2002-2003 Benaroya Concert Series
Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall
at Benaroya Hall, 3rd and Union, downtown Seattle

Eliot Fisk: Saturday, October 5, 2002-7:30 PM
Paul O'Dette: Saturday, November 16, 2002-7:30 PM
Brazilian Guitar Quartet: Saturday, January 25, 2003-7:30 PM
Dale Kavanagh: Friday, March 28, 2003-7:30 PM

Admission:
Individual tickets: $28 general admission; $22 students, seniors and SCGS members.
Series Tickets: $90 general admission; $75 students, seniors and SCGS members.
For information and advance tickets contact the Rosewood Guitar, 206-297-8788.


The Seattle Classic Guitar Society announces the performing artists for its "2002-2003 Benaroya Concert Series" taking place at the Nordstrom Recital Hall at Benaroya. SCGS is proud to offer Seattle audiences the opportunity to hear truly world-class classical guitarists, and one lutenist, in the intimate space of the Nordstrom Recital Hall.




The SCGS Benaroya Concert Series opens with charismatic virtuoso Eliot Fisk (October 5, 2002). He is known world-wide for his imaginative and innovative approach in both his performances and numerous recordings. He has also sought to expand the scope of the guitar's repertoire through collaborations with various composers and his own transcriptions. "We all know the guitar to be a poetic instrument. That it is capable of such grandeur was a revelation." The New York Times. Some of his transcriptions seem truly remarkable. Hear, for example, the transcribed 24 Paganini Caprices for violin (some of them are on the MusicMasters cd 'The Best of Eliot Fisk', and all of them on another, dedicated MusicMasters cd. Fisk has published these as sheet music). In these Fisk has a great range of dynamics, tempo, and expressive use of staccato and muted attack. Paganini had a demonic reputation of being in league with the Devil ('women would swoon') and while we can't speculate about Eliot Fisk's committments, his playing does bring this to mind. At the opposite 'Pole' one finds the recent 'Mountain Songs' for flute and guitar, with flautist Paula Robison: also sampled on 'Best of Eliot Fisk' and available in a dedicated MusicMasters CD. If you can't wait, listen to an MP3 sampling of Barbara Allen and Quicksilver from this collection by another duo, Duo Cavatina. Eliot Fisk is active in widening the audience for the guitar, and continues his quest to take 'art music' to schools, churches, prisons and senior centers. "Music has a great role to play in the redemption of the modern soul," according to Fisk. Visit his web site here.




Internationally acclaimed lutenist Paul O'Dette (November 16, 2002) has performed throughout the world and has made more than 100 recordings. Though best known for his recitals and recordings of virtuoso lute music, he also maintains an active career as an ensemble musician, conducts Baroque operas and is Director of Early Music at the Eastman School of Music. "The clearest case of genius ever to touch his instrument." Toronto Globe and Mail

Several of Paul O'Dette's recordings have been nominated for Gramophone's "Record of the Year" Award. Recent releases include "The Complete Lute Music of John Dowland" (a 5-CD set for Harmonia Mundi, USA) which received a "Choc du Monde de la Musique; "The Echoing Air-Songs of Henry Purcell" with Sylvia McNair (Philips) which recently won a Grammy Award. "The Royal Consorts of William Lawes" with The Purcell Quartet (Chandos), "Hark, Hark, the Lark" and "The Broken Consorts of Mathew Locke" with the Parley of Instruments (Hyperion), "le Jardin des Melodies" and "The Queen's Delight" with The King's Noyse (Harmonia Mundi, USA), and "Luz y Norte" with the Harp Consort (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi) which was the number one-selling classical CD in Australia this past spring. Mr. O'Dette has performed in broadcasts on BBC, CBC, Radio France, RAI (Italy), Westdeutscher Rundfunk, and many other national networks.

Paul O'Dette has served as Director of Early Music at Eastman School of Music since 1976, and is Artistic Director of the Boston Early Music Festival. This past year he has conducted Baroque operas in Boston, Tanglewood and at the Drottningholm Court Theater in Stockholm. To read more click here, and to hear some snippet Mpeg's from his lute duet CD with Jakob Lindberg, click here.




The Brazilian Guitar Quartet (January 25, 2003) is made up of four of the most brilliant guitarists living in Brazil, including Grammy nominee Paul Galbraith, the brothers Edelton and Everton Gloesden and Tadeu do Amaral. Their debut CD, "Essencia do Brasil" on Delos has garnered rave reviews world-wide. "Confident masters of technique, the members of the Brazilian Guitar Quartet showed they are also brilliant musicians..." Washington Post


International prize-winner Dale Kavanagh (March 28, 2003) has given more than 400 concerts around the world. Her seven CDs (FONO, Hanssler) have received superlative reviews in international magazines. Known as an especially gifted interpreter, many composers have written works specifically for her. "She is a first class musician and performer at the world level. Dale Kavanagh's musicality and instrumental abilities are extraordinarily impressive." Toronto Star



"The Seattle Classic Guitar Society's series of recitals at Benaroya Hall is one of the great, relatively undiscovered delights of Seattle's classical-music season. The performers are top-notch, and the venue, Benaroya's Nordstrom Recital Hall, has acoustics that are matched perfectly to the intimate demands of the guitar." The Seattle Times, November 2000