The great Russian-born flamenco guitarist, Grisha Goryachev, paid us a visit recently. It was his second appearance in Oberlin. Through a connection I have to the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, I was able to help him get a soloist gig with them playing the Concierto d’Aranjuez. We tagged on a solo recital and workshop for the Oberlin community. As usual, his performance was absolutely remarkable. Below are some images from his visit. The programs are at the end of the post.

The Mansfield Symphony concert was a celebration of the conductor, Octavio Más-Arocas’ home country of Spain. Entitled “Spanish Fiesta.,” it featured works by Chabrier, Granados, de Falla and Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as the Rodrigo concerto. It even featured a troupe of local school-aged dancers. It was beautifully played and a rich and enjoyable evening for all, in the sumptuous surroundings of the historic Mansfield theatre, The Renaissance. It was terrific hearing the concerto played by a true flamenco practitioner who has also been trained in classical guitar. Goryachev presented the perfect balance of the two competing styles. I am happy to say the entire studio drove down to Mansfield for the concert—it is over an hour’s drive.

Grisha Goryachev plays Rodrigo’s Concierto d’Aranjuez with the Mansfield Symphony and Octavio Más-Arocas at the podium.

Goryachev plays solo in Kulas Hall at Oberlin.

In the evening after the concert, and after a group dinner at the Feve, The studio gathered in a classroom for a look at some flamenco-specific techniques. Grisha was generous and clear in his descriptions of the basics of rasgueado and scale techniques. The students ate it up.