CLASSICAL GUITAR WEEKEND 2010

Jason Vieaux invites you to attend the 2010 Guitar Weekend, sponsored by Guitars International, held at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

In addition to concerts and masterclasses held at the Cleveland Institute of Music by lutenist Nigel North, Duo Melis, Daniel Lippel (with soprano Tony Arnold) and a lecture on guitar building by Andrea Tacchi, Jason Vieaux's will give a recital in Kulas Hall at 4pm on Sunday May 23rd. His program will include works by Albeniz, Bach, Barrios, Brouwer, Giuliani and Martin.

DEBUT CD IS NOW AVAILABLE!

For the first time since 1993, Jason’s debut recording of works by Morel, Brouwer, Regondi, Bach and Ponce will be available. This critically acclaimed CD can be purchased directly, by clicking on the cover of the album here.

CIM GUITAR WEEKEND 2007

This March, Jason participates in the Cleveland Institute of Music’s “Guitar Weekend” (sponsored by Galli Strings). He leads a master class at CIM on March 10 at 1pm.  The following afternoon, March 11th, Jason appears in recital at Kulas Hall at 4pm. The program includes Bach: BWV 998, Orbon: “Preludio Y Danza”, Brouwer: “El Decameron Negro” and Albeniz: “Cuba” and “Asturias”.

For further information,visit: http://www.guitarsint.com/schedule.cfm

UK DEBUT THIS MARCH!

On Sunday, March 18th, Jason flies out to Great Britain to make his long awaited UK debut at the Guildford International Music Festival in Guildford, Surrey. Repertoire includes works by Metheny, Albeniz, Ponce, Sor and Merlin.

TRIP TO GERMANY ON THE HORIZON
IN MAY 2007!

Jason is scheduled to participate in the IPS Koblenz Guitar Festival this spring. This renowned German festival offers a special focus on guitar music and presents concerts, master classes, workshops, lectures and the International Guitar Competition.   Jason has been invited to join a distingued roster of some 200 performing artists, guest lecturers, and students from 44 countries around the globe.  He is scheduled to appear in recital at the Rhein-Mosel Halle on May 28 at 11am.

For further about Jason’s masterclass and further details about the festival, please visit:  http://www.pfingstseminar.de/

TAKING KOREA BY STORM!

This past December, Jason ventured out to Korea for the first time to join the celebrated Korean cellist Young Song on stage.  Jason was a featured guest artist on a Christmas concert for a sold-out audience of 2,500 on Dec 23, which also served as a launch for Song’s STOMP/EMI CD release, “Tango”.  The concert was filmed for broadcast throughout South Korea by the SBS.  For the occasion, Jason arranged Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” for he and Mr. Song, and Jason opened the concert with a solo spot.  Other highlights of the evening included “Reflexoes No. 6” by Jaime Zenamon, a movement from Piazzolla’s “Tango Suite” and sat in with Mr. Song and jazz pianist Yoshiko Kishino’s Trio performing her composition “Siesta”.  Off the concert stage, Jason and Young had an opportunity to trade pool tips over several games of 9-ball and enjoy lots of Korean dining, including a traditional Korean feast in Jeonju.

[VERY fresh octopus – this poor fella
was alive just seconds before the photo.]

[Good food and wine, and new friends,
after the Seoul Arts Center concert.]

TALES FROM THE ROAD - JULY 2008

Hello Everyone,

It’s been an incredible 12 months or so since I’ve last written something for the website.

First, here’s the latest on the Pat Metheny arrangements. I’m amazed at the number of emails from folks asking about a possible book of the entire IMAGES OF METHENY cd. It has been excellent motivation for me to really double my efforts to get these in print, despite playing over 100 concerts since IOM’s release. I now have just 4 pieces left for fingering, 6 others are fresh off to the engraver, and 4 others have been through an initial proofread. Pat really wants to see these out too, so I’m doing what I can from my end.

My teaching duties at the Cleveland Institute of Music have been fun and rewarding. I love working with my students; in addition to the improved level of players and musicianship each year, they’ve really stepped up the level of ensemble playing. This was one of my primary goals 6 years ago when I became head of the guitar department, so I’m very proud of them.

The travel has been, as usual, wonderful. My Germany debut at the Koblenz festival, a second trip to Korea, a tour of Mexico, Music@Menlo, and solo debuts in Vancouver, and Seattle were all highlights, but everyone we’ve been working with on the road has been great, and I’ve really enjoyed talking with the fans after concerts. It’s more fun now that it’s ever been. Many thanks to the audience and presenters – I am truly blessed to be playing music for you all.

Many of you are wondering about the next CD (Bach Lute Works, BWV 995 – 998), and we now have all of it recorded. The “problem” has been the performance repertoire. As I typically perform 7 – 8 hours of music each year, I get lots of cool requests. So I just had to say “yes” to Henze’s Kammermusik with David Robertson and St. Louis Symphony members last December, and the Boulez masterpiece Le Marteau Sans Maitre last January with Orchestra 2001. I wish I could get a couple CDs out each year, but I’m learning so much from all these musical experiences and opportunities, that it’s a challenge to take advantage of it all! Azica Records and I are looking forward to getting BACH; BWV 995 – 998 out for a January 2009 release.

However, there is a 2007 CD release I’d like you all to know about. If you like Brazilian music, I made a CD this last season with cellist Young Song (see RECORDINGS) called SONG OF BRAZIL. I did a lot of arranging for this CD; “Song of the Black Swan” by Villa-Lobos uses this “drag” technique I used for the right hand, and mixes natural harmonics within the chords in order to retain the original higher piano range sound of the accompaniment. There are also arrangements I did of tunes by Jobim and Chico Buarque. I really love how they all turned out.

OK, off to more practicing…I’ll try to check in and say hello in a month or so.

Cheers,

Jason

RECENT MAGAZINE PROFILE

The world’s longest running classical music review magazine published an article about Jason by music critic Don Rosenberg in the 2004 Christmas Issue. Jason’s new recordings have also recently attracted rave reviews in Classical CD Review and Classical Guitar. "More ..."