Monthly Meeting Recap – December 2022

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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:

  1. John Swinnerton, GS # 8 – original composition, Jazz Night – original composition
  2. Steve Bismarck, Christmas Time Is Here – Vince Guaraldi, El Noi de la Mare – Traditional, arranged by Llobet
  3. Francesco Palmer, Piscian Revelations – personal composition, Neptunian Visions – personal composition 
  4. Peter Jespersen, Two Etudes from Landscape – Gulli Bjorson (Iceland) 

Intermission

  1. Brian Parris Please Come Home for Christmas – Charles Brown, Who Will Watch the Home Place – Kate Long, Laurie Lewis 
  2. 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

Guitar Society of Southern Oregon is Awarded Two Grants!

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GSSO is one of 106 arts organizations in the State of Oregon to receive an operating grant of $2,261 from the Oregon Arts Commission. Eligibility is limited to organizations who have operated as an IRS recognized 501(c)(3) nonprofit for a minimum of two years and provide ongoing, sustained artistic programming and outreach programs. Small Operating Grants are designed to provide support to arts organizations with budgets under $150,000. GSSO is one of only 6 small arts organizations to be awarded a grant in Southern Oregon.

GSSO has also been awarded a TourWest grant of $750, which is supported by WESTAF (Western States Arts Federation) and the National Endowment for the Arts. The TourWest grant focuses on underrepresented and rural communities and strives to connect and to inspire artists, leaders, and communities, and to strengthen the arts field by catalyzing change and building a more inclusive arts and culture sector. The TourWest grant will be applied to our November 2022 concert.

GSSO Announces New Partnership with Britt Education!

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GSSO is proud to partner with Britt Education to jointly produce and present annual educational outreach presentations and guitar concerts in Southern Oregon.

Our organizations believe that the guitar is one of the most democratic, culturally fluid, and versatile instruments in the world.  The versatility of the guitar in every musical style serves as a bridge between classical and popular music. The guitar is unique in its ability to appeal to people of all ages, cultures and backgrounds

Residency artists jointly selected by GSSO and Britt Education will create a meaningful experience for students by performing and teaching in local classrooms.

Our first joint residency artist is Jâca, a dynamic classical guitar and clarinet duo.  Jâca will be in residency in Southern Oregon the week of February 27, 2023, culminating in a concert at Grizzly Peak Winery Event Center on Friday, March 3.