Colby-Sawyer College Hosts Musically Adventurous Georgia Guitar Quartet
NEW LONDON, N.H., Sept. 23, 2008 — Colby-Sawyer College will host a concert by the Georgia Guitar Quartet, an exciting new presence from the American South whose incredible range and spontaneity give their audiences a thrilling new way to experience chamber music.
The performance will take place at 7 p.m. in Wheeler Hall at the Ware Campus Center on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2009. Admission is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the college's Cultural Events Committee.
The group's inspiration stems from several genres including classical composers such as Brahms and Bach, experimental composers like Gage, Bartok and Stockhausen, and contemporary rock legend Led Zeppelin. In their concerts, Irish folk music mixes with the likes of Chopin and contemporary works, and the musicians often feature their own compositions.
John Sutherland, who leads the guitar studies program at the University of Georgia, calls the quartet one of the finest groups of young talent he has seen in 30 years of teaching. “Audiences at a Georgia Guitar Quartet concert experience an exciting musical journey through an expansive array of genres, continents and time periods,” he says. The Charleston Post and Courier of Charleston, S.C., described a quartet show as a “dazzling display of technical prowess, versatile programming and audience rapport.”
The Georgia Guitar Quartet hails from Athens, Ga., and formed in 1996 while studying under Sutherland. The quartet began the professional touring careers in 2003 and has performed recently in New York, Los Angeles and at the Deer Valley Music Festival in Park City, Utah. The group has released four studio recordings, the most recent featuring original compositions. In addition to performing as a group, the quartet often collaborates with modern dance groups and visual artists in multimedia performances.
Quartet member Jason Solomon began studying guitar at the age of nine. Solomon received his Ph.D. in music theory, a master's degree in classical guitar performance, and a bachelor's degree in both music composition and performance. In addition to his work with the quartet, Solomon is an active solo performer and teaches music theory at Western Carolina University.
Phil Snyder started his career as a cello player at the age of six and at age 16, he picked up the guitar. In 2003, he received his doctorate of musical arts in guitar performance from the University of Georgia, with a secondary area in cello performance. He has arranged several pieces for the quartet that include the works of Bach, Vivaldi, Brahms, Chopin and Paul Simon.
Brian Smith first picked up the guitar at age 12 and right from the beginning focused his efforts on the classical guitar. Smith has a bachelor's degree and master's degree in classical guitar from the University of Georgia. In addition to his work with the Georgia Guitar Quartet, he is a solo artist performing primarily in Athens, Ga., where he also teaches guitar lessons. He also excels in several other instruments, including the double bass, electric bass, electric guitar, and piano.
Kyle Dawkins began playing a steel string acoustic at the age of 11 and switched to classical guitar after meeting John Sutherland at the University of Georgia, where he received a degree in guitar performance. He is also a solo artist and has released two of his own records. Dawkins teaches guitar at Gainesville State College and Piedmont College.
To learn more about Colby-Sawyer College's public events, visit the Calendar of Upcoming Events.
Colby-Sawyer, founded in 1837, is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in the scenic Lake Sunapee Region of central New Hampshire. Students learn in small classes through a select array of programs that integrate the liberal arts and sciences with pre-professional experience. Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.colby-sawyer.edu.
Colby-Sawyer College, 541 Main Street, New London, N.H. 03257 (603) 526-3000
