News
Sept. 2022
I'm one of 18 finalists in the 2nd Portugal International Guitar Composition Competition with his piece, "Perturbation Variations." Composers from 13 countries are represented--Leo Brouwer is a member of the jury. I was also recently asked by the Guitar Foundation of America to review lectures from their 2022 Convention for an article in the Fall edition of that organization's publication, Soundboard.
Upcoming concerts include the premiere of Jason Heald's new concerto for two guitars (and the Vivaldi Concerto for 2 Guitars) in November with my friend James Bishop Edwards.
A few other recent or recently-uncovered performances:
The Oregon premiere of Stephen Goss' Concerto of Colours {click here}
My transcription of Piccinini's wonderful Canzon no. 2 {click here}
Nov., 2021: Les Productions d'Oz published my transcription of Coleridge-Taylor's Impromptu II, part of the Guitar Foundation of America's "Spotlight Series." That can be found here [click]
The project paired me with young guitarist Owen Wang, who can be seen playing the difficult tune here [click]
I was also back on stage for the Corvallis Guitar Festival, where I played --for the first time--a program of mainly my own compositions. Also a performance of Bach's BWV 998, which you can see here (not from the festival): [click]
Nov, 2020: A few recent compositions, along with an arrangement, were recently published at LACG Editions: my three Sentimental Songs (vol. 1), as well "Caro mio ben"--you can see performances of both here and here. I also finally got around to recording a quarantine quartet version of my arrangement of the Departures soundtrack (music by Joe Hisaishi)--you can see that here.
Some more recording as well, with L.A. Camerata--a project of lullabies in which I'm accompanying some fabulous singers on vihuela and lute....more on that shortly!
The wonderful Portland-based luthier made me a 19th century-inspired guitar, and I promptly recorded a bit of Bach and Wagner on it.
On 16 July, I was the featured guest on All Classical Portland's "Thursday@3" program. I was interviewed by the terrific Christa Wessel and performed some Bach (the Prelude, Fugue, and Allegro), my arrangement of Joe Hisaishi's score from Kikujiro (you can see that here), and one of my Sentimental Songs.
In fall, I took up a "Covid Challenge" of recording one of the Sor/Segovia 20 Studies each day-- you can see those here (Studies 1-9) (Studies 10-15) (Studies 16-20)
Summer 2019: a few updates of note for the summer: I appeared with Ensemble Ari at a concert of new music, including my own, at ArtShare L.A. My guitar and piano duo with pianist Hui Wu, Ensemble Demitasse, performed recitals in Los Angeles, including the “A Musical Soirée” series at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church. I was the featured guest artist at the Ventura County Guitar Society, where he premiered his composition, ‘“Perturbation Variations.” My composition for guitar and video, “Three Northwestern Scenes,” was chosen for a performance at the International 21st Century Guitar Symposium in Ottawa, Canada; I performed that work there and also participated in the premieres of seven new works for mixed guitar ensemble at Dominion-Chalmers Church as a part of that festival. My recent composition, “Perturbation Variations,” was chosen as “Outstanding Winner” at the 5th International Composition Competition at the Changsha Guitar Festival held in Changsha, China. L.A. Camerata, the early music group with which I perform, was chosen as a winner in the Beverly Hills National Audition, which partners chamber music ensembles with performance organizations throughout Southern California. In duo recitals held in San Diego and Los Angeles with flutist Michael Matsuno, I’ll also premiere two works by composers Carolyn Chen and Eva-Maria Houben. And in September, I’ll give a duo recital with guitarist James-Bishop Edwards, formerly of Southern Oregon University, at the Treehouse Concert Series in Ashland, Oregon.
April 2018: Back yesterday from Portland, where I made an appearance with several members of the Oregon Symphony on Portland's All-Classical Radio. You can find an archived copy of that broadcast here (Thursdays@Three 4/12/18). I played with my old friend Ryan Lee, my old friend from days back at the Aspen Music Festival. My ensemble demitasseˆ collaborator Hui Wu and I gave two concerts in Corvallis (at Oregon State University and at the Corvallis Arts Center), and Ryan Lee and I will give another two at the end of this month (in addition to appearing on a program for Classical Up Close, a community concert series run by Oregon Symphony musicians). I'll also be playing with Eugene Opera in their production of Astor Piazzolla's Maria de Buenos Aires (which has a busy guitar part) before taking off to Sacramento, playing for the Sacramento Guitar Society (May 20) and the Classical Guitar Project (May 19) in Chico, CA. After that, look for the Corvallis Guitar Festival, at which I'll be giving a concert as well as demonstrating on some fantastic guitars from a local collector.
February 2018: Several concerts already underway for the new year, including some up in Portland, down in California, and up in Seattle. I've also composed a bit since my arrival in Corvallis, and am happy to report that my three original pieces composed over the past few months have been compiled into a suite I've entitle Three Northwestern Scenes; these are now published by LACG Editions [click here]. You can see videos of two of the three works -- I'm still learning to play the third!-- [click here] and [click here]
December 2017: Just finishing up my first term here at OSU and reflecting on all that's been done. I've performed a number of recitals at the school and in LA, have taught some dedicated students, and am optimistic about the future of guitar here. A lot of excitement for next year: there will be a recital of Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco's work at the home of the composer's grandson, Greg, in Los Angeles; a recital at CSU Bakersfield, where I will perform a number of my own original compositions; several chamber music collaborations, including those with Erik Steigher in Seattle, with Hui Wu (as ensemble demitasse) here in Corvallis in April, and with Oregon Symphony member Ryan Lee both in Corvallis and in Portland as part of the Symphony's chamber music series in April and May. Furthermore, my small tour of Japan is solidified, and I will have the great pleasure of performing with my old friend Ikuo Inoue at Gendai Guitar in Tokyo, Kokobunji, and as guest artists at Shu-Ichi Taguchi's Guitar Seminar in Nagoya. Lastly, as of today, my arrangement of Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder has been published by LACG Editions and is now available here [click here]
September 2017: I've moved up to beautiful Corvallis, OR, where I've joined the faculty at Oregon State University and will be building a guitar program! Excited to get this big project off the ground, and for the many performances which will be taking place up here over the next few months. Summer had a lot of exciting concerts, including the premiere of Michael Lee's "come what may" for guitar and choir in New York (the performance can be seen here), a number of concerts with Hui Wu, piano, as ensemble demitasse, and recitals around California and in Japan. These next few months have performances in Ashland, OR, Los Angeles, here in Corvallis at OSU, and in Portland. More to come!
August: Preparing for the Fall semester. I'm teaching at Pasadena City College, Riverside City College, CSU Bakersfield, and Bakersfield College.
July: Back from a wonderful trip to Korea, where I played a recital (see PHOTO)
June 7, 2016: Nice to have see my Wagner arrangements getting some play on KingFM's Fantasy Concerts {click here]
March 31, 2016: New videos from a concert last month. First, the complete version of Michael Lee's Unmasked!
February 23, 2016: You can now buy my albums Signature of All Things and Exile on Amazon [CLICK HERE]
February 12, 2016: New videos from a live performance including all of Michael Lee's Unmasked, and my arrangements of Mozart's Adagio for Glass Harmonica, and Wagner's Hymn to the Evening Star
February 10, 2016: I've published some of my writings from the past few years in the What's Up section of the website. Check it out!
February, 2016: New videos of my arrangement of Richard Wagner's "Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral" and Fernando Sor's Fantasie for his students, Natalie Houze. CLICK HERE
January, 2016: You can see performing Andrew York's "Quadrivial Quandary" me in Scott Tennant's Pumping Nylon DVD: or click here
January, 2016: LA Times feature on Neely Bruce's Circular 14: The Apotheosis of Aristides (which I played classical and electric guitars for) Click HERE
December 22, 2015: Working on a recording of preludes and fantasies: including my arrangement of the last prelude of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, the Joan Manen's Fantasia-Sonata, Marlos Nobre Prologue and Toccata, and much more!