Sacramento Guitar Society History – the 2010's
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Over the decades of its existence, SGS has had people take the helm for a time, scheduling meetings and “keeping things going.”
On May 16, 2003, Brandon Yip and Greg Williams incorporated the Sacramento Guitar Society with the State of California with the intent of becoming a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organzation similar to the South Bay Guitar Society based in San Jose. Matthew Grasso served as Artistic Director and Brandon as President. Many meetings took place at California State University Sacramento, where Greg was on the faculty. The federal level application is significantly more challenging for small arts groups to manage, and the project was dropped.
In 2005 John Oster took was President and meetings were held at members' homes. In the Fall of 2008 Daniel Roest took over from John, and after rebuilding the website, he and a board of previous leaders and members again pursued building the group into a non-profit recognized by both the State of California and the IRS.
The December 2009 inaugural Board of Directors of this new stage of SGS included:
Daniel Roest - President
Brandon Yip, Past President
Greg Williams - Vice President
Stephen Roberts - Secretary
William Anderson - Treasurer
Daniel Rooney, Legal Affairs
Michael Harbison - Web Design
Matthew Grasso - Director
Harold Sexton - Director
In Spring of 2010 we began meeting monthly at Christ Community Church in Carmichael.
In June and July of 2010, Daniel produced a 76 minute CD of contributions from 14 area classical guitarists showing the range of talent on the Sacramento Region.
In August of 2010, we finally acquired our tax exempt status from the IRS.
News from May 2012 and before
MAY 2012
Cinco de Mayo weekend: Zaira Meneses sold out her Saturday night concert at Three Stages and almost sold out Sunday. She played a heroic program that displayed her exceptional virtuosity in the first half with large works by Sor, Piccinini, Weiss and Paganini. The surprise of the second half was the lights going completely out before she entered the stage singing Ponce's "Estrellita," the lights coming on as the began playing at her chair. The second half brought out repertoire more timed for Cinco de Mayo, as well as her infectious sense of humor and warmth from the stage. On Friday the 3rd, Zaira visited a group of students at an after school program called Moral Values Program, comprised primarily of at-risk children whose primary language is Spanish. She said it was "very emotional" and the students were very reluctant to see her go.Up next at Three Stages, William Kanengiser. Up next at CSU Sacramento Capistrano Hall May 20, Antoniy Kakamakov.
Cinco de Mayo weekend: Zaira Meneses sold out her Saturday night concert at Three Stages and almost sold out Sunday. She played a heroic program that displayed her exceptional virtuosity in the first half with large works by Sor, Piccinini, Weiss and Paganini. The surprise of the second half was the lights going completely out before she entered the stage singing Ponce's "Estrellita," the lights coming on as the began playing at her chair. The second half brought out repertoire more timed for Cinco de Mayo, as well as her infectious sense of humor and warmth from the stage. On Friday the 3rd, Zaira visited a group of students at an after school program called Moral Values Program, comprised primarily of at-risk children whose primary language is Spanish. She said it was "very emotional" and the students were very reluctant to see her go.Up next at Three Stages, William Kanengiser. Up next at CSU Sacramento Capistrano Hall May 20, Antoniy Kakamakov.APRIL 2012
Philip Hemmo played brilliantly for our April Meeting. Posted videos can be found on our facebook page and on YouTube.
Ray Zhou returns: Indie Times Article
MARCH 2012
3/22/12SGS was awarded a collection of DAddario and Planet Waves products from the D'Addario Foundation to assist in fundraising. These products, including capos, tuners, string sets and humidifier kits, will will available at SGS events throughout the year.
SGS was awarded a collection of DAddario and Planet Waves products from the D'Addario Foundation to assist in fundraising. These products, including capos, tuners, string sets and humidifier kits, will will available at SGS events throughout the year.3/21/12: SGS Board members Daniel Roest and Steve Roberts completed and submitted a program grant application to Wells Fargo Community Giving.
3/18/12:Alexander Stroud, 15 year old virtuoso classical guitarist from the Bay Area and winner of the Sierra Nevada Classical Guitar Competition Youth Division 14 and under, delivered an outstanding program full of variety and technical challenges before an audience of about 90. As our featured artist for our March 2011 meeting, Alexander stepped up with exceptional control on his Kenny Hill cedar top instrument. His teacher from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Scott Cmiel, was there in support, as was his father Jim Stroud and older brother Joey. Alexander Stroud has been studying classical guitar for eleven years, the last seven of those at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He took first place in the Sierra Nevada Guitar Competition youth division in July, and in February won the Menuhin-Dowling Competition. Alexander has performed in master classes with renowned classical guitarists such as Johannes Moller, Marc Teicholz, William Kanengiser, David Tanenbaum, Sergio Assad and Manuel Barrueco. He is a freshman at Mountain View High School, in Mountain View, California. The videos linked below are up on YouTube in HD format. Each video covers one composition with the exception
Alexander Stroud, 15 year old virtuoso classical guitarist from the Bay Area and winner of the Sierra Nevada Classical Guitar Competition Youth Division 14 and under, delivered an outstanding program full of variety and technical challenges before an audience of about 90. As our featured artist for our March 2011 meeting, Alexander stepped up with exceptional control on his Kenny Hill cedar top instrument. His teacher from San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Scott Cmiel, was there in support, as was his father Jim Stroud and older brother Joey. Alexander Stroud has been studying classical guitar for eleven years, the last seven of those at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He took first place in the Sierra Nevada Guitar Competition youth division in July, and in February won the Menuhin-Dowling Competition. Alexander has performed in master classes with renowned classical guitarists such as Johannes Moller, Marc Teicholz, William Kanengiser, David Tanenbaum, Sergio Assad and Manuel Barrueco. He is a freshman at Mountain View High School, in Mountain View, California. The videos linked below are up on YouTube in HD format. Each video covers one composition with the exceptionof the Bach Cello Suite which is posted as a single video.
Program
Variations sur "Les Folies d'Espagne" Mauro Giuliani
Cancion del Emperador Luys de Narvaez
Cello Suite No. 3 BWV 1009 J.S. Bach
Prelude
Allemande
Sarabande
Gigue
Prelude 1: Lyric Melody Heitor Villa-Lobos
La Folia Folio Bryan Johanson
Preceeding Alexander's recital and opening up the monthly meeting was a short recital by the Sacramento Guitar Orchestra, led by Greg Williams and feauturing the music of Bach and Handel in three parts, with several guitarists on each part. Another great example of SGS serving the community with this opportunity for community members to join in a large ensemble and perform in public. See videos in the links to the right.
3/3-4/12:The San Francisco Guitar Quartet performed two concerts at Three Stages at Folsom Lake College, with the Mobius Trio's Mason Fish filling in for David Duenas. The concerts were successes in all ways and featured the music of Mark Knippel (b. 1983), Bryan Johanson (b. 1951), G.F. Telemann (1681-1767), Phillip Houghton (b. 1954), Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), Paul Hindemith (1895-1963), Andrew York (b. 1958), Clarice Assad (b. 19878) and a traditional Latin dance arranged by SFGQ.
The San Francisco Guitar Quartet performed two concerts at Three Stages at Folsom Lake College, with the Mobius Trio's Mason Fish filling in for David Duenas. The concerts were successes in all ways and featured the music of Mark Knippel (b. 1983), Bryan Johanson (b. 1951), G.F. Telemann (1681-1767), Phillip Houghton (b. 1954), Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992), Paul Hindemith (1895-1963), Andrew York (b. 1958), Clarice Assad (b. 19878) and a traditional Latin dance arranged by SFGQ.FEBRUARY 2012
Two great programs!
2/4/12: Arina Burcéva performed in concert at our Three Stages Classical Guitar Concert Series. and the Los Angeles Guitar Duo came up from Southern CA to give a one set recital of solo and duo music at our monthly meeting at CSUS.
JANUARY 2012
The year kicks off with Ross Thompson playing a program of Bach, de Falla, Purcell and Thompson on the 15th at CSUS Capistrano Hall. The Sacramento Guitar Orchestra starts the new year with four pieces by Handel. The first UC Davis Guitar happens on the 19th through the 21st.
DECEMBER 2011
Another Community Concert Series concert took place Deceember 9th, this one presenting Nevada City composer and concert guitarist Jamey Bellizzi in Folsom at 48 Natoma, the City's Senior and Public Arts Center. This is followed on the 18th by our last event of the year, the holiday party and concert featuring the Sacramento Guitar Orchestra.
NOVEMBER 2011
We had another big success at Three Stages with Baltimore -based guitarist Benjamin Beirs, who also visited Folsom High School and Vista del Lago High School. At Three Stages he played Regondi, Dyens (with whom he studied in Paris for a semester), Ponce and Pasieczny plus an encore of Villa-Lobos after a standing ovation. A high point of the evening was the awarding of an Orpheus Valley Rosa Morena classical - flamenco hybrid guitar with gig bag, a $650 value, in a fun and exciting rafflle after Intermission. Steve Lin from the Bay Area performed on the 20th at our new meeting location, Capistrano Hall at CSUS, The Sacramento Guitar Orchestra had its second rehearsal.
OCTOBER 2011
We had a great success with our Three Stages debut October 1st! Jon Mendle was superb onstage and took advantage of the magnificent acoustics of the Scott-Skillman Recital Hall. A sold-out room rewarded him with two standing ovations and encores. Immediately following Intermission, one lucky audience member was presenterd with a new Orpheus Valley R65CW cutaway acoustic electric model with gig bag, and $845 value. Then in our meeting on the 17th at Christ Community Church, Trio Seven charmed us on 21 strings with the music of Bach, Dvorak, Miller, Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Myers, Bizet and Conti. Plus - the SACRAMENTO GUITAR ORCHESTRA had its fiirst rehearsal, just before the meeting. This is a new venture for SGS, and we think it serves an important need in the community, plus it provides a fun creative outlet for people to play in a group with multiple players on each ensemble part. A Holiday concert is palnned for the December meeting. On the 10th we presented Giacomo Fiore at Zia's in Placerville in a Community Concert Series concert.
SEPTEMBER 2011
Phùng Tuâń Vũ was spectacular at our September meeting. He played with great virtuosity and expressiveness, a presented a solid hour of the music of Sor, Dyens, Schubert, Strauss II, Paganini, Itsuwa, Sabicas and his own originals. Also in September, we forged a relationship with music importer and manufacturer Kremona Trade Inc., makers of fine European hand-crafted instruments. They pledged to donate a fine new classical guitar to our first Three Stages concert with Jon Mendle.
AUGUST 2011
We had a LOT going on in August! Our amazing six-concert series at THREE STAGES in Folsom went on sale at the box office window on the 1st [with 15% off subscriptions for SGS members!], We hosted our open mic on the 5th, Greg Williams and Matthew Grasso performed in Placerville on the 12th, Gordan Rowland and Doug Wendt performed on the 21st, and Daniel Roest and Ian Ethan performed a Community Concert Series concert.on the 26th.
JULY 2011
SGS took a break from the monthly meetings to accomodate the Sierra Nevada Classical Guitar Festival and Competition at Squaw Valley. Daniel Rost spoke about SGS and performed for the South Sacramento Rotary Club with SGS Board Member Ed Trujillo along. More Rotary appearances are planned. Three Stages at Folsom Lake College mailed 150,000 brochures with SGS concerts featured in the front of the PARTNERS pages.
JUNE 2011
SGS wraps up the year with an educational workshop with El Dorado Hills-based luthier Waylin Carpenter at the Carmichael Branch of the Sacramento Public Library. The Sacramento Bee featured Carpenter in an article in 2009. Several California guitarists have purchased a Carpenter instrument built to their specifications, such as Matt Grasso, Ray Zhou and Matt Foley.
MAY 2011
May was a watershed month for SGS. After hosting Eugene, Oregon-based guitarist David Rogers, who spent 18 years in Ashland as the guitarist for the Ahland Shakepeare festival, in both a small house concert and as the fetured performer at our monthly meeting, we debuted at Three Stages at Folsom Lake College. Muriel Anderson, Raughi Ebert of Tierra Negra, Ariane Cap and Raul Rodriguez performed in two sold out shows. It was a great beginning to what will be several more concerts there in the 2011-2012 concert season: Jon Mendle, Benjamin Beirs, Arina Burcéva, San Francisco Guitar Quartet, Zaira Meneses and William Kanengiser! Here is a review from the Bee: Anderson, Ebert shine at Three Stages
APRIL 2011
April was a huge month for us! We finally reached the West Coast Guitar Societies Roundtable, the Gohar Vardanyan-Jesse McCann evening concert and the Goar Vardanyan Sunday workshop and bookend concerts of the Pacific Guitar Ensemble and the Duo Klavitarre - and we survived. Pictures and reviews of the conference are available here - please take a look. Adding to the positive reactions were strong financial support from sponsors and word of a commitment from Wells Fargo to be presented next month at Muriel Anderson's Saturday May 21st concert at Three Stages. To see that and order tickets, or to order seats for her Sunday 22nd afternoon concert, click Three Stages and search MURIEL ANDERSON to be taken right to it.
MARCH 2011
Wu Love performed for us March 22nd in Carmichael - the 15-year-old from Davis put on a fine recital of Bach, Giuliani, Albeniz, Turina and Barrios before singing through an encore. Her teacher Scott Cmiel was in attendance and praised SGS for showcasing young talent. Our 12-year-old October featured artist, Ashwin Krishna, also studies with him at the San Francisco Conservatory.
JANUARY -FEBRUARY 2011
Matthew Grasso put on a tremendous recital January 16th, and we had over 60 in attendance. It seems we're on a roll. Steve worked hard throughout taking in new memberships and CD sales, Harold, Greg and Sean were there and Gabe helped us again with getting us the space. Richard Goyette got it all on video. Former SGS president Ed Trujillo was there and got applauded. Luthiers Waylin Carpenter and Corey Reynolds had their guitar played. Veteran classical guitar instructor Nan Shaw came again from Auburn and Jim and Gloria Hildinger came down from South Lake Tahoe. Herb Tanimoto made it from Yuba City. There was a large contingent of teenagers in the room. Many CDs were sold. I'm leaving things and people out, but there was a very happy feeling all around as we left, and most of the audience took flyers to post.
Giacomo Fiore took the February 20th program with works by Lou Harrison, Toru Takemitsu, Peter Maxwell Davies and Michael Tippett, and another 60 + audience at Christ Community Church. The concert was a tuneup before recording the music, and Giacomo showed why he is such a popular performing artist, both with sensative playing and thoughtful introductions - a very engaging artist.
JANUARY 2011
Halfway through the 2010-2011 Season, we are in the best financial shape yet and have a full half year ahead with artists Matthew Grasso, Mark Hanson, Giacomo Fiore, Wu Love, Duo Kavitarre, Jesse McCann, Gohar Vardanyan, Dr. Matthew Hinsley, David Rogers, Muriel Anderson, Raughi Ebert of Tierra Negra and the Los Angeles Guitar Duo. Links to artist websites are on our Calendar.
HISTORY
The Nicholson Music Company gives SGS members 15% off on sheet music.
626 E. Bidwell Street, Folsom
(916) 983-0763, open Tues-Sat.
Nov. 2-3
May 3-4
Feb. 1
Looking back at Sacramento Guitar Society's 2013-14 Concert Season
Looking back at the 2012-13 Concert Season
Michael Chapdelaine, National Fingerstyle Champion
Valentine's Day February 14 8pm -
Motoshi Kosako, Jazz Harpist, opening.
Harris Center for the Arts, Folsom.
Roland Dyens
Oct. 4 Folsom 8pm
Oct. 5 Sacramento 3pm
Oct. 3 Chico, 8pm
Eliot Fisk
April 12 3pm,
First United Methodist Church, Sacramento.
Looking back at Sacramento Guitar Society's 2014-15 Concert Season
Dyens was incredible, amazing!
Take your Valentine!
SOLD OUT
Eliot Fisk, Guitar Hero!
IT WAS MARVELOUS!
Motoshi Kosako, Jazz Harpist
SOLD OUT
Yuri Liberzon
Nov. 22 The Strum Shop
Nov. 23 CSU Sacramento
Young Artists Showcase
April 19 CSU Sacramento
SGS Spring Concert at CSU Sacramento
Sacramento Guitar Society Orchestra, Live Oak Waldorf School Guitar Ensemble, Sacramento Preparatory Music Academy, Raphael Carpenter and Daniel Roest
