Jose Luis Merlin In Concert

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Jose Luis Merlin

Jose Luis Merlin

Presented by JCGS

WHERE:
SOU Music Building
Recital Hall
Mountain Avenue
Ashland, Oregon

WHEN:
Saturday, November 3rd, 2007, 8:00 PM

CONTACT:
541-552-9515

ADMISSION:
$20.00 General,
$15.00 Seniors,
$5.00 Students,
Children under 12 free

“Classical guitar at its finest. When you sit quietly and listenyou feel and see the poetry of the Argentina landscape. Throughout his prolific career, Jose Luis Merlin has composed and interpreted songs related to his home and his people, reflecting the subtle mixture between the classical and the popular. Merlin gives us a classical music with strong folkloric roots, in which malambos, zambas, chacareras, carnavalitos, tangos, and joropos are found.”
–Victory Music review of Merlin CD, “Dreams of Argentina” —

Argentine guitarist/composer Jose Luis Merlin will perform a concert on Saturday, November 3rd, at 8pm, in the SOU Music Building Recital Hall, in Ashland. The Jefferson Classical Guitar Society sponsors the event, which is the first concert of the “2007-2008 JCGS Concert Series”. Mr. Merlin will present a master class on Sunday, November 4th at 2:00 pm in the SOU Music Building Choir Room.

Tickets are $20.00 general, $15.00 seniors, and $5.00 students. Children under 12 years of age are admitted free. Tickets can be purchased in advance at “CD or Not CD”, 343 E. Main St. in Ashland or at Central Arts Supply, 101 N. Central, in Medford. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. For more information, go to the JCGS website at www.JeffersonGuitar.org, or call 552-9515.

Jose Luis Merlin was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1952. He began playing the guitar at the age of five under the tutelage of Maestro Vincente Degese, continued with Maestro Abel Carlevaro, and was performing in Argentina by the time he was nine years old. He has been a concert artist, composer and guitar teacher since 1967, as well as a researcher and teacher of instrumental technique. Merlin has made more than twenty international tours, which include: Spain, Austria, USA (over 100 concerts), Canada, Cuba, Germany, France, Switzerland, Italy, Brazil and Uruguay.

Merlin has played as a soloist with the Symphonies of Rosario and San Juan (Argentina), and has performed chamber music with the following quartets: Buenos Aires, Sudamérica, Sudamericano, Musicámera, del Plata, and the Grupo Merlin. He is co-founder and first president of the Association Integración Guitarrística Argentina. He has published over ten recordings in the USA, Japan, Austria and Argentina.

As a composer he has given workshops on instrumental techniques, rhythmic folklore of Argentina, insights and analyses of South American composers, as well as lectures at universities in Texas, Southern California, Oregon and Michigan. He composed the music for Travesia (The Guitar, Witness to Five Centuries), an oratorio for recitative, singing voice, mezzosoprano and chamber orchestra (texts by José Tcherkasky). Merlin has composed works for solo guitar, guitar and violin, guitar and string quartet, piano and voice, etc.

Chanson du Soir In Concert

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Presented by JCGS

Featuring
Soprano Chelsea Camille and Classical Guitarist David Isaacs

WHERE:
The School House Retreat
8448 Wagner Creek Rd 97540
Talent OR www.schoolhouseretreat.com

WHEN:
Sunday, September 9th, 2007, 4 pm

CONTACT:
541-488-3521

ADMISSION:
$15.00 General
$12 senior
$5.00 Students,
Children under 12 Free

Chanson du Soir, soprano Chelsea Camille and classical guitarist David Isaacs, was established in 2005. The Southern California natives, have quickly garnered national recognition as a premier guitar and voice duo, featured in concert series throughout the United States. In April of 2007, Melancholie et Espoir, their debut studio recording, was released on Abet Music. Chanson du Soir is currently on their third US tour.

Chanson du Soir’s current program spans the centuries from the Renaissance to the 20th Century while traversing four languages. This fascinating program includes: Renaissance fare from the light to haunting by John Dowland, a couple of sweet songs from the plays of Shakespeare, several poignant verses of The Divan of Moses Ibn Ezra by Mario Castlenuovo-Tedesco, a delightful trio of songs from Simone Mayer’s obscure opera Adelasia ed Aleramo set by 19th century guitar virtuoso Mauro Giuliani, the entrancing “Bachianas Brasilieiras No. 5” arranged by Heitor Villa-Lobos, a couple of delicious art songs by Joaquin Rodrigo and Ernesto Cordero, and music dedicated to Chanson du Soir by masterful new composer, Brian Madigan.

Chelsea Camille recently completed her Bachelor’s in Acting at California State University, Fullerton and has been soprano soloist at Belmont Heights United Methodist Church in Long Beach since 2001. Chelsea is currently studying voice with Dr. Nicole Baker . In addition to her extraordinary voice, Chelsea is a masterful seamstress, the creator of her own line of jewelry, and can be found performing as an actress on Southern California stages.

David Isaacs, has performed throughout the US and Greece. In October of 2006, David was signed to Eroica Classical Recordings and in November of 2006 released his debut studio recorded solo classical guitar CD, Structures. Ken Keaton wrote in The American Record Guide: “Isaacs plays with sensitivity and technical finish and is more emotionally committed to the music and its images than many far more famous players.” David earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Classical Guitar Performance at California State University, Fullerton under the tutelage of David Grimes. Now residing in Long Beach, David runs the Long Beach Classical Guitar Society, Long Beach Classical Guitar Academy, and Southern California Classical Guitar Workshop with his co-founding partner Michael Nigro. He teaches at Cerritos College, Morey’s Music, International Music School, Oakwood Academy, and in his home studio.

DARK ROSE TRIO In Concert

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Presented by JCGS

Featuring classical guitarists Joseph Thompson, Grant Ruiz, and Steve Berman

WHERE:
First Congregational Church,
717 Siskiyou Blvd.
Ashland, Oregon

WHEN:
Sunday, July 22, 2007, 3 pm

CONTACT:
552-9515

ADMISSION:
$15.00 General
$5.00 Students,
Children under 12 Free

Dark Rose Trio Celebrates
the Release of their First CD

The Dark Rose Trio will play a concert on Sunday, July 22, at 3 pm at the First Congregational Church, 717 Siskiyou Blvd, in Ashland. The concert is sponsored by the Jefferson Classical Guitar Society.

The concert is a celebration of the release of their first CD. The program will present works from the CD including original arrangements of Ravel’s Pavan for a Dead Princess, Spanish Dances by Granados, Sinfonias by J. S. Bach, and Milonga by the Argentine tango composer, Astor Piazzola. They will also play works by George Gershwin, Paul Hindemith, and Joseph Thompson.

The Dark Rose Trio grew out of a collaboration in October of 2002 by three
classical guitarists from Ashland. The individual members of the ensemble, Joseph Thompson, Grant Ruiz, and Steve Berman bring extensive experience to the group both as soloists and in their past work with other ensembles. Their common bond is in their love for the passion filled music of Spain, France, and Russia.

They have performed in concerts for the Pistol River Concert Association, Southern Oregon University Music Department, and multiple concerts for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, including OSF’s 2003 Daedalus Project. In May of this year, they played the inaugural concert of the Mildred Hill Concert Series in Port Orford, Oregon and on July 14, they will play a concert in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Pistol River Concert Association, in Pistol River Oregon.

Tickets for the Ashland concert are $15.00 general, $12.00 seniors, and $5.00 students. Children under 12 years of age are admitted free. Tickets will be available at the door before the concert.