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Classical guitar virtuoso Benjamin Verdery will return to Maui for a series of concerts with guest artists and student guitarists from his master class. Joining Verdery this year will be Grammy Awardwinning guitarist Andrew York and Hawaiian guitarist and ukulele player Ian O’Sullivan.
Events will be held at the Makawao Union Church, University of Hawaii Maui College, St. John’s Episcopal Church in Keokea, the Lahaina Jodo Mission and the Keawala’i Congregational Church in Makena.
A “Maui Guitar Extravaganza” opening concert will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Makawao Union Church featuring Verdery, York and O’Sullivan. The program will include music composed by the performers, in solo and ensemble settings. There is a suggested donation of $10 at the door (for the Nature Conservancy).
A former member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, York is acclaimed as one of the top classical guitarists in the world. He received a Grammy as a member of the quartet during his 16 years with the ensemble. This virtuoso’s compositions have been recorded by several well-known guitarists, including John Williams and Christopher Parkening.
“Andrew York’s eclectic writing and playing constitute one of the hippest styles in American classical guitar,” praised Guitar Player Magazine.
York’s musical training began in his childhood, during which he was surrounded by his father’s folk guitar playing and his mother’s singing.
“I came from a musical family,” says York. “My father and my uncle are folk guitar players and my mother is a singer who sang in jazz clubs when she was young. And classical music was always playing on the radio at our house. I would pick up the guitar at family musical sessions and pretend to play. When I was about 6 years old, they realized I was actually playing. I was watching my father’s and my uncle’s hands, and got the chord shapes by watching. To this day, I still know dozens of English, Irish and early American folk songs.”
York’s recordings include “Centerpeace,” with former Police guitarist Andy Summers and pianists Mitsuko Kado and Allaudin Mathieu, and his most recent solo album, “Yamour,” which was hailed by Acoustic Guitar magazine as one of the best “Essential Recordings of 2012.”
“Beethoven was my hero when I was in elementary school,” he continues. “When I was very young, I would listen to records insatiably and get something of value from almost all of them. I remember finding recordings of Antonio Carlos Jobim, (John Philip) Sousa marches, ‘Abbey Road’ by the Beatles. All these eclectic musical samples really turned my head around. J.S. Bach has been a constant companion; his music is an expression of something beyond this world. I love Stravinsky, he taught me that anything is possible with music. Even Cat Stevens wrote popular songs that had harmonic twists that are so quirky and cool, he influenced me with his moments of transcendence.”
Describing himself as a contemporary classical guitarist, York explains that “most of my pieces are very well-thought-out, but they do draw from elements of the Renaissance and Medieval folk traditions, and also ethnic music and American folk styles. I take in all sorts of influences.”
His innovative compositions range from the Spanish-flavored “Albaycin” and the sublime “Letting Go,” to “Marley’s Ghost,” a classical/reggae fusion tribute to Bob Marley.
“Andy is a big deal in our world,” says Verdery. “He writes really gorgeous guitar music that is played and loved by many guitarists. He wrote the solo guitar piece ‘Sunburst,’ which has become a huge hit in the guitar world. The Makawao concert will be his debut as a soloist on Maui.”
The concert will include York’s solo performance of his own compositions.
“He will play a set, I will play a set and Ian will play a set,” adds Verdery. “Andy and I will play my duo piece ‘Keanae,’ and Ian and I will play a piece for baritone ukulele and classical guitar. And I will feature a brand-new piece, ‘En Ti Los Rios Cantan,’ based on a poem by (Chilean poet) Pablo Neruda. I wrote it on Maui last year, and I use a couple of lines of his voice in it. I’m excited to play that.”
At 3 p.m. July 10 in the UH-Maui College Science Building’s lecture theater, a free concert will be presented by O’Sullivan, Yale School of Music graduate Christopher Mallett and UH-Manoa student Aaron Cardenas, featuring a variety of music for solo guitar, as well as duets and music for ukulele.
At 2 p.m. July 12 at St. John’s Episcopal Church, advanced students will perform a free concert featuring music by Verdery, Brouwer, Torroba, Brahms, Pasieczny, DeBlasio and others.
And free student concerts will be held at 7 p.m. July 14 at the Lahaina Jodo Mission and at 7 p.m. July 15 at the Keawala’i Congregational Church. Class participants will present solo performances and pieces for guitar orchestra composed and conducted by Verdery, York and O’Sullivan.
“It will include excerpts from my piece ‘Scenes from Ellis Island’ for multiple guitars,” says Verdery. “And Andy has a brand-new piece called ‘Playground,’ for guitar ensemble, which he will conduct.”
Master guitar classes will be held Wednesday through July 15 (except July 12) at the Keawala’i Congregational Church. Classes are open to the public for observation. This year marks the 16th year Verdery has conducted classes on Maui.
Described as “iconoclastic” and “inventive” by The New York Times and “one of the classical guitar world’s foremost personalities” by Classical Guitar magazine, Verdery has pursued an innovative and eclectic musical career.
The head of the guitar department at the Yale School of Music, he has performed worldwide in theaters and at festivals, and has recorded and performed with such diverse artists as Andy Summers, Jessye Norman, Paco Pena and John Williams.
As a recording artist, Verdery has released more than 15 CDs. His latest include “First You Build A Cloud,” a collaboration with Summers of the Police, and “Branches,” a solo album featuring arrangements of Bach, Mozart, Strauss and Hendrix. Future recordings include one featuring his classical guitar arrangements of songs by Randy Newman, Neil Young, Prince, John Lennon, Eddy Vedder, The National and Cream.
Last year, he filmed a series of YouTube videos shot at Doris Duke’s Shangri La Center for Islamic Arts and Cultures on Oahu. His most recent innovative project, “Black Bach,” fuses the baroque music of Bach with hip-hop, collaborating with New York hip-hop artist Billy Dean.
“It’s a really unique collaboration that works,” says Verdery. “I’ve known Billy since she was 8. My daughter Mitsuko asked if I had heard her friend Billy Dean’s new music. She played it for me and I flipped out. I thought I should do something with her. What if she rapped to Bach? Who has ever done that? She came to my house and within two seconds, I knew we had to record this. So we went into the studio and we’re going to make an EP. One of the tunes we’re going to do is Muddy Water’s ‘Hoochie Coochie Man.’ It’s going to be so cool.”
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Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Michelle Branch performs tonight at 7:30 in Castle Theater at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center. She’s known for hits like “Everywhere,” “Breathe” and “Goodbye to You” as well as “The Game of Love” with Santana.
* Tickets are $35, $55, $75, $95 (plus applicable fees) and are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.
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Jazz Maui 2015 continues with free performances by the Na Ali’i Big Band, made up of King Kekaulike High School students, and the Chop Suey Jazz Band today at 6:30 p.m. at The Shops at Wailea and at 7 p.m. Friday at Whalers Village in Kaanapali. A free Fourth of July Concert will also be held at the Lahaina Library lawn beginning at 5 p.m. with performances by the University of Texas Arlington Faculty Jazz Ensemble, Chop Suey Jazz Band and the Maui Community Band. And on Sunday, the Mike Buono Quartet will perform at 7 p.m. at Whalers Village.
* For more information, visit www.jazzmaui.org.
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A celebration of life will be held Sunday at Casanova Italian Restaurant in Makawao for Maui musician Les Adam, who died June 18. Several of Maui’s top musicians are scheduled to perform in Adam’s honor during the Upcountry Sundays Acoustic Style event presented by Mana’o Hana Hou Radio. The event will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Donations to help with medical and funeral expenses will be accepted but are not required.
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Coming up, we’ve got the MayJah RayJah Music Festival at the MACC on Jul 24 and 25. This annual reggae fest will feature Jamaica’s Tarrus Riley, California’s Common Kings, Rebel Souljahz, Anuhea, Sons of Zion and Spawnbreezie.
* Tickets are $34 per night in advance and $40 the day of each show. The two-day festival price is $60 for general admission and $125 for VIP in advance. Tickets are available at the box office, by calling 242-7469 or online at www.mauiarts.org.