD presented at GFA
Philip Collins, composer, music director, conductor, guitarist, teacher, and arts administrator, "studied composition with Lou Harrison, Edwin Dugger and Henry Onderdonk, and conducting under Nicole Paiement. He describes his new composition as follows: "continuation" first began to take shape through improvisations in a scordatura tuning (second string raised from B to C) that is central to the music’s character. This tuning introduced me to a palette of sonorities that teetered easily between two opposing modalities. The title "continuation" characterizes the music’s ongoing dialect; improvisational, yet deliberate – a life force. I used small case letters for the title to best exemplify the nature of the music's discourse, as well as the meaning of the word, "continuation." Capital letters convey starting points, and my intention was to create more of a continuum, than a succession of discrete episodes. more...
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This recording is a sequel to my first recording of folk inspired classical guitar music entitled "Troubadour" (Golden Horn Records), which included works by a number of composers. In this new album, all the music was written by myself. It has been a long journey since I started playing guitar and composing along the way from Turkey to Santa Cruz, California through Cordoba, Spain; New Haven, Connecticut; and Tempe, Arizona, not to mention many other places in the world where I toured and performed. Most of the pieces on this recording are inspired by the Anatolian folk and Turkish classical music, even when there is not any direct quote to a traditional tune. However, when using traditional or traditional-like melodies more...
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The
purpose of this research paper is to present technical training
programs for classical guitarists based on exercise physiology
principles, a subdiscipline of kinesiology that examines
biophysical foundations of human movement. Two other subdisciplines
of kinesiology are also discussed in the study as they relate
to playing guitar: functional anatomy and biomechanics.
The first part presents a detailed discussion of the functional
anatomy of the upper limb and biomechanics of the musculoskeletal
system.
more...
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Quaditorio is an outgrowth of a piece that was written for
the guitarists auditioning to the Yale School of Music in
2006. That piece, which was commissioned by guitar teacher
Ben Verdery, was intended as a way to highlight the interpretive
skills of the player. It was also short by design for the
audition. Quaditorio expands on these materials, yet keeps
the door open for each group to bring their creativity and
innovation into play.
more...
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The award-winning multimedia concert "New Dimensions
in Classical Guitar" will be presented in Istanbul
at Cemal
Resit Rey Concert Hall, which is one of the best concert
halls in Europe.
Tuesday April 29, 2008.
Mesut Özgen, guitar
Peter Elsea, digital images
Gustavo Vazquez, video
Zach Peletz, lighting design
Gaben Chancellor, video production design
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Guitarist/composer Mesut Özgen performs in a solo recital
to celebrate his award-winning multimedia concert DVD "New
Dimensions in Classical Guitar."
Saturday, October 13 2007 at 7:30 pm
Kuumbwa Jazz Center
320-2 Cedar Street
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
TICKETS
General: $22/Adv $25/Door
Students: $18/Adv $20/Door
Order
Advance Tickets Online
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The award-winning DVD "New Dimensions in Classical
Guitar" has been released on Turquoise Guitar Editions
in May 2007. A multidisciplinary artistic team from the
film and digital media, theatre, and music departments at
the Arts Division of University of California Santa Cruz,
led by guitarist Mesut
Özgen, had launched the premiere performances of
a multimedia concert series “New Dimensions in Classical
Guitar” in March 2004. A multicamera video production
crew captured these premiere performances together with
the beautiful acoustics of the UCSC Recital Hall. A delightful
set of new guitar music is presented skillfully and artfully
combined with visual accompaniments, comprising video, digital
images, and lights. These visually enhanced performances
will thrill guitar fans and enlighten a new audience to
the unbound dimensions of classical guitar.
Program:
1. Gigue for solo guitar by Anthony
Newman
2. La
Guitarra for soprano, guitar, and percussion (on poetry
by F.G. Lorca) by Robert
Strizich (World premiere)
3. Shenandoah for solo guitar by Robert
Beaser
4. Stars for recorder and guitar (after M.C. Escher) by
Anthony
Gilbert (U.S. premiere)
5 . Sortija
for solo guitar by Pablo
Victor Ortiz (World premiere)
6. Surya for bansuri and guitar by Deepak
Ram (World premiere)
7 . Be Kind All the Time for electric classical guitar,
loop, delay, and prepared guitar by Benjamin
Verdery (World premiere)
Gustavo Vazquez, video
Peter Elsea, digital images
David Lee Cuthbert, scenic/lighting design
Mesut
Özgen, guitar
Lauren Rasmussen, soprano
Annette Bauer, recorder
Deepak
Ram, bansuri
Order
the DVD online
Listen and watch excerpts at
Audio/Video Clips
Read
the Program Notes (about visuals, repertoire, and
composers from the DVD Menu)
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Anthony Newman's new duo work will be for guitar and harpsichord
in neo-Baroque style with his unique system of substitute
harmonies.
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Robert Strizich's' new solo guitar work is a musical essay
that examines the contrasting visions of the future and
presents some peacemakers and activists of the previous
and current centuries musically: Mohandas Gandhi, Martin
Luther King, César Chavez and Rachel Corrie.
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Chris Pratorius' new solo guitar work will be a multi-movement
sonata, each movement reflecting on various streets of the
Santa Cruz County.
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Anthony Newman's new solo work will be a Suite for Guitar
in five movements:
1. Chariot: Allegro assai,
2. Lovers: Largo,
3. High Priestess: Siciliano,
4. Tower: Gigue, and
5. Strength: Toccata-Presto.
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UCTV has been broadcast one-hour selections from the "New
Dimensions in Classical Guitar" between May 8-14, 2006.
The premiere broadcast was last year in February 14-20,
2005. UCTV is available nationwide on Dish Network (Channel
9412) and on cable stations across California and nationwide
in the U.S., as well as on the Internet. (Visit
www.uctv.tv for more information on
schedules and availability)
Program:
1. Sortija
for solo guitar by Pablo Victor Ortiz (World premiere)
2. La
Guitarra (on poetry by F.G. Lorca) for soprano, guitar,
and percussion by Robert
Strizich (World premiere)
3. Shenandoah for solo guitar by Robert
Beaser
4. Stars (after M.C. Escher) for recorder and guitar by
Anthony
Gilbert (U.S. premiere)
5. Be Kind All the Time for electric classical guitar, loop,
delay, and prepared guitar by Benjamin
Verdery (World premiere)
Gustavo Vazquez, video
Peter Elsea, digital images
David Lee Cuthbert, scenic/lighting design
Mesut
Özgen, guitar
Lauren Rasmussen, soprano
Annette Bauer, recorder
Read the full program, visuals, repertoire, and composers
info
Listen and watch excerpts at
Audio/Video Clips
Order
the DVD online
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"New Dimensions in Classical Guitar," the multimedia
new music video, has won a 2006 Bronze Telly Award in the
Music Video category at the prestigious 27th Annual Telly
Awards, an international competition honoring outstanding
local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs.
A one-hour television program was prepared for UCTV with
selections from the "New Dimensions in Classical Guitar"
DVD produced by Mesut Özgen, soon to be released on
Golden Horn Records. The program was nominated by UCTV for
consideration by the Tellys.
Rounding off the "New Dimensions in Classical Guitar"
crew were: Video Editor Mesut
Özgen, Assistant Editor Zachary Davis, Video Production
Director Mark Plummer, Video Artist Gustavo Vazquez, Digital
Graphics Artist Peter Elsea, and Scenic/Lighting Designer
David Lee Cuthbert.
The Telly Awards is a major competition in the US advertising,
television, and video production fields, considered the
highest honor given to non-network programming, and is one
of the most sought-after awards by leading industry firms,
production companies, and ad agencies. The 27th Telly Awards
Competition received over 12,000 entries this year. Designed
by the same firm that makes the Oscar® and Emmy®,
the Telly statuette weighs more than 4.5 pounds. Each year,
the Telly Awards generates millions of impressions in national
and local media.
Order
the DVD online
Read
the full program, visuals, repertoire, and composers info
Listen and watch excerpts at
Audio/Video Clips
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Salome
Sandoval presented the "New Dimensions
in Classical Guitar" DVD in her lecture "Visuals
and Drama in the Classical Guitar Concert" at the Guitar
Foundation of America International Convention in Oberlin,
Ohio in October 2005.
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