The Guitar Foundation of America recently hosted dozens of classical guitarists for six days of music at Metropolitan State University of Denver. CPR Classical was lucky enough to host three of the guitarists, each at a different stage in their career.
All three shared music by Johann Sebastian Bach in the CPR Performance Studio. In each of these clips, the guitarists illuminate Bach’s stately melodies and spidery counterpoint.
The main event here is classical guitarist Jason Vieaux. He won a 2015 Grammy award for his classical disc “Play” and has appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.
He’s performed as a featured soloist with dozens of orchestras across the globe and founded the guitar program at Philadelphia’s prestigious Curtis Institute of Music.
Watch Vieaux’s short but gorgeous performance of Bach’s Lute Suite No. 1 in E minor above.
More CPR Performance Studio sessions:
- Playground Ensemble Performs Colorado Composer Loretta Notareschi's Sorrowful String Quartet
- An Electric Performance By Boulder Bach Festival’s ‘Venice On Fire’ Musicians
- Boulder's Matthew Dane Blends Classical, Indian Sounds On The Viola D’Amore
- Cantus Sings Haunting Music By Ysaye Barnwell
Gwenyth Aggeler studies guitar at Denver School of the Arts. She recently performed as a soloist in the DSA’s concerto concert. She also earned first prize in her division while competing at the Texas Classical Guitar Festival in March.
At CPR, she played the somber Prelude from Bach’s Lute Suite No. 2:
Gabriel Balogh has studied guitar at the University of Colorado, University of Denver and Metro State. The 26-year-old won first prize in the Denver Classical Guitar Competition in 2014.
Here’s Balogh playing music from Bach’s sprightly Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor:
And here’s a bonus performance, featuring Vieaux playing “Capricho árabe” by Francisco Tárrega.
It’s not Bach, but it’s too beautiful not to share:
