Guitaromanie: Recent Episodes
Karl Wohlwend, Columbus Classical Guitar
The Guitaromanie Podcast, hosted by Karl Wohlwend of Columbus Classical Guitar, features fascinating guests from all facets of the wide world of classical guitar, in casual conversations about their experiences and observations. Unusual experiences, careers, the new, the old…let’s explore!
https://www.bertarojas.com/ (Berta Rojas) is a cultural ambassador for her home of Paraguay, and a fierce advocate for women in the classical guitar world. She is also one of my favorite guitarists. We have a short, but lovely chat about her work at Berklee, her concerts and recordings, and the amazing story of how her stolen guitar was returned to her.
https://www.kamirowan.com/ (Kami Rowan) is a wonderfully dynamic and inspiring guitarist in North Carolina. We chat about her fascinating journey and explore her complete dedication to the art.
Happy Pride from Karl and Lane! With special guests, https://www.juliegoldberg.com/ (Julie Goldberg), https://www.kamirowan.com/ (Kami Rowan), and https://davidleisner.com/ (David Leisner).
The Guitaromanie Podcast will air one more episode this season: our Pride Episode next week, on June 30. We're taking the summer off and will be back at it again in the Fall.
https://www.alanmearns.com/ (Alan Mearns) is a one-of-a-kind artist. Originally from Belfast, his work as a guitarist, composer, arranger, poet, and songwriter is fully ablaze with the spirit of exploration and a deep inner urge to bring beauty into the world.
https://liberalarts.du.edu/about/people/jonathan-luke-leathwood (Jonathan Leathwood) is a fascinating and innovative performer currently residing in Denver. We talk about his story and his exploration of new works involving 10 and 6 string guitars, as well as the importance of improvisation.
https://www.kanengiser.com/ (William Kanengiser ) dropped by on his way to Cleveland and we had a lovely chat about the https://www.lagq.com/ (LAGQ)'s new recording, Opalescence, and we also talked about his latest innovative undertaking, The Diaspora Project. Bill has been on the vanguard of the American guitar scene for the past four decades. It was a real pleasure to hang out with him!
https://www.austinclassicalguitar.org/joe-williams/ (Joe Williams) is the composer of a tremendous score to accompany Alfred Hitchcock's 1927 silent film, The Lodger. The film, with his score for 4 guitars and 'cello, will soon be available for streaming through the Alamo on Demand service and the Criterion Channel. We discuss this special event and get the story about how this project was born.
http://www.lauramazon.com/ (Laura Mazon Franqui) might be young, but she's already built a pretty impressive career. She has some great ideas about what it means to be an artist, and we talk about her fascinating journey from Cuba to Miami to LA, and other points all over the world. Keep an eye out for her...she's setting the world on fire!
What a good time! I was joined by past guests, including Aaron Larget-Caplan, Andrew Mah, Brian Kozak, Chris Mallett, Fred Hand, Gerard Cousins, Jeff LaQuatra, Jim McCutcheon, Laura Mazon-Franqui, Peter Danner, Sharon Wayne, and Thomas Flippin.
https://www.belmont.edu/cmpa/music/faculty/faculty-bios/thompson_robert.html (Robert Thompson) is a Nashville guitarist who, among other things, teaches at the guitar juggernaut that is Belmont University. He's got a wide ranging experience, and an interesting perspective on the guitar scene in and around Nashville.
http://www.frederichand.com/ (Fred Hand) is a beautiful human being - humble, compassionate, and absolutely inspiring. We chat about his career, his insights on the arts of writing and playing music, and his exciting new recording, https://newfocusrecordings.bandcamp.com/album/across-time (Across Time.) We listen to the 3rd movement of his Trilogy and his Ballade for Astor Piazzolla.
Thomas Flippin and Christopher Mallett are http://www.duonoire.com/ (Duo Noire). They are trailblazers on the modern classical guitar scene, and represent a future that is full of excitement, evolution, and a profound sense of meaning.
http://www.benjaminverdery.com/ (Ben Verdery) is a burst of sunshine. His infectious and unbridled joy is a great treasure to the world of the classical guitar and beyone. What an inspiring and seriously FUN chat!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxO9nLlA0CfGUvJ-J-pjpqg (Alice Artzt) has a long and distinguished career as a touring artist and an important pedagogue. She released over a dozen recordings as a soloist as well as in duo and trio settings. She is a real treasure and has so many interesting stories to tell.
https://www.gerardcousins.com/ (Gerard Cousins) is a guitarist, arranger, and composer living in England. His recordings of the music of Phillip Glass have been released on Glass's label, Orange Mountain Music. He has also recently been collaborating with composer, Eric Whitacre. We talk about these projects, his work at the Spanish Guitar Centre, and an upcoming trip to the United States. He's charted an unbeaten path, and it was great to hear his perspectives.
http://www.rupertboyd.com/index.html (Rupert Boyd) is a New York based guitarist from Australia who has been doing some great work as a soloist as well as in chamber collaborations with the Australian Guitar Duo and Boyd Meets Girl, a 'cello and guitar duo with Laura Metcalf. We talk about the journeys his guitaring has taken him on, recording, and the nature of a life in the arts. He's engaging, humorous, and delightfully entertaining.
https://www.reverbnation.com/danielboringduecolori (Daniel Boring) is holding court in Philadephia, PA. He talks about how it's a great place to be a working guitarist, tells us about his bounce-around "strategy" for his career trajectory, and what it means to bring a wealth of experiences to a varied professional life.
Kevin Taylor is the founder of the https://www.childbloom.com/ (Childbloom Guitar Program) and serves as its company president. Through his pioneering work and unique approach to guitar education and professional development, he has enriched the lives of countless young people through music, while providing a real-world solution for guitarists to make a living.
http://www.christopherwilke.com/ (Chris Wilke) is a multi-faceted artist. His background embraces a wide scope of activity, from avant-garde performance and composition to unearthing masterworks for baroque lutes, and everything in between. He has a refreshingly open mind, and is a real thinker. We talk about his work at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music and chat about all of his interesting projects.
https://www.eleftheria.info/ (Eleftheria Kotzia) is one of the hardest working guitarists in the world. Her story is one of great courage and perseverance, and her enthusiasm for the art is irresistable. Her last appearance in the US was a California tour in 2018, we hope she'll come back soon!
http://www.ronaldmpearl.com/ (Ron Pearl) is a composer and guitarist who has been active publishing, performing, and teaching for the past 40 years. He is now "retired" and living in Rhode Island, but has performed across the globe in a highly-acclaimed guitar duo with Julian Gray. A Segovia tale AND a Brouwer tale in the same episode (neither told with an accent!)
Matt Gould is the guitar half of https://www.duo46.com/ (DUO46), with violinist Beth Ilana Schneider-Gould. He's been on the cutting edge of contemporary chamber music for the better part of 3 decades. He is an ardent and passionate advocate for pushing the guitar into a meaningful future, and it's so inspiring to hear his ideas.
https://www.msmnyc.edu/faculty/mark-delpriora/ (Mark Delpriora) is a giant. A formidable performer, an amazingly prolific composer, a scholar of the highest order - he has a fascinating tale or two to tell!
https://www.goharvardanyan.com/ (Gohar Vardanyan) is a New York based guitarist with a fascinating background, and she has taken quite a unique path to forging an impressive career.
https://music.appstate.edu/faculty-staff/directory/dr-douglas-james (Douglas James) has been professor of guitar at Appalachian State University for over 25 years. He specializes in 19th Century guitar music, amongst other things. We have a lovely chat about that, his career, and the incredible Ophee collection being housed at ASU.
My long-time friend and former duo partner, Brian Kozak talks about his experience as a working guitarist over the past 30 years in the Cleveland area. We were kids when we met, maybe we're a little wiser now.
http://www.antigonigoni.com/bio.html (Antigoni Goni) is a brilliant and vibrant star of the classical guitar world. Her story tells quite an adventure and the wisdom she shares is profound. She is also SO much fun to talk with!
Erik is the Executive Director of the https://cleguitar.org/ (Cleveland Classical Guitar Society), and teaches Guitar Literature and Pedagogy at the https://www.cim.edu/ (Cleveland Institute of Music). We chat about his career, and the exciting things that have been going on in the Cleveland guitar scene.
https://www.jefflaquatra.com/ (Jeff LaQuatra) is living large in Colorado. He directs the guitar program at https://music.colostate.edu/guitar/ (Colorado State University) and performs extensively with the https://www.quatraduo.com/ (Quatra Duo) (flute and guitar). He's also a long-time friend, and it was really fun to reminisce.
Guitarist, composer, improviser, https://www.golfamkhayam.com/ (Golfam Khayam) talks about her exciting and innovative career, and the incredible transformations happening in Iran through the classical guitar.
A founding member of the Guitar Foundation of America and the long-time editor for Soundboard Magazine, Peter Danner has seen it all, and has some great stories to share.
http://aleksandrasapok.com/ (Aleksandra Sapok) andhttps://www.louisvalentinejohnson.com/ ( Lou Johnson) speak about their collaboration on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbsWZbXZJe4&t=3s (The Solstice Project).
Executive Director of https://www.austinclassicalguitar.org/ (Austin Classical Guitar,) Matt Hinsley is continually re-imagining the power of the classical guitar as an agent to build community, change lives, and create beauty.
Kevin Vigil is a guitarist, composer, and music educator in Northern Virginia. He is a powerful advocate for the cause of bringing guitar into our secondary schools.
https://kavanagh.de/ (Dale Kavanagh) has an impressive career as a soloist as well as in the Amadeus Guitar Duo with Thomas Kirchhoff. She's profound, humble, and intelligent, and I enjoyed our chat immensely!
http://www.andyjurikguitar.com/ (Andy Jurik) is a guitar adventurer who is always striving. He's a real thinker, spreading the good news in the mountains of western North Carolina.
Guitarist, lutenist, singer, drummer, educator, arts administrator: Hazel Ketchum does it all! Her credo is "What am I going to say?" She embodies the spirit of lifelong learning, and has so many fascinating perspectives to share.
A wizard of collaborative effort, Aaron Larget-Caplan tells us about his background, inspirations, and exciting new projects.
https://www.lynnmcgrath.com/ (Lynn McGrath) is a power player, a real insider in the classical guitar world. She has an amazing wealth of experiences, and our chat was so inspiring. She has a bristling intellect, an infectious sense of joyfulness, and an unbridled optimism.
He's seen it all, he's done it all, he is "The Guitar Man." Jim's infectious joy and absolute love of the profession is an inspiration.
Christopher Teves is a Charleston, SC based teacher, performer and composer. He shares a wealth of experience and a highly personal perspective on the art of being a guitaromaniac.
Randall Avers is one of my favorite players. His highly artistic approach is a direct reflection of his compassion and beautiful humanity. It was a pleasure to speak with him again!
No one works harder than Stephen Aron...what a go-getter, and what an inspiration to an entire generation of young guitarists!
Guitar Foundation of America President (and competition winner!) Martha Masters shares her thoughts about to find balance when wearing so many different hats.
Thoughtful and profound, Robert Trent shares some great insights, and lets us know about a vibrant and exciting career along the way.
Entrepreneurship expert and guitarist, Jonathan Gangi gives us the low-down on how business and art and community can all work together to beautify the world.
Guitars In the Classroom founder, Jessica Baron tells about the incredible work she and her cohorts are doing to make the world a happier, smarter, more peaceful, and beautiful place.
One of the brightest luminaries in the classical guitar world, David Leisner shares some warmly personal tales and a unique perspective.
The king of collaboration, Jim Marron talks about some really interesting projects he's been creating.
Multi-faceted guitarist Jamie Monck talks about his focus on creating exciting new pathways to creative career building.
https://www.christopherberg.com/ (Christopher Berg) is a treasure to the guitar planet. He is a master pedagogue, a scholar of the highest order, a world-class performer, and a real philosopher of the art of making music.
http://andrewmah.com/ (Andrew Mah) is one of the most interesting figures on today's classical guitar scene. He is truly a pathfinder, and has forged a great career by doing things on his own terms.
https://www.juliegoldberg.com/ (Julie Goldberg) is one of the hardest working and smartest working guitarists in the midwest. She approaches her work with great energy and compassion. We had a great chat about her experiences.
https://www.stanleyyates.com/ (Stanley Yates) is a veritable force of nature in the classical guitar world. His brilliant intellect and unmatched artistry mark him as one of the most interesting figures in our community. From Liverpool to Nashville by way of Dallas, we hear about his story and his sage observations.
http://www.sharonwayne.net/ (Sharon Wayne) is a San Francisco-based guitarist who has been active for nearly three decades as a performer, teacher, and all-around collaborator. She's been in some of the most vibrant guitar scenes, on both coasts, and has a unique and wonderful perspective on the profession.
http://www.ciyadhwells.com/ (Ciyadh Wells) is at the vanguard of a new generation of guitarists who are navigating the modern world with great elan, an amazing sense of creativity and humanness, and an agile approach to intersecting with technology and culture. Listen up, old folks...
https://www.jasonvieaux.com/ (Jason Vieaux )is the leading guitarist of his generation. He has dozens of recordings, including the Grammy-winning Play, and the best selling Naxos classical guitar CD. His adventurous career has been a model of wide-ranging collaborations, including working with legendary guitarist and composer, Pat Metheny. He's also a dear friend from my Cleveland Institute of Music days.
Tony Morris is the creator and host of http://www.guitaralive.org/home.html (Classical Guitar Alive!), an internationally-syndicated radio show. He has a wealth of experience as a performer, screenplay author, film producer, musical therapist, and wears many other hats as well. His chat was so full, I had to break it into two parts...
Chatting with guitarist and scholar https://www.candicemowbray.com/ (Candice Mowbray ) about the life of a working guitarist in the DC/Baltimore/Frederick corner of the world.
The Guitaromanie Podcast, hosted by Karl Wohlwend of Columbus Classical Guitar, features fascinating guests from all facets of the wide world of classical guitar, in casual conversations about their experiences and observations. Unusual experiences, careers, the new, the old…let’s explore!