Announcing the 2008-09 Guest Artist Series at the Wichita Art Museum

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Marcin Dylla

(2007 GFA Winner)

WGS Members / Qty: $15

General Public / Qty: $20

After having already won 17 first prizes in competitions around the world, Polish guitarist Marcin Dylla received his most recent win in 2007 at the Guitar Foundation of America International Competition, which earned him a 50 concert tour of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. His list of accolades also includes concerto competition wins, audience prizes and critics awards.

Marcin Dylla has graced the stage of distinguished concert halls across the globe including Konzerthaus, Musikverein and Palais Lobkovitz in Vienna (Austria), Auditorio Nacional and Auditorio Conde Duque in Madrid (Spain), St. Petersburg Philharmonic Hall (Russian Federation), Kleinhans Music Hall in Buffalo (USA), Villa Hügel in Essen (Germany) and the Palazzina Liberty in Milan (Italy).
In addition to being invited to perform in virtually every major European and North American guitar festival, Marcin Dylla has been regularly invited to appear at international music festivals including Festival Internazionale Settimane Musicali di Stresa (Italy), Don Quijote Music Festival (Paris, France), Burghofspiele Eltville (Germany), International Festival Musical Olympus (St. Petersburg, Russian Federation), Inverno Musicale (Alzano, Italy), Central European Music Festival (Zilinai, Lithuania), Festival Internacional de Música (Toledo, Italy) and Musique Dans la Rue (Aix-en-Provence, France). In February 2007 Marcin performed as a soloist with the Hermitage State Orchestra at the Hermitage Festival in St. Petersburg.

In 2006, Marcin Dylla received the singular honor of being selected by Cecilia Rodrigo, the daughter of renowned Spanish composer Joaquin Rodrigo, to perform one of her father’s newly discovered works at the Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art in Madrid.

In September and October of 2007 he toured the United States performing Rodrigo’s ‘Concierto de Aranjuez’ in a number of concerts with the Fort Collins Symphony, the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra.He has also performed with various other orchestras in Europe and the United States including the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (USA), Orquesta Sinfónica de Radio Television Espanola (RTVE Madrid, Spain), St. Petersburg Philharmonia Orchestra (Russian Federation), Orchestra Filharmonica di Torino (Italy) and the Essen Chamber Orchestra (Germany).

Marcin Dylla was born in Chorzow in 1976. He received his first guitar lessons at the Ruda Slaska Music Conservatory in his native Poland. From 1995 to 2000 he studied at the Music Academy of Katowice with Adi Wanda Palacz. He then completed his studies with Oscar Ghiglia, Sonja Prunnbauer and Carlo Marchione at the Music Academies of Basel (Switzerland), Freiburg (Germany) and Maastricht (The Netherlands), respectively.

Previous Concerts This Season

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Concert in Honor of Irma Wassall's 100th Birthday With Dimitri Illarionov.

The founder of the Wichita Guitar Society will celebrate her 100th Birthday this September. In recognition of her many achievements, the City of Wichita is proclaimeng Tuesday, September 23rd as Irma Wassall Day. Wichita City Arts will set aside an area during that day for a retrospect and we will be presenting one of her favorite guitarists, Dimitri Ilarrionov on Saturday September 20th as part of our concert series at the Wichita Art Museum. Irma, who still maintains her own house will be at the event. Please Come By And Wish Her A Very Happy Hundredth Birthday.

"I felt like I was struck by lightning the moment he touched the guitar. It sent chills down my spine. Oh man, I have never experienced anything like it. Incredible! Simply incredible!" - Irma Wassall - Poet Laureate and founder of the Wichita Society of the Classical Guitar (Wichita, Kansas, USA), March 2004.

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Dimitri Illarionov

Thanks For Attending!

Dimitri Illarionov is one of the most brilliant young classical guitarists. He studied with Natalia Dmitrieva (Academic Music College at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory) and with the famous performer and Professor, Alexander Frauchi (Russian Gnesins´s Academy of Music). He also took lessons with famous Russian composer and guitarist, Nikita Koshkin; masterclasses with such prominent musicians as guitarists Carlo Marchione and Roberto Aussell, lutenist Hopkinson Smith, cellist David Geringas. Dimitri now teaches his own class at the Russian Gnesins´s Academy of Music.

Dimitri is the winner and laureate of numerous international competitions in USA, Spain, Italy, Poland, Belgium, Czech Republic and Russia. In 2006 Dimitri got prizes for the best interpretation of the music of two of the most popular guitar Romantic composers - Francisco Tarrega’s Prize (Francisco Tarrega Competition in Benicassim, Spain) and Agustin Barrios’ Prize (Agustin Barrios Competition in Nuoro, Italy).
Dimitri was the first guitarist who took the Second Prize in the III International Competition of Musical Personalities "Alexander Tansman" (Lodz, Poland - 2000). Piano, violin, cello, guitar and other instruments compete directly with each other in this competition. Dimitri’s success here was the highest place guitarists ever reached in the Tansman competition. In October 2002 Dimitri Illarionov won the most prestigious guitar competition in the world – The Twentieth International Guitar Foundation of America Solo Guitar Competition (GFA – Miami, Florida, USA).

Besides his guitar achievements, Dimitri is also the laureate of composing and conducting competitions. Dimitri Illarionov has an active concert life, playing solo recitals and performing as soloist with orchestras. He played with such orchestras as State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Russia, Tchaikovsky Sympnohy Orchestra of Russia, Russian State Symphony Orchestra "New Russia", Symphony Orchestra "Russian Philharmonia", Ural Academic Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra (Russia), National Chamber Orchestra of Moldavia, Wuppertal Plucked Orchestra (Germany), "Ricordanza" Chmaber Orchestra (Poland), "Apassionata" Chamber Orchestra (Canada), Orquesta di Valencia (Spain) etc. His partners on stage are famous and recognized artists – conductors Vladimir Fedoseyev, Mark Gorenshtein, Dmitri Liss (all – Russia), Jose Maria Florencio Junior (Brasil–Poland), Yaron Traub (Spain), guitarist Dusan Bogdanovic (Yugoslavia–USA), as well as young and successful musicians: Boris Andrianov (cello), Elena Revich (violin), Maxim Rysanov (viola), Yuliya Lonskaya (guitar), Polina Osetinskaya (piano), Anastasia Chebotareva (violin), Ekaterina Mechetina (piano).

In addition to numerous appearances in Russia, he has given concerts in Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Estonia, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, Spain, Mexico, USA, Canada, Puerto Rico, Korea and Japan. Dimitri has played in some of the most prestigious halls in the world – Tonhalle (Zurich, Switzerland), Great Hall of Moscow Conservatoire (Moscow, Russia), Tchaikovsky Concert Hall (Moscow, Russia), Osaka Symphony Hall (Osaka, Japan). Dimitri took part in some significant events, such as Los-Angeles Festival of Russian Culture (California, USA, 2004), Tongyeong International Music Festival (Korea, 2005), Opening Ceremony of Hannover Messe 2005 (Germany) and “G-8” Summit (Saint-Petersburg, Russia, 2006). Dimitri was the first guitarist-soloist to participate in the Famous Festival of the “Orpheum Foundation for the Advancement of Young Soloists” (Switzerland, 2006).

Dimitri Illarionov recorded solo CD “East Side Story” (Daminus Records) featuring music of modern Eastern European composers, the CD “Premieres” with Moscow Chamber “The Seasons” Orchestra (conductor – Vladislav Bulakhov) for Les Editions Doberman-Yppan; one more solo CD: by famous label Naxos (Laureate Series). Dimitri’s “Classical Duo” CD (Delos Records) with Boris Andrianov (one of the most gifted young Russian cellists) has come into pre-short-list of the prestigious “GRAMMY-2004” Awards.

Philippe Bertaud

November 22, 2008: Concert 2:00 pm

Featuring solo classical, jazz and original repertoire, and collaborative works, sung and unsung, from the new album. with special guest Roberto Bernardinello.

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WGS Members / Qty: $15

General Public / Qty: $20

Featuring Roberto Bernardinello

Equally at home in the Classical or Jazz repertoire, Roberto Bernardinello began his studies in 1991, under the guide of Piero Orsini (Gipsy Kings - Lisa Hunt). In 1992, he began his first experiences, performing in top 40 and rhythm & blues bands. In 1993, he joined a jazz quartet, playing around the Milan (Italy) area in clubs and venues. From 1993 to 1995, he played in various fusion band projects, including a cover band performing funk. In 1996, Roberto joined "Diatriba," a flamenco-jazz band lead by virtuoso guitarist Marco Porcu. In the same year, this quartet played at Sant Anna Arresi Jazz Festival, opening for Noa. This festival included Herbie Hancock Quartet, Pat Metheny Trio, Michel Petrucciani Trio and Joshua Redman Sextet. With the same band, he played the following three years on TV channel (Mediaset-Odeon TV), as well as, major clubs in all of Italy. Since 2002, Roberto has been involved in various songwriting and jazz projects which include Luca Urso Band (Maxwellís arranger) and Michele Ranauro Trio, Dizzy Gillespie and the New York area). In 2004, he moved to London and resumed collaboration with Marco Porcu, establishing the "MP Project." This group has performed in clubs such as "J2K-Circle in the Round" in London, as well as, various venues in Kansas and California. Currently Roberto is based in Wichita, Kansas. He leads many ensembles and is a staple of its night scene. Recent collaborations include artists: Philippe Bertaud, Harry James Big Band, Gary Foster, Christian Howes, Jerry Hahn, Tom Fowler, Randy Zellers, Roger Lewis, Scott Strecker & Richard Johnson. Roberto holds a teaching position at Butler Community College in El Dorado Kansas.

Celebrating the official release of the new CD "The Finer Things" recorded right here in Wichita. Philippe's first "Songs" album. The CD is the result of a long collaboration between Philippe and WGS director John Francis. The concept came about in 2004 as Francis realized Philippe's most requested album was for the one he did not have, of the songs he sang in concert. The same thing happened in 2006. The album will feature two live bonus tracks from the 2006 concert with Bassist Roberto Bernardinello. Roberto is featured on six of the nine studio tracks. Steve Hatfield performs on drums for four of those, while John Goering tickles the keys for two of the tracks with Steve and Roberto. For his part, Francis produced the album and wrote the music for "Cafe au Lait" for which he appears on ten-string guitar alongside of Philippe's vocal. Francis, Philippe and Roberto play percussion on several tracks.

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Bio: Philippe Bertaud's multi-faceted career is a testament to his continual search for new ways to achieve artistic growth and renewal. Carried on by his versatility Philippe always evolves his expression according to his artistic aims and eclectic tastes, which directs him toward international development as an outstanding guitar performer, talented composer, and recognized master guitar teacher. First renowned for his dazzling guitar technique and powerful interpretation as a classical guitar player, Philippe then needed to create his own music and also share his passion and experience through teaching. He is now able to focus his career more fully on these goals.

In his shows in Brazil, Mexico, USA, Canada or in Europe, Philippe Bertaud brings his audience a touch of French refinement topped with warm Latin character. Each concert is a delightful cultural journey where everyone enjoys the superior quality of his playing, unique expressions and captivating speech. From Handel to Leo Brouwer, from Asia to Latin America, Philippe strives to find connections that stimulate the imagination. He composes music using new technologies as well as remaining true to his acoustic origins.

As an accomplished musician, Philippe loves to share his guitar expertise through his commitment to educational programs. These help to not only bring young audiences into contact with music but also allow them to participate in its creation. While touring, he takes time whenever possible to conduct master classes as well as more informal programs for students-musicians and non-musicians alike.

Philippe started playing the guitar by chance, at the age of fourteen, while living in the south of France, changing his original plan to become a shepherd. He then began classical and jazz guitar training at the National Conservatory of Nice. There he studied the art of harmony and composition under acclaimed composer Jacques Charpentier and received afterward several musical awards. At just sixteen, he achieved success in early recitals, made his first recording and started touring in Germany.

After a long honeymoon journey in Asia and the birth of his daughter Jade, Philippe began writing his own pieces; mixing his classical background with Asian sonorities, Brazilian rhythms and Jazz improvisation. It is a birth of a new style he calls “Classic Fusion.” In the following months he recorded his first composition album, “Je vous ecris d’un pays lointain…” accompanied by a jazz quartet. Later, Philippe combined visual art and music improvisation by working with Chinese watercolor painter Fujitsang, offering his audience a unique moment of creation while touring in France.

Philippe has chronicled his rich musical experiences in an instructional Heitor Villa Los DVD, produced by Gary Powell. He is currently working on new artistic projects including folkloric song arrangements and new dedicated pieces by composer Stephen Barber. Whether performing a new concerto, writing a new composition, revisiting a work from the guitar repertoire or exploring cultures and musical forms, Philippe Bertaud express his musical freedom out of any frames and patterns. He is teaching guitar at the Fort Worth Academy of Fine Arts

Adam Holzman

WGS Members / Qty: $15

General Public / Qty: $20

For more than twenty years, Adam Holzman, recording artist, concert performer, soloist and educator, has been at the forefront of a generation of guitarists. Born in New York City in 1960 Adam began the guitar at the age of 7 as a student of his older brother Bruce and continued his private study with Albert Valdes Blain and Eliot Fisk. He returned to work with his older brother Bruce Holzman at Florida State University where he received his Musical Degrees. In addition he studied in the master classes of Oscar Ghiglia in Siena at the Academia Musicale de Chigiana and at the Aspen music festival. Twice he was chosen to perform in the historic master classes of the legendary Andres Segovia.

Adam Holzman has received rave reviews from concert critics around the world. He as been hailed as “...polished and quite dazzling,” by The N.Y. Times. Mr. Holzman has performed at the prestigious Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, distinguished New York venues such as Kaufman Hall at the 92nd St. Y, Merkin Hall, and Carnegie Recital Hall as well as in music festivals and series from Miami to San Francisco and from Boston to New Orleans. His extensive international performances have taken him throughout Europe, Canada, Mexico, Central and Latin America.

Mr. Holzman’s recording for the Naxos label have been critically acclaimed (see Reviews). The first two are discs of the music of Fernando Sor and have been called “...irresistible” by Gramophone Magazine. Vol. I and II of the music of Manuel Ponce are also now available. Of the Sonata for Guitar and harpsichord on Ponce Volume II Classical Guitar Magazine (England) says “It’s a fine and substantial work and here it receives the finest recording yet...”. His recording debut, on HRH Records, is a collection of rarely or never before recorded selections. According to The American Record Guide this performance is “...so flawless he makes it all sound easy.” Of his release of The Venezuelan Waltzes of Antonio Lauro the American Record Guide had this to say: “The landmark recording was David Russell’s 1980 LP. Now, 20 years later, comes another masterly recording by Adam Holzman: in many ways it raises the benchmark still further.” His newest Naxos release is the Bardenklange, Opus 13, of Johann Kaspar Mertz.

Mr. Holzman’s commitment to new music has led him to co-commission Samuel Adler’s First Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra. He was the first person to perform the music of Roland Dyens in North America and he has also premiered works by composers Robert Helps and Stephen Funk Pearson.

Adam Holzman is founder of the Guitar Department at the University of Texas at Austin where, in addition to his active performing career, he heads a thriving guitar studio. From 1992-1994 Mr. Holzman held the title of “Maestro Extraordinario” given by the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico, where he served as artist-in-residence. In 2001, Adam Holzman was awarded the Ernst von Dohnanyi Prize for Outstanding Achievement from Florida State University and the Robert W. Hamilton Fine Arts Award from the University of Texas.

He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife Carolyn and their son Benjamin.