Ana Vidovic Concert and Master Class

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Concert: March 24, 2006
Master Class: March 25, 2006

Ana Vidovic is an extraordinary talent with formidable gifts taking her place amongst the elite guitarists of the world today.

Ana comes from the small town of Karlovac near Zagreb, Croatia and started playing guitar at the age of 5, and by 7 had given her first public performance. At the age of 11 she was performing internationally, and at 13 became the youngest student to attend the prestigious National Musical Academy in Zagreb where she studied with Professor Istvan Romer. Ana’s reputation in Europe led to an invitation to study at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, USA, with Manuel Barrueco, from where she graduated in May 2003.

At the age of only 23 Ana has won an impressive number of prizes and international competitions all over the world. These include first prizes in the Albert Augustine International Competition in Bath, England, the Fernando Sor competition in Rome, Italy and the Francisco Tarrega competition in Benicasim, Spain. Other top prizes include the Eurovision Competition for Young Artists, the Mauro Giuliani competition in Italy, the Printemps de la Guitare in Belgium and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York.

Ana has given over one thousand public performances since first taking the stage in 1988. Her international performance career includes recitals in London, Paris, Vienna, Salzburg, Rome, Budapest, Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Oslo, Copenhagen, Toronto, Baltimore, San Francisco, Houston, Austin, Dallas and St. Louis.

In Croatia she has performed with the Zagreb Soloists and the Zagreb Philharmonic Orchestra and with Symphony Orchestra of the Croatian Radio and Television, as well as having been featured in three television documentaries by the eminent Croatian film director Petar Krelja.

Ana continues to broaden her repertoire and maintains an ongoing performance schedule.

“Ana Vidovic produces so many moments of insight that you often feel you are listening to the music for the first time. This is very impressive indeed in one so young-she is only 20.”

– Colin Cooper Classical Guitar

“Her virtuosity continues to astound…with no apparent technical limitation and a musical maturity that belies her age, Ms Vidovic is in a position to do great things with the classical guitar.”

– Stephen Griesgraber Guitar Review

Philip Hii Concert and Master Class

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Concert: February 3, 2006
Master Class: February 4, 2006

GSP recording Artist Philip Hii has performed extensively in the United States, Mexico, Germany, and New Zealand. His Bach CD has received rave reviews from critics in Germany, England, Japan and the US. It was chosen as one of Guitar Player Magazine’s picks of the month which says, “His passionate rubato and penetrating tone contribute to a thrilling performance.” The Washington Post calls the CD “exciting” and “dazzling.” and Acoustic Guitar Magazine calls him “the Heifetz of the classical guitar.”

A native of Malaysia, Philip Hii started playing the guitar at age ten. After winning a national competition in Malaysia, he left for New Zealand to study law. Hii won the New Zealand National Cup and appeared on national television. He furthered his studies in England and Germany before coming to the United States in 1983. Philip holds a B. Mus degree from Victoria University of Wellington as well as a jazz arranging diploma from Berklee College of Music and a Master of Music degree from the University of North Texas. Additional studies include a year of composition studies with Guenther Becker at the Robert Schumann Institut in Duesseldorf, Germany in the early eighties.

Philip Hii has published numerous articles in Soundboard, Guitar International, Gitarre und Laute, and American String Teacher and is a former Guitar Forum Editor for the AST. Six of his Bach transcriptions have been published by Guitar Solo Publications. His most recent CD, Stream of Consciousness, is a compilation of originals arranged for solo guitar and synthesizers.

“Nobody plays the guitar like Philip Hii; he’s a Heifetz of the classical guitar. Hii’s Allegro is the best I’ve ever heard and the Toccata and Fugue is downright scary. This is must listening for classical guitar buffs who want to blow a few fuses.”

-Diane Gordon Acoustic Guitar Review

“With impeccable technique and outstanding interpretative gifts, Hii succeeds in making these pieces – originally for violin or organ – sound joyfully at home on nylon-string guitar. His passionate rubato and penetrating tone contribute to a thrilling performance that adds a new dimension to the Bach repertoire.”

-James Rotondi Guitar Player Review

“Philip Hii’s approach is not only spirited and gutsy, but is scholarly…one that I recommend to all who want guitar music to rise above the salon and to express a little more than intimate charm…Philip Hii joins the daring band of prospectors who have mined new gold.”

-Colin Cooper Classical Guitar Magazine

James Edwards Concert and Masterclass

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November 18, 2005
Master Class: November 19, 2005

Classical guitarist James Edwards has been a performer, teacher, and recording artist for over 25 years. James’ performance credits include: the 1999 and 2005 La Guitarra California Festival, soloist with the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, the Santa Barbara Arts Festival, Richard Schneiders’ Lost Mountain Guitar Festival and many collaborations with theatre and dance companies. Mr. Edwards’ many compact disc recordings feature his arrangements of American, Spanish, and European classics. Mel Bay Publications has published many of these in several books currently available. In addition to the traditional classical guitar repertoire, James performs his own vibrant arrangements of Handel, Mozart, Puccini, Debussy, Brahms, and many other works by the great composers. He also has created a unique American repertoire with treatments of well known works by Gershwin, Rodgers, Joplin, etc., along with his original compositions; blending his classical background with his earlier influences of folk and jazz.

“A wide-ranging choice of repertoire performed with taste and flair. All together a fine program.”

-Frederick Noad

“Very entertaining selections, imaginatively arranged, and charmingly played…
sparkling new arrangements of cherished masterpieces.”

-Ronald Fernandez

“How well you played and how well you made my guitar sound.”

-Richard Schneider, luthier