An Tran, guitar
Hailed by The Boston Globe for his “subtle, graceful virtuosity,” An Tran continues to impress audiences with innate musicality and dynamic artistry. In recent seasons, Tran has been invited to perform recitals at the Guitar Society of Toronto’s International Artist Series, Bangkok Guitar Society, Saigon International Guitar Festival, and the Knoxville Classical Guitar Society, where he was praised for his “gorgeous playing” with “flawless technique” by Knox TN Today. Tran’s debut album, Stay, My Beloved, was included in Chicago Tribune’s "Recordings of the Year" for 2020 and was praised by Classical Guitar Magazine as “an unforgettable journey to a world you’ve probably never been to” with “highly virtuosic passages that display what a gifted guitarist An Tran truly is.” He has won over a dozen international guitar competitions and music awards, including top prizes from the Berlin International Guitar Competition, New Orleans International Guitar Competition, and the Society of American Musicians Guitar Competition. Tran recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Northwestern University as a Dorothy and Carl Johnson endowed scholar and student of Anne Waller.
Northwestern University Summer Guitar Workshop 2024
Join us for the 2024 Northwestern University Bienen School of Music Summer Guitar Workshop! This one-week program is designed to develop strong technical ability, advanced musical skills, thorough knowledge of repertoire, and healthy practice habits. Students will participate in master classes, technique classes, guitar ensemble, and style and performance practice workshops, culminating in a concert of student performances. Six days of musical collaboration and serious fun! You can find audition and registration information here.
Álvaro Pierri, guitar
“Fluent technique, golden tone, and singing musicality” —Vancouver Sun
A leading personality in the world of the guitar, Álvaro Pierri is a regular guest in the major concert houses of Europe, the Americas, and Asia. He has shared the stage with many esteemed artists including Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Astor Piazzolla and the WDR Radio Orchestra Köln, and Mario Bernardi with the CBC Radio Orchestra. Pierri’s awards include first prize in the International Guitar Competitions of Buenos Aires, Argentina and Porto Alegre, Brazil and the Gold Medal at the 18th International Competition in Paris. An avid teacher and soloist, Pierri has premiered music by such composers as Leo Brouwer, Jacques Hétu, Astor Piazzolla, and Carlo Domeniconi; he is a two-time recipient of the Canadian Félix Award for Classical Album of the Year.
Spring Evaluated Recital
The Chicago Classical Guitar Society's Spring 2024 Evaluated Recital will be held at 2pm on Sunday, April 7 at the Evanston Public Library Community Meeting Room, 1703 Orrington Avenue. Performers of all ages and levels will have the opportunity to receive written feedback from a panel of three professional guitarists. If you are interested in performing on the program, please email Mark Maxwell at mmaxwell@depaul.edu.
Participant Guidelines: CCGS members may perform for free. A $10 fee is required of nonmembers. The fee may be applied to discounted membership dues on the day of the event. Individual teachers may submit a maximum of three students for the recital. Performers are limited to one or two pieces, not exceeding a total duration of eight minutes.
Friends and family are welcome to attend. Admission is free for audience members.
David Russell, guitar
“Russell is not only an elegant musician but also a technician of the highest order.” —San Fransisco Classical Voice
Classical guitarist David Russell is world-renowned for his superb musicianship and inspired artistry, having earned the highest praise from audiences and critics alike. He received a Grammy Award for his CD, Aire Latino, and in 2018 was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Guitar Foundation of America. In recognition of his great talent and his international career, he was named a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in London in 1997 and was given the Medal of Honor of the Conservatory of the Balearics in November 2003. He is also an honorary member of "Amigos de la Guitarra," the oldest guitar society in Spain. Russell appears regularly at prestigious halls in cities such as New York, London, Tokyo, Madrid, Toronto, and Rome. Upon hearing him play in London, Andrés Segovia wrote: "My congratulations on your musicality and guitaristic technique." In addition to his renown as a live performer, Russell is a prolific recording artist whose collection includes seventeen CDs with the Telarc International label.
2024 New Year’s Party and Silent Auction
Save the date for the Chicago Classical Guitar Society New Year's Party and Silent Auction on Sunday, January 21, 2024 at 2pm in the Community Meeting Room of the Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Avenue.
Fall Evaluated Recital
The Chicago Classical Guitar Society's Fall 2023 Evaluated Recital will be held at 2pm on Sunday, November 5 at the Evanston Public Library Community Meeting Room, 1703 Orrington Avenue. Performers of all ages and levels will have the opportunity to receive written feedback from a panel of three professional guitarists.
If you or your students are interested in performing, please email Mark Maxwell at mmaxwell@depaul.edu.
Participant Guidelines: CCGS members may perform for free. A $10 fee is required of nonmembers. The fee may be applied to discounted membership dues on the day of the event. Individual teachers may submit a maximum of three students for the recital. Performers are limited to one or two pieces, not exceeding a total duration of eight minutes.
Friends and family are welcome to attend. Admission is free for audience members.
Fall 2022 CCGS Evaluated Recital participants.
Raphaella Smits, guitar
“Nimble fingers, a prismatic sense of timbre, and a serene dignity that informs all she plays” —New York Times
Raphaella Smits plays worldwide on eight-string guitars and historical instruments. Recognized as “an uncommonly musical guitarist” (New York Times), her solo recitals as well as her performances with distinguished colleagues have met with enthusiastic audiences and press. Smits has made 21 recordings and is internationally praised as an inspiring teacher for both guitar and chamber music, serving on the juries of many international music competitions. In 1986, Smits was the first woman to win the first prize of the Certamen Internacional de Guitarra Francisco Tarrega, the famous international guitar competition in Benicàssim, Spain, earning praise from chairmen Andrés Segovia and Narciso Yepes. She holds a chair at the Lemmens Institute in Belgium and regularly gives master classes across Europe, the Americas, and Japan.