International Guitar Series 2007-08

Due to the tremendous response for the Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet concert it has been moved to St. Cecilia's Royce Auditorium 24 Ransom Avenue NE. All other GRCC International Guitar Series Concerts will be held in Room 200 of the Music Center at the corner of Ransom and Lyon. .

Parking is available in the GRCC student parking ramp for the cost of $1.00 for a guest parking voucher sold at the door.

Advanced tickets available for this concert from the GRCC Music Department Office. Call 234-3940 for further information or e-mail bmorris@grcc.edu.

The Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet

Thursday, October 18, 2007 • 7:30 pm
$10.00 General Admission
$ 5.00 Students

St Cecilia's Royce Auditorium
24 Ransom Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Last year the Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet's performances received an overwhelmingly positive response from the audiences at their sold out performances. This season the Quartet will again present a program of transcriptions of masterworks as well as music originally written for Guitar Quartet. This is sure to be a wonderful program. Don't miss it! The Quartet is comprised of four active performing and teaching guitarists who currently make their homes in the West Michigan area. For individual bios, click here.

The Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet
From left to right: Brian Morris, Michael Stockdale, Andrew Bergeron, Jason Werkema

Thomas Viloteau

2006 GFA Competition Winner

Thursday, November 15, 2007 • 7:30 pm
$10.00 General Admission
$ 7.00 Students

GRCC Recital Hall

Thomas Viloteau: Winner, 2006 GFA International Solo CompetitionBorn in Paris in 1985, Thomas Viloteau began his musical education at age twelve in Port St. Louis (France). In 1998, he entered the Escuela de Música Juan Pedro Carrero in Barcelona, Spain, where he also participated in numerous masterclasses with Alvaro Pierri. Two years later, he entered the Consrvatorio Superior de Música de Barcelona where he studied with Joan Furio.

In 2001, Thomas received a scholarship of the Fondation Zigmund Zaleski to study under the direction of Alberto Ponce at the Ecole Normale in Paris, where he graduated with a Diplôme Supérieur de Concertiste in 2004. Entering the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris that same year, Thomas studied in Roland Dyens' class while also working with Judicaël Perroy and participating in masterclasses with Rolf Lislevand and Manuel Gonzales.

Thomas Viloteau has placed first in several competitions, including the Salou guitar competition (Spain), the Segovia international competition in Linares (Spain), the Ville d'Antony international competition in Paris, the Mottola competition held in Italy, and most recently he received first prize in the 2006 Guitar Foundation of America competition.

Paul Vondiziaono

Classical Guitarist

Thursday, February 14, 2008 • 7:30 pm
$10.00 General Admission
$ 7.00 Students

GRCC Recital Hall

Paul Vondiziano was born in Larnaca, Cyprus, where he began his study of the guitar at the age of eight. He continued his education in the United States in both philosophy and music, and holds a Master of Music degree from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania.  Following his studies he returned to Cyprus, where his performance activities led to further engagements and tours on the European Continent. Since his return to America he has been active as a performer, and continues to make appearances abroad.

He has premiered works for guitar such as his own Memories of Inner Time and Triptych, as well as Will Bottje's Lighter Strings for guitar and harpsichord and Greetings suite for solo guitar. His recordings include (1) Two Rooms and a Guitar (with Baroque and South American music: D. Kellner, R. De Visee, A. Logy and A. Lauro), (2) J. S. Bach: The Four Lute Suites (BWV 996, 997, 995, 1006a), (3) The Mediterranean Guitar (with works by G. Sanz, M. Theodorakis, and C. Domeniconi), (4) J. S. Bach: Prelude, Second Partita, Third Sonata (BWV 999, BWV 1004, BWV 1005 transcribed from the works for violin solo) and (5) Spirit of Brazil: Guitar Music of Joao Guimaraes-Pernambuco. Future plans include a recording of his own compositions for solo guitar.

Some of his repeated appearances include Cyprus, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Scotland, Greece, Spain, and in the U.S. : New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, North Carolina, South Carolina, Kansas, Iowa, Idaho, as well as Alberta Canada

Richard Gilewitz

Fingerstyle Acoustic Guitarist

Thursday, April 3, 2008 • 7:30 pm
$10.00 General Admission
$ 7.00 Students

GRCC Recital Hall

Recognized in the international field as a musician who composes and performs a kaleidoscopic mixture of instrumental selections, Richard forges a new voice to include the expanse of his influences as his complex and energetic original works become stories from the guitar. His use of banjo style picking patterns, classical arpeggios, tapping and harmonics, as well as a rhythmic and percussive approach, bring a fresh impression to the listener.

Gilewitz began honing his skills during the late 1970's at the University of Alabama, while pursing a degree in Computer Science and Mathematics, eventually working in the field of flight simulation design, telemetry and satellite systems. Soon the pull of his passion for music was so compelling that Richard left corporate life to teach and perform full time.

Today, known as one of the most unique and humorous performers on the contemporary acoustic scene, Richard is respected worldwide for his command of the 6 and 12-string guitar. He continues to work on his craft under the direction of classical guitarist David Walbert, who has studied with renowned violinist Frances Magnes, and guitarists Gil de Jesus and Sophocles Papas.

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