Monthly Meeting Recap and More for March 2024

Welcome to this month’s meeting recap. and announcements.

We had a wonderful evening of guitar music on Thursday at our monthly guitar society meeting at Paschal Winery.  We had another full house and a surprise guest appearance by Rupert Boyd of Boyd Meets Girl, who put on a fantastic show on Friday with his wife, cellist Laura Metcalf (see below). We also had several new guitarists join us on Thursday. Welcome Art, Peter B., Connor, and Brian L.!
 
PROGRAM

Rupert Boyd – Etude #1 by Christian Dozza. A Felicidade by A.C. Jobim (arranged by Roland Dyens) 

Brian Parris – Marie by Randy Neuman, The End of the Innocence by Bruce Hornsby and Don Hendley

Connor Reese – Muse, On Hold (originals)

John Swinnerton – The second and fourth movement of the Springtime Suite (original)

Art Baden and Peter Bland – Another Tequila Sunrise by the Eagles, They Are Killing This Town (original by Peter)

Victor Mlotok with Neil and Elizabeth Holland, a.k.a. Victor and the Misfits – Pioneer Hall (original)

Neil Holland – Blue Ridge Burn, Delta Blues (originals, the latter on the dobro)

~ Intermission ~

Mary La and Grant Ruiz (LaRui Duo) – When I’m 64 by Paul McCartney (arranged by Grant)

Grant Ruiz – Cello Etude No. 7 by Jean-Louis Duport (arranged by Grant), Farrucas (traditional flamenco)

Brian Lundeen – Antelope (original)

Mark Turnbull – Reflection, In My Cathedral (originals)

Arturo Ville – The Children of Piraeus by Manos Hadjidakis, Deep Blue by George Harrison



Boyd Meets Girl a success!

In conjunction with Britt Education (an arm of Britt Music & Art Festival), Boyd Meets Girl had several successful classroom visits around the Rogue Valley in Grants Pass, Phoenix, and South Medford. Then on Friday, March 15, they put on a wonderful, eclectic show at Grizzly Peak attended by almost 100 very appreciate audience members. Our thanks go out to the duo and to Britt Education.

Rupert recently posted on Facebook, “We love you Ashland! What a gorgeous space and warm audience for our concert last night. Huge thanks to @grizzlypeakwinery, Guitar Society of Southern Oregon, and @brittfestival for making this incredible week possible. We hope to be back soon!”



GSSO continues community outreach

The guitar society has become more active in providing guitar music to the local community. On Saturday, February 24 we presented Arturo Ville at the Eagle Point Library, and on Saturday, March 9 we presented Neil and Elizabeth Holland at the Jacksonville Library (above). We look forward to future events, including Mark Turnbull on Saturday, April 6 at 1:30pm at the Talent Library. Come along and help support our efforts!
ANNOUNCEMENTS

Spanish flamenco guitarist Diego Amador, Jr. will perform with dancer Savannah Fuentes at the Bellview Grange in Ashland on Tuesday, April 2 from 7:30 to 9:00pm. They will also perform in Grants Pass on April 1 (no foolin’). You can get tickets and information at savannahf.com/performance. Diego is a master of flamenco from Andalucia, and his command of guitar, piano, percussion, and voice is not to be missed. Savannah is a dramatic, modern dancer with a strong stage presence.

Grant Ruiz and Dan Fellman will play guitar duets on Friday, April 5 at Belle Fiore Winery from 5:30 to 7:30pm and on Sunday, April 7 at Paschal Winery’s happy hour from 3:30 to 5:30pm.

Arturo Ville will perform as part of a larger ensemble with the Rogue Valley Chorale and SOU Choir. The performances will be at 3:00pm on April 6 and 7 at the Criterion Theater and the SOU Music Recital Hall, respectively. The repertoire will include Misa Criolla by Ariel Ramírez, which will include Arturo, along with several other selections. You can get tickets and information for the Criterion concert here and for the SOU concert here.

The Siskiyou Music Project is bring Duo Violão Brasil Plus One to Grizzly Peak Winery on Friday, April 19 at 7:00pm. This is a combo of two Brazilian guitarists and percussion. You can get tickets here.

The GSSO is proud to present Romanian guitar virtuoso Dragos Illie (dragosilie.com) at Grizzly Peak Winery on Thursday, May 2. Dragos will also participate in our outreach program, performing at several locations the week before his concert. Stay tuned!

Monthly Meeting Recap – February 2024

Dear Guitar Fans:

We had an extraordinary evening of music with over 45 people in attendance, including several new attendees!


PROGRAM

John Swinnerton – untitled original

Francesco Bard – Kathmandu by Cat Stevens, Capricho Árabe by Francisco Tárrega

Brian Parris – Long on Time by Gary Wight, Mexico by Toy Caldwell

Steve Bismarck – All the Things You Are by Jerome Kern, I’ve Got You Under My Skin by Cole Porter  

~ Intermission ~

Grant Ruiz – Arpeggio study in F, Dreaming Sorrow, Finding Joy (originals)

Grant Ruiz & Dan Fellman – Anouman by Django Reinhardt, San Sol, Resolución (Dan originals)

Mark Turnbull
– Blue Moon excerpts by Rogers and Hart; Love is in Charge; Branches, Roots, and Vines; The Old Family (originals)


ANNOUNCEMENTS

You can now get your tickets for our upcoming Spring concert featuring the guitar and cello duet of Boyd Meets Girl. The event will be on Friday, March 15 at 7:00pm at Grizzly Peak Winery, Tickets and information are available right here!

Keith Holland is a very experienced luthier and guitar repair person who owned a business in Los Gatos and now resides in the Rogue Valley. If you’re interested in his services, you can contact him at keith@khguitars.com.

Former GSSO president Matt Dorris gave a presentation on 19th century guitar music at the Ashland Senior Center as part of our outreach program, which was very well received.

Upcoming outreach appearances by GSSO members include:

• Arturo Ville at the Eagle Point Library on Saturday, February 24 at 1pm
• Neil and Elizabeth Holland at the Jacksonville Library on Saturday, March 9th at 1 pm
 
René Izquierdo, who performed for us here in November, will be giving a masterclass that will be presented online. If you’d like to watch, you can register here. It will happen on Sunday, February 25 from 11am to 1:30pm PST via Zoom.

Grant Ruiz and Dan Fellman will play at Belle Fiore Winery in Ashland on Sunday, February 11 from 5 to 7pm.

The next Guitar Society gathering will be on Thursday, March 14, the day before the Boyd Meets Girl concert. Mark your calendars!

Monthly Meeting Recap – January 2024

Dear Guitar Fans:

We had a lovely, full evening of guitar music and camaraderie on Thursday, January 11 at Paschal Winery.


PROGRAM

John Swinnerton – untitled original

Bob Bath – Estudio No. 14 by Fernando Sor

Francesco Palmer – Spanish Caravan by The Doors, Shape of My Heart by Sting

Brian Parris – Home Again by John Denver, Someone I Used to Know by Jack Clement

Neil & Elizabeth Holland – Journey to Tomorrow, Southern Skies (originals)

Grant Ruiz – Morning Bells, By the River (originals)

Matt Dorris – Reverie Op. 53 by Napoleon Coste

Mark Turnbull – There Goes Love, Teach Me (originals)

~ Intermission ~

Goh Kurosawa, featured artist from Japan (by way of LA), played a set of several of his original pieces, including a new acapella song (#4 below) about his recent adventures in Northern California and Southern Oregon:

1. Sing 
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ4GFQpzf04
2. Kicker
3. Smile 
www.composelife.com/diary/smile
4. Shasta物語 aka Letter to Sequoia
www.composelife.com/diary/shastamonogatari
5. Move
6. Eunoia
7. Chikara Danza
8. Rainfall
9. Working Holiday

Photos of Goh’s performance are attached below.


ANNOUNCEMENTS

The newly elected guitar society board members and officers were announced: Jennifer Babineaux, president; Grant Ruiz, secretary; Kristi Schoenbachler, treasurer; Peter Jespersen, webmaster; and Neil Holland, outreach coordinator. Each officer has a term of one year.

Matt Dorris will appear at the Ashland Senior Center on January 31st at 1pm. If you’re interested, pre-registration is required. You can get more information here.

Mark Turnbull will play at Bloomsbury Blends on First Friday, February 2, from 5-7pm.