Melbourne International Guitar Festival comes to the Henegar Center for the Arts

 International Guitarists to perform two Concerts in historic downtown Melbourne

Henegar Center, Melbourne, February 8, 2010: The Henegar Center is proud to present the International Guitar Festival on Friday, February 19, at 8:00 pm and Saturday February 20 at 2:00 pm. Tickets for the performances are $22 & $20 (seniors 65+) plus a $2 per ticket handling charge.  There will be master classes immediately following the performance on Saturday. Master classes are $50 to attend and $25 to observe. For more information on the master classes call 321-723-8698.

            Friday’s 8 pm concert features The Mayes Guitar Duo from the United Stares and Alfredo Muro from Peru. Joseph and Kathleen Mayes (josephmayes.com) are remarkably versatile as demonstrated not only by the diverse styles of music that they play, but also in the variety of instruments that they bring to their programs: classical guitar, terz guitar, 19^th century guitar, renaissance lute, arch lute and the Neapolitan mandolin. Joseph is a professor of music at Rowan University and has studied with some of the most notable guitarists of the century including Andres Segovia, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, and Jose Tomas. Kathleen serves as Adjunct Professor at both Rowan University and Burlington County College where she teaches classical guitar and music history. She studied with well-known Segovia disciple Larry Snitzler of George Mason University and Julian Gray of the Peabody Conservatory.

          Alfredo Muro (alfredomuro.com) is from Lima, Peru and has studied with two of the greatest Peruvian guitar masters, Octavio Ticona and Carlos Hayre as well as the great masters Manual Lopez Ramos, Frank Costa and John Doan in the United States. Mr. Muro is not only a great soloist, but is also an arranger and composer.  His repertoire ranges from classical music to Latin American and Spanish music, and from the Beatles, Baden Powel and Jobin, to Bach and Handel. He has a special love of Brazilian music and has studied the intricate style of Choro, Samba, Frevin, Bossa Nova and Afro-samba.

        Saturday’s 2 pm concert includes Marcelo Coronel, from Argentina and Cuban born Ruben Gonzalez. Marcelo Coronel (http://www.marcelocoronel.com.ar/indexen.php) lives in Rosario (province of Santa Fe) where he divides his time between composing, performing and teaching. He specializes in teaching Latin American folk guitar, classical guitar, theory and aural awareness in his music studio in Rosario. Marcelo’s main creative pursuit lies in the preservation and evolution of the folk music tradition.             

        Ruben Gonzalez was born in the city of Holguin, Cuba, known for its emphasis on quality music. He graduated from the Institute of Arts of Havana, where he obtained his music degree with a specialization in guitar.  In addition to professors Alina, Quezada, Amador and Rodriguez, Ruben Gonzalez received master classes from the eminent guitarist, composer and conductor Leo Brouwer. In 1993 he was invited by the National Conservatory of Music of Santo Domingo to give master classes at that prestigious institution.

Critics have praised Ruben Gonzalez saying:  “… Gonzalez impresses by his original rhythmic and novel interpretations. He demonstrates his proficiency of the masters while bringing a special freshness to his interpretation of Cuban music…” Sahily Tavares, Periodic Bastion, Cuba. 

The program for the series will include classical and contemporary music featuring works by Antoine de Lohyer, Roger Hudson, Astor Piazolla, Pixinguinha, Eduardo Falu, Pablo Del Cerro, Tárrega, Albéniz, Dyens, Domenicomi, Merlín, Barrios Mangoré, and Rojas.  (Program attached)

The programs and events of the Henegar Center for the Arts are sponsored in part by the Brevard County Board of County Commissioners through the Brevard Cultural Alliance, Inc., and the City of Melbourne.  The Henegar Center for the Arts is fully handicapped accessible and located at 625 East New Haven Avenue in historic downtown Melbourne. Tickets are available at the Henegar Center box office Monday-Friday from 10 am to 6 pm by calling (321) 723-8698 using Mastercard, Visa and Discover credit cards.  Additional information is also available on the center’s website at www.henegar.org.