Classen SAS Guitar
Matthew Denman Oct 28 - Southern Nazarene University - Cantrell Hall - 7:30p.m. - Tickets $10
Matthew Denman is a guitarist, teacher, and composer based in Oklahoma City. He directs prestigious and award winning guitar programs at Oklahoma City’s Classen School of Advanced Studies and at Southern Nazarene University. Matthew’s students have won a number of national awards, including top marks from the University of Texas’ Guitar Ensemble Competition and the Eastman School of Music Concerto Competition. In 2010, the Classen guitar program was the only music program in the the state to be included in the televised Stars of Education.
Matthew’s personal awards and accolades are numerous, and include the 2008 and 2010 Images of Excellence award. In 2007 he was selected to participate in the Christopher Parkening Masterclass, and in 2009 studied with the legendary Pepe Romero at the Romero Guitar Institute. Recently, Matthew has performed in productions of High School Musical, Chicago, and The Who’s Tommy.
In 2010 Matthew Denman was made the Executive Director of the Oklahoma City Classical Guitar Society, and has been invaluable in bringing top guitar players and teachers to the Oklahoma City metro. In 2010 alone, guests included Ana Vidovic, Andrew York, Dr. Matthew Hinsley, and Connie Sheu.
Matthew’s personal awards and accolades are numerous, and include the 2008 and 2010 Images of Excellence award. In 2007 he was selected to participate in the Christopher Parkening Masterclass, and in 2009 studied with the legendary Pepe Romero at the Romero Guitar Institute. Recently, Matthew has performed in productions of High School Musical, Chicago, and The Who’s Tommy.
In 2010 Matthew Denman was made the Executive Director of the Oklahoma City Classical Guitar Society, and has been invaluable in bringing top guitar players and teachers to the Oklahoma City metro. In 2010 alone, guests included Ana Vidovic, Andrew York, Dr. Matthew Hinsley, and Connie Sheu.
Mark Cruz - Nov 3rd and 4th - Oklahoma City University - 7:00p.m. - tickets $5
"...absolutely top-notch"
— Soundboard Magazine
MARK ANTHONY CRUZ earned his Master of Music in guitar performance at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University - San Marcos) where he is now Professor of Guitar.
As a composer, Cruz's music shares similarities with Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Lennox Berkely, according to a review by Soundboard Magazine. Cruz has been published by Shawnee Press, Soundboard Magazine, MelBay and Clear Note Publications while managing his own company, MAC Publications. He was the first prize winner of the Austin Classical Guitar Society sponsored composition competition in 2006, 2007, and 2008. In 2008, Mr. Cruz was commissioned by University Baptist Church in Austin to compose an Anthem for choir and organ for their 100th anniversary celebration. He was commissioned by the Classical Minds Guitar Festival to compose a pair of guitar ensemble works for their 2009 conference. Mark Cruz's Triptyichfor solo guitar has been performed internationally by guitar virtuoso Adam Holzman. Most recently, Cruz was asked to compose a guitar duet for the Hanser-McClellan Guitar duo for their Springfield, Illinois Classical Guitar Society performance in November 2009.
As a performer, Mark Cruz was a two-time feature artist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He was the 2nd prize recipient at the National Finger Picking Championship at Winfield, Kansas in 1993 and 2001. He was a feature artist at the Eastfield Guitar Festival in Dallas, TX in 2008 and in the Classical Minds Guitar Festival in Houston, TX in 2009. Cruz's all-original CDs Pequeñas Piezas para Mi Padre and Piezas Para El Mundo have been featured on the internationally syndicated radio program 'Classical Guitar Alive' hosted by Tony Morris. Both Cds received positive reviews in the scholarly periodical, Soundboard.
Cruz resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and two children.
— Soundboard Magazine
MARK ANTHONY CRUZ earned his Master of Music in guitar performance at Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University - San Marcos) where he is now Professor of Guitar.
As a composer, Cruz's music shares similarities with Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Lennox Berkely, according to a review by Soundboard Magazine. Cruz has been published by Shawnee Press, Soundboard Magazine, MelBay and Clear Note Publications while managing his own company, MAC Publications. He was the first prize winner of the Austin Classical Guitar Society sponsored composition competition in 2006, 2007, and 2008. In 2008, Mr. Cruz was commissioned by University Baptist Church in Austin to compose an Anthem for choir and organ for their 100th anniversary celebration. He was commissioned by the Classical Minds Guitar Festival to compose a pair of guitar ensemble works for their 2009 conference. Mark Cruz's Triptyichfor solo guitar has been performed internationally by guitar virtuoso Adam Holzman. Most recently, Cruz was asked to compose a guitar duet for the Hanser-McClellan Guitar duo for their Springfield, Illinois Classical Guitar Society performance in November 2009.
As a performer, Mark Cruz was a two-time feature artist with the Oklahoma City Philharmonic. He was the 2nd prize recipient at the National Finger Picking Championship at Winfield, Kansas in 1993 and 2001. He was a feature artist at the Eastfield Guitar Festival in Dallas, TX in 2008 and in the Classical Minds Guitar Festival in Houston, TX in 2009. Cruz's all-original CDs Pequeñas Piezas para Mi Padre and Piezas Para El Mundo have been featured on the internationally syndicated radio program 'Classical Guitar Alive' hosted by Tony Morris. Both Cds received positive reviews in the scholarly periodical, Soundboard.
Cruz resides in Austin, Texas with his wife and two children.
Scott Tennant - Southern Nazarene University - Cantrell Hall - Feb 15 - 7:30p.m.
"Tennant fulfills every criterion: taste, touch, interpretation, programming, insight and enjoyability!"
-American Record Guide
Scott Tennant is a founding member of the Grammy®-winning ensemble L.A. Guitar Quartet, and is himself considered to be one of the world’s top classical guitarists.
Mr. Tennant has authored several books and articles on guitar technique, including his best-seller Pumping Nylon, which has attained a “cult” classic status. He has made numerous recordings as a soloist on the GHA and Delos labels, and with the LAGQ he has recorded for GHA, Delos, Sony Classical, Windham Hill, Deutsche Grammophon and Telarc labels. Their Telarc release “LAGQ Latin”was nominated for a Grammy®, and it was their current Telarc title “LAGQ’s Guitar Heroes” which won a Grammy® as the best classical crossover recording of 2005.
He is well-known for his recordings of the music of Joaquín Rodrigo, and equally praised for his interpretations of the music from the renaissance and classical periods. Upcoming projects include a five-volume classical guitar method, new independently produced CD recordings and instructional videos (available in mid-2008), as well as transcription publications. All of these will be with Tennant’s own Plainsong Music.
He lives in the Los Angeles area, and is on the faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music.
-American Record Guide
Scott Tennant is a founding member of the Grammy®-winning ensemble L.A. Guitar Quartet, and is himself considered to be one of the world’s top classical guitarists.
Mr. Tennant has authored several books and articles on guitar technique, including his best-seller Pumping Nylon, which has attained a “cult” classic status. He has made numerous recordings as a soloist on the GHA and Delos labels, and with the LAGQ he has recorded for GHA, Delos, Sony Classical, Windham Hill, Deutsche Grammophon and Telarc labels. Their Telarc release “LAGQ Latin”was nominated for a Grammy®, and it was their current Telarc title “LAGQ’s Guitar Heroes” which won a Grammy® as the best classical crossover recording of 2005.
He is well-known for his recordings of the music of Joaquín Rodrigo, and equally praised for his interpretations of the music from the renaissance and classical periods. Upcoming projects include a five-volume classical guitar method, new independently produced CD recordings and instructional videos (available in mid-2008), as well as transcription publications. All of these will be with Tennant’s own Plainsong Music.
He lives in the Los Angeles area, and is on the faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music.
Douglas Niedt - Oklahoma City University - 7:00pm Tickets - $5
"One of the most outstanding musicians in the world today" is how one critic described the sensational American guitarist, Douglas Niedt (pronounced "neet"). love of fresh, diverse, and emotionally engaging repertoire performed with incredible energy, technical perfection, and most of all, emotional depth."
REPERTOIRE and PRESENTATION
His concerts include music not only from the traditional classical repertoire, but also film music, jazz, Celtic, boogie, and American theater music.
Besides his unique repertoire, which includes his one-of-a-kind arrangements for classic guitar of music by Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Secret Garden, Tommy Emmanuel, and Richard Rodgers, Douglas has a singular style of presentation for a classically trained artist. During the course of the concert, in an informal manner, he often includes commentary, information, and anecdotes about the guitar, its music, and himself. His striking ability to communicate with his audience makes his performances seem more like an intimate gathering of friends than a recital for strangers.
BACKGROUND
A native of St. Louis, now living in Kansas City, Mr. Niedt began his study of the guitar at the age of seven with his father, an amateur guitarist. Douglas’ interest in music was stimulated by his father’s encouragement to listen to and explore the entire spectrum of music. By the time he was fourteen, he had received first prize awards in national competitions sponsored by the American Guild of Music. International recognition and acclaim followed his first prize sweep at the age of seventeen of the Chet Atkins International Guitar Competition in which three hundred guitarists were entered from around the world. Since then, Douglas has polished his playing to gem-like brilliance through studies at the Juilliard School, the Segovia Master Classes in Spain, and with masters Pepe Romero, Narciso Yepes, Christopher Parkening, Jorge Morel, and Oscar Ghiglia.
ACCLAIM
At the age of twenty-one Douglas made his New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall. This successful debut demanded three return appearances in the same hall the following years. He has since appeared before enthusiastic audiences across the country prompting one critic to write, “Mr. Niedt is not only a brilliant master of his instrument, but a performer of great sensitivity; the wealth of sound and the dynamic finesse which he elicits from the guitar promise to make him a worthy companion of the few great guitarists such as Andres Segovia and Julian Bream.”
CDs, DVD, BOOKS
His fabulous CD, Pure Magic, received a rave review in England’s Classical Guitar Magazine and led to his appearance on the cover of Fingerstyle Guitar magazine the following year. His Christmas CD is titled In Heavenly Peace. His performance video, Douglas Niedt--American Virtuoso, was released by Bransong Music. Many of his arrangements are published in two music folios, Virtuoso Visions and Classic Guitar Artistry.
His new book is titled How to Make a Million Dollars Playing the Guitar. It is a no-nonsense guitarist's guide to making a good living in the music business while also achieving personal fulfillment.
All items are available for purchase on Douglas’ official website, www.DouglasNiedt.com.
TEACHING
Recognized for his excellence in teaching, he is head of the guitar program of the Conservatory of Music and Dance, University of Missouri at Kansas City.
REPERTOIRE and PRESENTATION
His concerts include music not only from the traditional classical repertoire, but also film music, jazz, Celtic, boogie, and American theater music.
Besides his unique repertoire, which includes his one-of-a-kind arrangements for classic guitar of music by Gershwin, Duke Ellington, Dave Brubeck, Secret Garden, Tommy Emmanuel, and Richard Rodgers, Douglas has a singular style of presentation for a classically trained artist. During the course of the concert, in an informal manner, he often includes commentary, information, and anecdotes about the guitar, its music, and himself. His striking ability to communicate with his audience makes his performances seem more like an intimate gathering of friends than a recital for strangers.
BACKGROUND
A native of St. Louis, now living in Kansas City, Mr. Niedt began his study of the guitar at the age of seven with his father, an amateur guitarist. Douglas’ interest in music was stimulated by his father’s encouragement to listen to and explore the entire spectrum of music. By the time he was fourteen, he had received first prize awards in national competitions sponsored by the American Guild of Music. International recognition and acclaim followed his first prize sweep at the age of seventeen of the Chet Atkins International Guitar Competition in which three hundred guitarists were entered from around the world. Since then, Douglas has polished his playing to gem-like brilliance through studies at the Juilliard School, the Segovia Master Classes in Spain, and with masters Pepe Romero, Narciso Yepes, Christopher Parkening, Jorge Morel, and Oscar Ghiglia.
ACCLAIM
At the age of twenty-one Douglas made his New York debut in Carnegie Recital Hall. This successful debut demanded three return appearances in the same hall the following years. He has since appeared before enthusiastic audiences across the country prompting one critic to write, “Mr. Niedt is not only a brilliant master of his instrument, but a performer of great sensitivity; the wealth of sound and the dynamic finesse which he elicits from the guitar promise to make him a worthy companion of the few great guitarists such as Andres Segovia and Julian Bream.”
CDs, DVD, BOOKS
His fabulous CD, Pure Magic, received a rave review in England’s Classical Guitar Magazine and led to his appearance on the cover of Fingerstyle Guitar magazine the following year. His Christmas CD is titled In Heavenly Peace. His performance video, Douglas Niedt--American Virtuoso, was released by Bransong Music. Many of his arrangements are published in two music folios, Virtuoso Visions and Classic Guitar Artistry.
His new book is titled How to Make a Million Dollars Playing the Guitar. It is a no-nonsense guitarist's guide to making a good living in the music business while also achieving personal fulfillment.
All items are available for purchase on Douglas’ official website, www.DouglasNiedt.com.
TEACHING
Recognized for his excellence in teaching, he is head of the guitar program of the Conservatory of Music and Dance, University of Missouri at Kansas City.
