2007-08 Series
Segovia Classical Guitar Series
Northwestern University School of Music and the Chicago Classical Guitar Society continue a 15-year tradition in presenting this year's Segovia Classical Guitar Series - a musical journey from Rio de Janeiro to the salons of Vienna and Paris. Join us in this celebration of the guitar's many voices, performed by a diverse lineup of world-renowned artists.
Call 847.467.4000 today to subscribe! Six concerts for $116 ($104 for CCGS members, seniors, Northwestern faculty and staff; $50 for students with valid ID). Get the best seats for the best prices - subscribers save up to 15 percent off single-ticket prices and receive first choice of available seats.
The Assad Brothers' Brazilian Guitar Festival
with Badi Assad, Celso Machado, and Romero Lubambo
Thursday, January 31, 7:30 p.m.
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, $25/21/10
Sérgio and Odair Assad bring their energetic, diverse repertoire back to Northwestern, this time featuring their sister, guitarist-vocalist Badi Assad, as well as jazz guitarist-percussionist-vocalist Celso Machado. This Brazilian Guitar Festival promises an exuberant and unfettered exchange among five of Brazil's most ferociously talented musicians. While simultaneously embracing and eschewing tradition, these musical ambassadors will demonstrate the unique techniques of their native guitar idiom in a journey from the pulsating city of Rio de Janeiro to the jungles of the Amazon and back again.
Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company
A Compàs!
Monday, February 18, 7:30 p.m.
Pick-Staiger Hall, $32/28/12
For four decades Spanish guitar virtuoso Paco Peña has been bringing artists together to create vibrant performances that have mesmerized audiences worldwide. The New York Times has declared him "capable of dazzling an audience with technical abilities beyond the frets of mortal man." In its latest program, A Compàs! (Primal Pulse!), the Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Company combines the smoldering rhythms of southern Spain with the passionate intensity of flamenco dancing. Complementing Peña's stunning talent is the breathtaking artistry of fellow guitarists, dancers, vocalists, and percussionists in a performance best described as "pure flamenco."
David Russell
Saturday, March 1, 7:30 p.m.
Pick-Staiger Concert Hall, $23/19/10
American Record Guide praises David Russell's musical phrasing as "an object of such polish, perfect curvature, and ineluctable sweep that one feels as though one could pick it up and examine it as if it were a sculpture." Russell's 2007 release Art of the Guitar has earned critical praise from every corner of the guitar world, and his musical sensitivity and lyrical performing style have won the admiration of audiences from Madrid to Tokyo. Pick-Staiger is excited to welcome this Grammy-winning guitarist as he returns with a program ranging from intricate baroque works by Bach and Couperin to fiery Spanish music by Albéniz.
Oscar Ghiglia
Saturday, April 12, 7:30 p.m.
Lutkin Hall, $19/16/8
A world-renowned performer for more than four decades and a teacher of many of today's most successful young guitarists, Italian virtuoso Oscar Ghiglia holds a place of prominence in the world of guitar. He returns to Northwestern for his 20th consecutive year of captivating performances and inspiring master classes. Experience his singular artistry in a program of music by Giuliani, Sor, Mompou, and Ponce.
Raphaella Smits
Saturday, April 26, 7:30 p.m.
Lutkin Hall, $19/16/8
"Smits plays with more heart than anybody should be allowed to have...and the melody just seems to float from her fingertips," says Tom Chandler of Classical Guitar Corner. Since 1986, when she became the first woman to win the Francisco Tarrega International Guitar Competition, Belgian guitarist Raphaella Smits has toured more than 30 countries, including some of the world's most important musical centers. An enthusiastic proponent of the eight-string guitar, Smits has also developed a passion for early instruments and will exhibit both aspects of her art in works by Bach, Coste, Sor, and Mertz.
The Waller and Maxwell Guitar Duo and Friends
Music from the Salons of Vienna and Paris
Sunday, May 4, 7:30 p.m.
Lutkin Hall, $19/16/8
Guitarists Anne Waller and Mark Maxwell gather with duo-pianists Claire Aebersold and Ralph Neiweem and flutists Richard and Emily Graef to perform a potpourri of opera arrangements and chamber works typically heard in 19th-century European salons. Experience the elegant and subtle voices of original instruments by Panormo, Vissonaire, Broadwood, and Godfroy in a program of engaging works by Beethoven, Rossini, Carulli, Giuliani, Berlioz, and Bizet. The concert will be followed by an instrument show-and-tell and question-and answer session with the artists.
