I started presenting artists in 1981, and have been doing it ever since. I thought, after my recent post on the why and the how of guest artists, that it would be amusing to look back and see who has come to my programs over the years as guests to perform and teach. I decided to break down the names into four discrete sections: classical guitar soloists, soloists on related instruments and in other styles, ensembles, and alumni (I've been a dedicated advocate for my alumni over the years and have often hired them to come back and play as featured guests.) Each section is presented in alphabetical order.

While there are 200 artists listed here, it's worth mentioning that many on this list have visited repeatedly; some have come a half-dozen times or more. Also, the list makes no differentiation between artists I presented in Akron from those presented in Oberlin. In fact, on many occasions, a guest played in both locales in a single visit.

I've also indicated where these visitors came from as I like to assess the geographical breadth of the program. It is clear there are places in the world that are under-represented and others that are well-represented. Food for thought as we move forward. This list includes all artists scheduled for performance this season, even though, at the time of publication, a few won't have come yet. (This list was revised, September, 2019)

I hope you enjoy browsing this list. It was fun to assemble it.

1) SOLOISTS, CLASSICAL GUITAR

Meliset Abreu…….(NY)

Lily Afshar…….(Iran/TN)

Mir Ali…….(Pakistan/NY)

Magnus Anderssen…….(Sweden)

Sergio Assad.........(Brazil/IL)

Randall Avers…….(USA/Norway)

Anton Baranov…….(Russia)

Manuel Barrueco…….(Cuba/MD)

Dusan Bogdanovic…….(Serbia/Switzerland)

Julian Bream…….(England)

Isaac Bustos…….(TX)

Bokyun Byun……. (South Korea/USA)

Jorge Caballero.........(Peru/NY)

Michael Chapdelaine…….(NM)

Ricardo Cobo…….(Colombia/NV)

Pablo Cohen…….(Venezuela/NY)

Colin Davin..........(OH)

Mark DelPriora........(NY)

Simon Dinnigan…….(England)

Arnaud Dumond…….(France)

Alexander Dunn…….(USA/Canada)

Roland Dyens…….(France)

Marcin Dylla…….(Poland)

Angelo Favis…….(Philipines/IL)

Marco Feri…….(Italy)

Nathan Fischer……. (USA/Malaysia)

Eliot Fisk…….(USA/Germany)

Francois Fowler…….(OH)

Elliot Frank…….(NC)

Raphael Fueillatre……(France)

Paul Galbraith…….(Scotland/Brazil)

Thibaux Garcia.........(USA)

Oscar Ghiglia…….(Italy/Switzerland)

Nicholas Goluses…….(NY)

Antigoni Goni…….(Greece/Belgium)

Vladimir Gorbach…….(Russia/CA)

Matthew Gould…….(USA/Canada)

Robert Gruca…….(OH)

Frederick Hand…….(NY)

Brian Head…….(CA)

Dieter Hennings…….(Mexico/KY)

John Holmquist…….(MN)

Adam Holzman…….(TX)

Sharon Isben…….(NY)

René Izquierdo........(Cuba/WI)

Ricardo Iznaola…….(Cuba/CO)

Douglas James…….(NC)

Seth Josel…….(USA/Germany)

William Kanengiser…….(CA)

Patrick Kearney…….(Canada)

Hazel Ketchum…….(SC)

Alex Kommodore…….(CO)

Frank Koonce…….(AZ)

Goran Krivokapic…….(Montenegro)

Lukasz Kuropaszowski…….(Poland)

David Leisner…….(NY)

Jose Lezcano…….(Cuba/NH)

David Malone…..(Australia)

Rovshan Mamedkuliev…….(Russia)

Martha Masters…….(CA)

Matthew McAllister.........(Scotland)

Peter McCucheon…….(Canada)

Jeffrey McFadden…….(Canada)

Lynn McGrath…….(NM)

Christopher Mallett........(CA)

Lorenzo Micheli…….(Italy)

Vladimir Mikulka…….(Czechoslovakia/France)

Johannes Moeller…….(Sweden)

Carlos Molina…….(Cuba/FL)

Jorge Morel…….(Argentina/NY)

Rob Nathanson…….(NC)

Erol Oszover…….(IN)

Tom Patterson…….(AZ)

Judicael Perroy……(France)

James Piorkowski…….(NY)

Luis Quintero…….(Venezuela)

Gyan Riley…….(CA)

Matthew Palmer......... (MD)

Stephen Robinson…….(FL)

Philip Rosheger…….(CA)

David Russell…….(Scotland/Spain)

Salome Sandoval…….. (Venezuela/MA)

Marco Sartor…….(Uruguay/SC)

Stefan Schmidt…….(Germany)

John Schneiderman…….(CA)

Tracy Smith…….(Canada)

Raphaella Smits…….(Belgium)

David Starobin…….(NY)

David Tanenbaum…….(CA)

Marc Teicholz…….(CA)

Scott Tennant…….(CA)

Oleg Timoyev…….(Russia/IA)

Benjamin Verdery…….(NY)

Jason Vieaux…….(OH)

Thomas Viloteau…….(France/MD)

Stanley Yates…….(England/TN)

William Yelverton…….(TN)

Javier Xara........(MN)

Alexei Zimakov…….(Russia)

Andrew Zohn…….(GA)

2) SOLOISTS, OTHER STYLES / RELATED INSTRUMENTS

John Abercrombie……. jazz (CA)

Robert Barto…….Baroque lute (USA/Germany)

Kenneth Bé…….lute (OH)

Francis Biggi…….lute (Italy/Switzerland)

Frank Bliven…….lutes, early guitars (WN)

William Carter…….theorbo (USA/England)

Larry Coryell…….jazz (USA)

David Cullen…….cross-over (PA)

Guy van Duser…….ragtime (CA)

Chris Eldridge……..steel string guitar (USA)

Juan José Escobar........flamenco (Spain)

Edward Flower…….lute (MA)

Grecia Goryachev…….flamenco (Russia/CA)

Lucas Harris…….lute (Canada)

Daniel Hecht…….steel string (VT)

Renee Jackson…….Alexander Technique (SC)

Konrad Junghangel…….Baroque lute (Switzerland)

William Kanengiser…….comedian (CA)

Hazel Ketchum…….voice/lute, early guitars (SC)

Michael Leopold…….lutes (Italy)

Philippe Malfeyt…….lute (Belgium)

Kevin Mason…….lute (IL)

Simon Martyn-Ellis…….lutes, early guitars (Australia/USA)

Ronn McFarlane…….lutes (WV)

Pat Metheney…….jazz (CA)

Eric Noden…….American roots/National steel (IL)

Nigel North..........lute (Great Britain/IN)

Paul O’Dette…….lute (NY)

Joe Pass…….jazz (NY) (Note: Joe Pass’ 1985 solo recital at University of Akron was released commercially as “Live in Akron”!)

Paco Pena…….flamenco (Spain)

Richard Stone…….Baroque lute (MD)

3) ENSEMBLES

Agnew-McAllister Duo —Aisling Agnew, fl/Matthew McAllister, gtr (Scotland)

Amadeus Duo —Thomas Kirchhoff/Dale Kavanaugh, gtrs (Germany)

Castellani-Andriaccio Duo —Joanne Castellani/Michael Andriaccio, gtrs (NY)

Cavatina Duo —Denis Azabagic, gtr/Eugenia Moliner, fl (Bosnia/Spain/IL)

Curtis HS Guitar Ensemble (large conducted ensemble) (NY)

Chroma Duo —Rob MacDonald/Tracy Smith, gtrs (Canada)

Duo 46 —Matthew Gould, gtr/Beth Schneider, vn (USA/Canada)

Duo Amaral —Jorge Amaral and Mia Pomerantz, gtrs (Mexico/Israel/MD)

Duo Damiano —Dieter Hennings, gtr/Molly Barth, fl (Mexico/KY)

Duo Spiritoso —Andrew Zohn/Jeffrey McFadden, gtrs (GA/Canada)

Duo Noire —Christopher Mallet/Thomas Flippin, gtrs (CA)

Ghetto Gitano —Mir Ali, gtr,/James Kurzdorfer, bass/Gary Rutkowski percussion/Samar Saha, tabla/Marie Carr, dancer (NY)
Goldspiel/Provost Duo —Alan Goldspiel and Richard Provost, gtrs (AL/CT)

Goluses Duo —Nicholas Goluses, gtr/Hilda Goluses, cello (NY)

Hanser-McClellan Duo —John McClellan/Kirk Hanser, gtrs (MO)

Haslop & Sanders —Jack Sanders, gtr/Clayton Haslop, vn (CA)

Hungry Monks —Hazel Ketchum, gtrs & voice/John Holenko, gtrs (SC)

Izquierdo/Chekan Duo —René Izquierdo and Elina Chekan, guitars (Cuba/Belarus/WI)

James-Rucco Duo —Douglas James/Pasquale Rucco, gtrs (NC/Italy)

Keene State Guitar Orchestra, Reed Desrosiers, Director (large conducted ensemble) (NH)

Klasinc-Loncar Duo —Miroslav Loncar/Natasha Klasinc, gtrs (Croatia/NC) 

Kondonassis-Vieaux —Yolanda Kondonassis, harp/Jason Vieaux, gtr

Koonce-Doyle Duo —Frank Koonce, gtr/Don Doyle, narrator (AZ)

Kraft-Silver Duo —Norbert Kraft, gtr/Bonnie Silver, harpsichord (Canada)

Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (CA)

Les Freres Meduses —Randall Avers and Benoit Albert, gtrs (Norway/France)

Linden Duo —Angelo Favis, gtr/Kimberly Risinger, fl (IL)

Marron-Prater Dance & Music Co. —James Marron, gtr/Bethany Prater, dancer (OH)

Minneapolis Guitar Quartet (MN)

Newman-Oltman Duo —Michael Newman/Laura Oltman, gtrs (NY)

Niibori Ensemble (large conducted guitar orchestra) (Japan)

North Carolina Guitar Quartet (NC)

Panebianco-Del Monaco Duo —Alfredo Pannebianco/Vania Del Monaco, gtrs (Spain)

Patterson-Strandberg Duo —Tom Patterson, gtr/Linda Strandberg, soprano (AZ)

Pearl & Gray —Julian Gray/Ron Pearl, gtrs (MD)

Reeds-Ali Duo —Mir Ali, gtr/Betsy Reeds, fl (NY)

Los Romeros Guitar Quartet —Celadonio, Pepe, and Romero family members (CA)

Scandinavian Guitar Duo —Jesper Sivabaek/Per Pälssen, gtrs (Denmark/Sweden)

Slotkin/Murphy —Matthew Slotkin, gtr & saxophonist (NY)

SoloDuo —Lorenzo Micheli/Matteo Mela, gtrs (Italy)

Sonus —Hazel Ketchum, Renaissance guitar, saz/John Holenko, oud. saz/James Carrier, oud/Geoff Cormier, percussion (SC)

Tantalus Guitar Quartet (USA) —Stephen Mattingly, Kristian Andersen, Lynn McGrath & Adam Foster, gtrs

Tequila Flamenco Group —Silviu Ciulei, gtr/B. J. Golden, gtr/Taylor Lonardo, bass/Tony Hartman, percussion

Tully-Hull Duo —Dan Hull, gtr/Amy Tully, fl (SC)

Verdery-Schmidt Duo —Benjamin Verdery, gtr/Rie Schmidt, fl (NY)

The Zvi Migdal —Adam Tully/Dan Lippel/Dave Nadal, gtrs/Pablo Pereyra, voice (NY)

4) ALUMNI

Chris Akin…….(KY)

Mir Ali…….(NY)

Randall Avers…….(Norway)

James Buckland…….(SC)

Theresa Calpotura…….(CA)

Michael Curtis…….(OH)

Alexander Dean…….(MN)

Brian Dowdy…….(MN)

Brendan Evans…….(MA)

Loren Fortna…….(NJ)

Dominic Frasca…….(NY)

Matthew Hinsley…….(TX)

M. Rusty Jones…….(IN)

Patrick Joyce…….(WV)

Daniel Lippel…….(NY)

Christopher Mallett…….(CA)

James Marron…….(OH)

Joshua Millard…….(NH)

Eric Noden…….(IL)

Paul Petric…….(OH),

Adam Sarata…….(OH)

Adam Tully…….(NY)

Rami Vamos…….(NY)

Danny Voris…….(OH)

John Marcel Williams…….(OH)