Monthly Meeting Recap – February 2023
| Dear Guitar Fans: There was a pretty full house with some new faces on Thursday, February 9 at Paschal Winery in Talent. PROGRAM Steve Bismark – Amando Sobre O Mar by Zequinha De Abreu & Desafinedo by A.C. Jobim John Swinnerton – Untitled / Americana – Original Compositions Brian Paris – Going To California by Led Zeppelin & Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood by S. Esmeralda Matt Bock – Lesson by F. Sor / Siciliana by M. Carcassi / Celeste y Blanco by H. Ayala Francesco Palmer – La Catedral by A. Barrios Matt Dorris – Asturias by I. Albeniz / Sounds of Bells by J. Guimaraes / Vals Op. 8. No. 4 by A. Barrios / Mysterious Habitats by D. Bogdanovic ANNOUNCEMENTS Grant Ruiz has composed the music and is performing live on stage for the Collaborative Theater Project’s production of Don Quixote (based on the two novels by Cervantes, and not Man of La Mancha). The production is full of action, comedy, pathos, and insight. You can get tickets and information at ctpmedford.org. Tickets are now on sale for our Friday, March 3 concert featuring Jâca at Grizzly Peak. Jâca is an exciting clarinet and classical guitar duo who will also be participating in a Britt Education residency to visit local schools March 1-3. The guitarist is Ashland’s own Jaxon Williams, who was initially trained by Joe Thompson and has become an international performer. This concert is highly recommended, so please tell (and bring) friends! Tickets are available at our website, guitarsocietyso.org. Kent Jensen in Salem is selling a 1972, hand-crafted 12-string guitar made by Ashland luthier W. B. Windt. He has dropped the price from $13K to $5K OBO! Windt was hired by Angus Bowmer, OSF’s founder, to be the theater company’s music director in 1953, a job he held until about 1972 (per this Mail Tribune article from 2011). Please contact kentknail@gmail.com for photos and more information if you’re interested. Respectfully submitted, Grant Ruiz Flamenco and classical guitarist Secretary, GSSO flamencopacifico.com duoflamenco.com 541-261-3811 |
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Monthly Meeting Recap – January 2023
| Dear Guitar Fans: We had a wonderful gathering Thursday, January 12 Paschal Winery in Talent, with 35 people in attendance. PROGRAM Bob Bath – Nocturno #9 by F. Chopin John Swinnerton – Untitled & Staffordshire (originals) Dan Mish – A Tale of Two Cities (original) Francesco Palmer – Capricho Arabe by F. Tarrega, Cavatina by S. Myers Mark Turnbull – Bless the Blues, Every Sinner Has A Future (originals) Intermission Steve Berman – Prelude from Suite in D minor by R. de Visee, Canarios by G. Sanz Mary La & Grant Ruiz (LaRui Duo) – Wicked Game by Chris Isaak, Falling Slowly by Hansard/Irglová (arr. Grant Ruiz) Grant – Adagio in G minor by Albinoni/Giazotto, Sambalamento by Luis Bonfá Grant & Mark Everson – Yo Soy del Sur (trad. Sevillanas) Mark Everson – Bulerías (trad. flamenco), Dreams of a Sentimental Fool (original) Matt Dorris – Variations on a Theme by Mozart by F. Sor ANNOUNCEMENTS Tickets are now on sale for our March 3 concert featuring Jâca at Grizzly Peak. Jâca is an exciting clarinet and classical guitar duo who will also be participating in a Britt Education residency to visit local schools March 1-3. The guitarist is Ashland’s own Jaxon Williams, who was initially trained by Joe Thompson and has become an international performer. This concert is highly recommended, so please tell (and bring) friends! Tickets are available at our website, guitarsocietyso.org. Jiji Kim, who performed for us in November of 2021, is holding a free, virtual master class on January 28 as part of the Aaron Shearer Foundation. You can get more information here. Kent Jensen in Salem is selling a 1972, hand-crafted 12-string guitar made by Ashland luthier W. B. Windt. Windt was hired by Angus Bowmer, OSF’s founder, to be the theater company’s music director in 1953, a job he held until about 1972 (per this Mail Tribune article from 2011). The asking price for this collector’s item is $13,000. Please contact kentknail@gmail.com for photos and more information if you’re interested. Respectfully submitted, Grant Ruiz Flamenco and classical guitarist Secretary, GSSO flamencopacifico.com duoflamenco.com 541-261-3811 |
Monthly Meeting Recap – December 2022
Greetings Guitar Fans,
We had a wonderful night of guitar music at our final 2022 monthly GSSO meeting last night at Paschal Winery in Talent. We had approximately 25 people in attendance enjoying wine and festivities of the season (Paschal was beautifully decorated for the holidays).
PROGRAM:
- John Swinnerton, GS # 8 – original composition, Jazz Night – original composition
- Steve Bismarck, Christmas Time Is Here – Vince Guaraldi, El Noi de la Mare – Traditional, arranged by Llobet
- Francesco Palmer, Piscian Revelations – personal composition, Neptunian Visions – personal composition
- Peter Jespersen, Two Etudes from Landscape – Gulli Bjorson (Iceland)
Intermission
- Brian Parris Please Come Home for Christmas – Charles Brown, Who Will Watch the Home Place – Kate Long, Laurie Lewis
- Arturo Ville Melody of Christmas Carols (plus bonus encore!)
ANNOUNCEMENTS/BUSINESS:
Jennifer Babineaux announced our next concert, Jâca, a clarinet and classical guitar duo who will be in town for a Britt Education residency to visit local schools March 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and performing a concert for GSSO at Grizzly Peak Winery on Friday, March 3rd. Tickets will go on sale in January and may sell out. Check out Jâca at www.jacamusic.com
We held our annual board elections. In addition to the 4 current board members (Matt Dorris, Grant Ruiz, Jennifer Babineaux and Ryan Alexander) the GSSO membership unanimously elected Peter Jespersen to the GSSO Board.
Arturo Ville announced that the fundraiser for the new classical guitar class at Grants Pass High School had been successful, and he had raised enough money to purchase 10 guitars, as well as receiving 6 donated guitars. Arturo handed thank you cards to three GSSO members that had donated guitars to the program: Steve Bismark, Peter Jespersen and Jennifer Babineaux.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30 pm. The next meeting will be January 12th.
Cheerfully submitted,
Jennifer Babineaux
Veterinarian by day, amateur classical guitar player by night
Treasurer, GSSO
Monthly Meeting Recap – November 2022
Dear Guitar Fans:
We had a wonderful gathering Thursday, November 10 Paschal Winery in Talent, with about 25 people in attendance.
PROGRAM
John Swinnerton – CG & Paschal (originals)
Steve Bismarck – Farewell by Sergio Assad, Dindi by Antonio Carlos Jobim
Matt Bock – Siciliana by M. Carcassi, Etude by N. Coste
Francesco Palmer – Muldrake Overature (original)
Brian Parris – Travelers by Tim O’Brien/Allesandro Massa, Angel by Sarah Mclaulachlin
Intermission
Ryan Alexander – The Song of Campostela (anon.), The Swan by C. Saint Saens (arr. Kazuhito Yamashita)
Grant Ruiz – Wild Mountain Thyme by William McPeake (trad. Scottish), Milonga del Angel by Astor Piazzolla (arr. Baltazar Beníez)
Arturo Ville – Cavatina by Stanley Meyer, Variations on Mozart’s Magic Flute by Sor
Matt Dorris – Canción de Cuna by L. Brouwer, Mysterious Habitats by Dusan Bogdanovic
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Be sure to get your tickets for the Flamenco concert this Friday night at Grizzly Peak. Flamenco guitarist, singer, and pianist Diego Amador will be here from Spain performing with Seattle-based Savannah Fuentes. Diego is the real deal and an absolutely memorizing, heartfelt performer. You can get information and tickets at grizzlypeakwinery.com/events/.
Arturo Ville is playing a concert tomorrow night (Thursday, Nov. 17) at 7:00 p.m. at Grants Pass High School to raise funds to buy guitars for the guitar program he teaches there. Click here to see the flyer.
Brian Parris is hosting a guitar gathering at his property in Grants Pass this Saturday (Nov. 19) at 4:00 p.m. Click here to see the flyer.
Linda Dewhurst is selling her Manuel Rodriguez classical guitar at an excellent price ($600). Click here to see the flyer.
Respectfully submitted,
Grant Ruiz
Flamenco and classical guitarist
Secretary, GSSO
flamencopacifico.com
duoflamenco.com
541-261-3811
Monthly Meeting Recap – October 2022
We had a glorious time at Paschal on Thursday, Oct. 13 with 14 performers giving wonderful performances and well over 40 people in attendance.
PROGRAM
John Swinnerton – GuitarSociety 21 (original domposition)
Bob Bath – Hyme de l’Amour (Piaf/Monnot)
Brian & Andi Rockholt – There’s Something About a Beach (Andi Matthews)
Steve Bismarck – Doralice (Dorival Caymi arr. Joao Gilberto)
Francesco Palmer – Owed to Autumn (Francesco Palmer)
Brian Parris – You Don’t Know Me (Cindy Walker)
~ Intermission ~
Grant Ruiz – Granadinas (trad. flamenco)
Grant and Mary La – Milonga (Astor Piazzolla arr. Grant)
Steve Berman & Steve Skaggs on nyckel harpa Turkish kanun – Uskadara (Turkish folk song)
Mark Turnbull – In The Wind (original xomposition)
Arturo Ville – Asturias (Isaac Albeniz)
Matt Dorris – Aria & Variations (Fernando Sor)
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Grant gave a brief retrospective on the society’s history. Joe Thompson also spoke and presented the society with a generous check donation in memory of his mother Murel Wilson, with contributions by several members of his family.
Jennifer Babineaux arranged a fabulous cake in the shape and design of a classical guitar by Mrs. Card’s Cakes in Jacksonville.
Tickets are now on sale for the upcoming GSSO Nov. 13 matinee concert at the SOU Recital Hall featuring the amazing Yuri Liberzon. You can get more information and tickets from our website, guitarsocietyso.org, or by going directly to the Eventbrite ticket page. (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/classical-guitar-concert-tickets-398622228817)
Grant will perform with members of the Portland Opera on Saturday, Oct. 22 in a presentation regarding the Opera Carmen, which the opera is staging in November. The presentation will take place at the Tigard Public Library (Tigard Public Library
13500 SW Hall Blvd.) at 2pm. He will play duets with Dan Fellman at Belle Fiore Winery on Sunday, Oct. 24 from 5:30 to 7:30pm.
Brian Parris is creating a performance space on his property and will give it a trial run. Stay tuned!
Flamenco dancer Linda Andrade is starting a new round of beginning dance classes on Saturdays at Oak St. Dance Studios in Ashland, beginning Oct. 22. Beginning classes start at 1pm. Grant accompanies these classes, where you can find out more about the rhythms of this profound art form. Please contact Linda at matadoraflamenca@gmail.com, and tell a friend!
Monthly Meeting Recap – September 2022
We had a lovely evening of music and laughter last night, with 29 people in attendance.
PROGRAM
John Swinnerton – GS-3 (Guitar Society 3), Hummingbird (original compositions)
Steve Bismarck – Satin Doll by Duke Ellington, Billy Strayhorn, and Johnny Mercer
Francesco Palmer – The Hieros Gamos Overture (original composition)
Brian Parris – Losing You by Randy Newman, Sitting Alone in the Moonlight by Bill Monroe, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry by Hank Williams
~ Intermission ~
Mary La and Grant Ruiz (the LaRui Duo) – Being with You by Grant, Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
Grant Ruiz – Mariposa by Berto Boyd, Una Limnosa Por el Amor de Dios by Agustín Barrios
Ryan Alexander – Prelude No. 1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos, Julia Florida by Agustín Barrios
Matt Dorris – Suite del Recuerdo by Jose Luis Merlin
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Tickets for our concert with Yuri Liberzon at the SOU Recital Hall are now on sale! We recently received grant money that enables us to pay processing fees, so tickets prices are low. Tickets and information (including videos) are at our website, guitarsocietyso.org. Yuri is one of the best classical guitarists out there, and he has a beautiful new album out on the Naxos label with music by contemporary composer Konstantin Vasiliev.
Francesco Palmer will play 6-string and 12-string guitar with Heather Hutton on piano and violin at Vintage Coffee House (250 E. Wagner St. in Talent) on Saturday from 10am to noon.
Gypsy jazz guitarist Gonzalo Bergara will perform with his quintet at Grizzly Peak Winery on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 7pm. You can get tickets at siskiyoumusicproject.com/event/gonzalo-bergara-quintet-hot-club-gypsy-jazz/.
Grant Ruiz will perform solo flamenco and classical guitar at the Ashland Public Library’s concert series on Saturday, Sept. 24 from 1-2pm. He will also perform at Belle Fiore Winery with Dan Fellman on Sunday, Sept. 25 from 5:30-7:30pm.
We will have our 21st anniversary celebration at next month’s guitar society gathering, Oct. 13, at Paschal Winery at 6pm. (We’ll finally be old enough to drink.) Please mark your calendars and bring a friend. Also, if you have any digital photos of past meetings that you’d like to share, please respond to this message, and we’ll make arrangements. Thanks!
Finally, we’re sad to report the passing of Norma Novy on August 22. She was always a bright presence at the meetings with a big, lovely smile. She will be missed.
Respectfully submitted,
Grant RuizFlamenco and classical guitarist
Secretary, GSSO
541-261-3811
