I've always known this was a great area for guitar events, at least in the past couple of decades. But it has caught my attention that it has recently emerged as an area exceptionally rich in events for classical guitar music lovers and for guitarists. I thought I'd write some posts on this subject in the hopes of increasing general awareness. This richness manifests in three ways: concerts, special events, and guitar education. This post will focus on concerts.

The area I'm including spans from Oberlin in the west to Youngstown in the east (96 miles); from Cleveland in the north to New Philadelphia in the south (86 miles), so, about an hour and a half total driving time in each direction. Cleveland is our anchor city, with a population of less than 400,000; Akron has under 200,000 and Youngstown 65,000, so it is a metropolitan area of only modest size.  (For comparison, consider: Boston and Baltimore each have just over 600,000; San Francisco over 800,000, Dallas has 1.25 million and Houston well over two million). For this reason, mainly, it delights me how many interested parties here have entered the fray, giving and presenting guitar concerts.

I've assembled a comprehensive list of classical guitar concerts and events here, covering this last calendar year (June, 2014-May 2015), and count on it nearly 60 professional/faculty guitar recitals and nearly 40 student performances, nearly 30 masterclasses, plus several other events of interest. (If I have omitted anything, or noted the information incorrectly, please let me know!) So, happy browsing....

Northeast Ohio Guitar Events 2014-15

Location/Instructor Key:

AAA = Akron Area Alliance

AU = Ashland University; Adam Sarata, guitar instructor

BWC = Baldwin Wallace Conservtory, Berea; Jorge Amaral, guitar instructor

CEC = Christ Episcopal Church, Cleveland

CHHS = Cleveland Heights High School

CIM = Cleveland Institute of Music; Jason Vieaux, guitar instructor

CMMS = Cleveland Music School Settlement; Robert Gruca, guitar instructor

CW = The College of Wooster; James Marron, guitar instructor

FO = Five Oaks, Massillon

FTB = Fifth Third Bank, Bainbridge

HAC = Heights Arts Collaborative, Cleveland

HPL = Hudson Public Library

HS = Highland Square, Akron

LT = Lincoln Theatre, Massillon

OCM = Oberlin Conservatory of Music; Stephen Aron, guitar instructor

OCMS = Oberlin Community Music School; Adam Sarata, guitar instructor

PC = Plymouth Church, Shaker Heights

PiP = Pops in the Parks, New Philadelphia

PS = Playhouse Square, Cleveland (outside)

SH = Severence Hall, Cleveland

UA = University of Akron; Stephen Aron, guitar professor, James Marron, guitar instructor

UMU = University of Mount Union; Adam Sarata, guitar instructor

YSU = Youngstown State University; François Fowler, guitar professor

Special Events and Organizations Key:

BWIF = Baldwin-Wallace International Guitar Festival, Jorge Amaral, Director

CCGS = Cleveland Classical Guitar Society, Erik Mann, President

CIGF = Cleveland International Guitar Festival, Armin Kelly, Director

SF = String Festival, Randall Avers, Director

SGFC = Stroud Classical Guitar Festival and Competition, Stephen Aron & James Stroud, Directors

CALENDAR

date  -location/venue  -artist(s) --activity (organization)

June 2014

2       PS       PHIL GOLDENBERG --Guest Concert (CCGS)

6       PS       JAMES MARRON --Guest Concert (CCGS)

9       PS       ERIK MANN --Guest Concert (CCGS)

13     PS       STEPHEN FAZIO --Guest Concert (CCGS)

16     PS       DUO RISCH-REICHERT (Bryan Reichert, guitar & Anna Risch, viola) --Guest Concert (CCGS)

20     PS       KRISTIN O'MARA --Guest Concert (CCGS)

July 2014

7       PS       PHILIP LOGAN --Guest Concert (CCGS)

11     PS       DUENDE DUO (Kristin O'Mara, guitar & Ethan Miller, sax) --Guest Concert (CCGS)

August 2014

22     PiP      ADAM SARATA w/Tuscarawas Symphony Orchestra

September 2014

6       HAC    Katie Cho --"Rising Stars Series" (CCGS)

10     UMU   ADAM SARATA —Faculty Recital

20     HS       Porch Rokr Guitar Orchestra, James Marron, Director --Ensemble Concert

27     CMSS  LUKASZ KUROPACZEWSKI -- Masterclass (CCGS)     

28     PC        Showcase: JASON VIEAUX, FRANÇOIS FOWLER, ROBERT GRUCA --Guest Concerts (CCGS)

October 2014

13     OCM   ANTON BARANOV --Masterclass

14     OCM   ANTON BARANOV –Guest Concert

15     AAA   JAMES MARRON  --Guest Concert

17     CMSS   DENIS AZIBAGIC --Guest Concert (CCGS)

18     CMSS  CAVATINA DUO (Denis Azibagic, Eugenia Moliner, flute) -- Masterclass (CCGS)

27     OCM   SIMON MARTYN-ELLIS, lutanist –Guest Lecture Recital

30     UA      ROBERT GRUCA –Masterclass

30     UA      ROBERT GRUCA –Guest Concert

November 2014

1       OCM   Stephen Fazio –Junior Recital

2       FTB     Stephen Fazio --"Rising Stars Series" (CCGS)

4       OCM   SOLODUO –Masterclass

4       OCM   SOLODUO –Guest Concert

4       UMU   Guitar Ensemble --Student Solos and Ensembles

6       OCM   DIETER HENNINGS –Guest Concert (w/Contemporary Music Ensemble)

6       AU       Guitar Studio Recital --Student Solos and Ensembles

6       YSU     Guitar Studio Recital --Student Solos

10     YSU     MARY AKERMAN --Masterclass

10     YSU     MARY AKERMAN --Guest Concert

13     UA       Guitar Ensemble --Student Chamber Music

14     CMSS  GAELLE SOLAL --Guest Concert (CCGS)

14     CW      Guitar Studio Recital --Student Solos and Ensembles

15     CMSS  GAELLE SOLAL --Masterclass (CCGS)

18     BWC   MAX ZUCKERMAN —Guest Concert

19     BWC   MAX ZUCKERMAN —Masterclass

21     YSU     BEN MONDER --Guest Jazz Guitar Clinic

22     UA       Philip Logan –Graduate Solo Recital

25     OCM    Guitar Ensemble --Student Chamber Music

25     CW       JAMES MARRON --Faculty Recital

December 2014

2       OCM   Guitar Ensemble --Student Chamber Music

9       OCM   Guitar Studio Recital --Student Solos

13     OCM   Crispin Swank --Senior Recital

January 2015

25     CEC     STEPHEN ARON & Area Students and Pros --Collaboration with Cleveland Composer's Guild (CCGS)

February 2015

1       HPL    DUO UNITAS (Adam Sarata with Tom Lempner, winds) --Guest Concert

11     OCM   JASON VIEAUX & Yolanda Kondonassis, harp —Guest/Faculty Concert

27     CMSS  LOS ANGELES GUITAR QUARTET --Guest Concert (CCGS)

28     CMSS  LOS ANGELES GUITAR QUARTET --Masterclass (CCGS)

March 2015

1       UA      DIETER HENNINGS --Masterclass

1       UA      DUO DAMIANO (Dieter Hennings/Molly Barth, flute) —Guest Concert 

3       BWC   DUO DAMIANO(Dieter Hennings/Molly Barth, flute) —Guest Concert

7       OCM   DUO DAMIANO (Dieter Hennings/Molly Barth, flute) —Guest Concert

8       OCMS   ADAM SARATA —Faculty Recital

13     OCM   RANDALL AVERS –Guest Concert (SGFC)

13     OCM   JEFFREY MCFADDEN –Guest Concert (SGFC)

14     OCM   Stroud All-Ohio Guitar Competition Semifinals (SGFC)

14     OCM   Stroud All-Ohio Guitar Competition Finals (SGFC)    

15     OCM   RANDALL AVERS –Masterclass (SGFC)

15     OCM   JEFFREY MCFADDEN –Masterclass (SGFC)

17     OCM   STEPHEN ARON –Faculty Recital

18     OCM   MATTHEW HINSLEY –Guest Lecture

18     LT        RANDALL AVERS & BENOIT ALBERT w/Jenny Choi, violin: Movie "The Unkown" with live original music --Guest Concert (SF)

19     FO       DIETER HENNINGS, JEFFERY McFADDEN --Guest Concert (SF)

20     LT       STARK COUNTY STUDENT ENSEMBLES, LES FRÉRES MÉDUSES, MATTHEW HINSLEY --Guest Concerts (SF)

20     OCMS   Guitar Ensemble --Student Ensembles

21     CMMS   VLADIMIR GORBACH --Masterclass (CCGS)

24     BWC   KUPINSKI GUITAR DUO —Guest Concert

24     YSU     ANTON BARANOV --Masterclass

24     YSU     ANTON BARANOV --Guest Concert

25     BWC   KUPINSKI GUITAR DUO —Masterclass

29     UMU   Guitar Ensemble --Student Ensembles

April 2015

3       YSU     DAN WILSON --Guest Jazz Guitar Clinic

7       YSU     Guitar Ensembles --Student Groups

9       OCM    Guitar Ensemble --Student Chamber Music

9       AU       Guitar Studio Recital --Student Solos and Ensembles

10     CW      Art Academy Guitar Students/CW Guitar Studio --Student Solos and Ensembles

11     CMMS   LUKASZ KUROPACZEWSKI --Guest Concert (CCGS)   

15     UA       JAMES MARRON —Faculty Recital

18     OCM   Leonard Ranallo —Junior Recital

19     UA       STEPHEN ARON —Faculty Recital

21     OCM   Guitar Ensemble Student Chamber Music

22     YSU     Guitar Studio Recital --Student Solos

25     UA       Daniel Silverman —Senior Recital

25     OCM    Daniel Nitsch —Senior Recital

26     OCM    Jacob Blizard —Senior Recital

27     UA       Adam Keeler —Graduate Solo Recital

28     OCM   Guitar Ensemble --Student Chamber Music

28     BWC   Baldwin-Wallace Guitar Quartet Concert —Student Ensemble

May 2015

1       OCM   DIETER HENNINGS w/Oberlin Symphonia —Guest Concert

3       SH       JAMES MARRON W/Cleveland Orchestra

3       OCM   Max Lyman —Senior Recital

3       UA       Philip Logan —Graduate Chamber Recital

5       OCM   Philip Lutz —Senior Recital

6       OCM   DIETER HENNINGS w/Oberlin Contemporary Music Ens. —Guest Concert

9       OCM   Mohit Dubey —Freshman Recital

9       OCM   Blizard-Ranallo Duo (two guitars) --Student Recital

9       OCM   Brian King —Freshman Recital

9       CHHS   JAMES MARRON --Guest Concert

16     BWC   DUO AMARAL (Jorge Amaral & Mia Pomerantz, guitars) —Faculty Recital (BWIF)

16     BWC   DENIS AZIBAGIC —Guest Concert (BWIF)

17     BWC   SOCRATES LEPTOS —Guest Concert (BWIF)

28     CIM    PAVEL STEIDL --Masterclass (CIGF)

28     CIM    ANTONI HATZINIKOLAOU --Masterclass (CIGF)

28     CIM    PAUL GALBRAITH --Masterclass (CIGF)

28     CIM    NIGEL NORTH --Masterclass (CIGF)

28     CIM    COLIN DAVIN --Lecture (CIGF)

28     CIM    JASON VIEAUX w/YOLANDA KONDONASSIS, harp --Faculty Recital (CIGF)

29     CIM    PAVEL STEIDL --Masterclass (CIGF)

29     CIM    PAUL GALBRAITH --Masterclass (CIGF)

29     CIM    NIGEL NORTH --Masterclass (CIGF)

29     CIM    DUO MELIS --Masterclass (CIGF)

29     CIM    RICARDO GALLÉN --Lecture (CIGF)

29     CIM    RICARDO GALLÉN --Guest Concert (CIGF)

30     CIM    JASON VIEAUX --Masterclass (CIGF)

30     CIM    RICARDO GALLÉN --Masterclass (CIGF)

30     CIM    ANTONI HATZINIKOLAOU --Masterclass (CIGF)

29     CIM    JOSHIA DE JONGE --Guitar Maker's Workshop (CIGF)

30     CIM    PAUL GALBRAITH --Guest Concert (CIGF)

30     CIM    DUO MELIS --Guest Concert (CIGF)

31     CIM    RICARDO GALLÉN --Masterclass (CIGF)

31     CIM    DUO MELIS--Masterclass (CIGF)

31     CIM    ANTONIS HATZINIKILAOU --Guest Concert (CIGF)

31     CIM    PAVEL STEIDL --Guest Concert (CIGF)