Professional Members
Patrick Appello
Lakewood, NJ
Patrick
Appello was chosen as the solo classical guitarist at the
Joyce
Bronxville
Joyce Rasmussen Balint, violin and mandolin, is the
founder and Director of Chamber Music
Gene
Bertoncini
New York, NY
Gene
Bertoncini is one of the pre-eminent jazz guitarists active today. His
fluid technique have won him international praise and such accolades as the
"
Keith
Calmes
Wall, NJ
Guitarist Dr. Keith
Calmes has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Recital Hall, Alice Tully
Hall, the
Todd
Collins
Todd
Collins performs in a variety of settings ranging from traditional and progressive
bluegrass to swing, contemporary jazz, blues, rock, and classical. He has
performed with legendary fiddlers Vassar Clements and Kenny Kosek, banjo guru
Bill Keith, Peter Rowan, and Butch Baldassari's Nashville Mandolin Trio. Todd
collaborated with former David Grisman arranger/guitarist John Carlini to form
an eclectic acoustic band, Over the Edge. Collins' recording credits also
include film and television. Todd is the coordinator of the Music Technology
program at County College of Morris (CCM) located in Randolph, New Jersey. He
also gives workshops for guitar and mandolin. He has two books published by Mel
Bay. Collins has been commissioned to compose works for modern dance companies
in the New York/New Jersey area, including Beyond Dance, Inc., the Montclair
State University Dance Department, and the County College of Morris Dance
Department.He earned a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University
and a Bachelor of Music from Montclair State University.
Tom
Dempsey
New York, NY
Tom Dempsey
has performed and/or recorded with a virtual Who’s Who of world renowned jazz
musicians including: Jim Hall, John John Scofield, Tal Farlow, Roy Haynes, Mel
Torme, and Dave Brubeck. In June of 2003 Dempsey completed a world tour with
tap dancing virtuoso Savion Glover. He has made numerous appearances on New
York radio and television including performances on The Rosie O'Donnell Show,
the HBO series Sex and the City, and WQXR radio. Dempsey has also performed for
many Broadway shows including Bring In 'da Noise, Bring in 'da Funk, The Lion
King, Aida, Beauty and the Beast, and Mama Mia. Tom received his Bachelor of
Music Degree in Jazz Studies from Rutgers University and earned his Masters
Degree in Jazz/Commercial Music at Manhattan School of Music. In recent years
he has been teaching in the Jazz Studies program at SUNY New Paltz, working as
a Visiting Lecturer at Rutgers University, and as Artistic Director of the Jazz
Summit at the National Guitar Workshop. His books Sight-Reading for the
Contemporary Guitarist and Classic Jazz Styles for Guitar are available through
Alfred Music and Workshop Arts.
Tom Doyle
Wantage, NJ
Born into a
musical family, Tom's first guitar was a gift from his parents at the age of
eight. Requests to play for dignitaries at the New Jersey Governor's mansion,
and private parties given by socialites, many of which were attended by the
Kennedy clan were typical. By the time Tom was 19 years old, he and his sister,
Susan, developed a Les Paul and Mary Ford act. It was so good it was brought to
the attention of the original duo. When Les Paul paid them a surprise visit one
night during a show, it was the start of a life-long friendship. As a result,
Tom has been with Les Paul as his sound engineer for the past 35 years and has
played gigs with him from time to time. During
this time, Tom Doyle received rave
reviews of his performance at the Chet Atkins Appreciation Society in
Keith
Fanella
Fair Lawn, NJ
A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, Keith
Fanella has studied with such noted guitarists as Nicholas Goluses, Kaare
Norge, Mark Delpriora and Ben Verdery. A proponent of new music, he was
recently featured in a televised performance of Dave Brubeck's La Fiesta
de la Posada and has performed with the MSM Contemporary Ensemble which
premiered works by composers Steve Reich and Ed Green among others. He
has recorded and premiered solo works for guitar by composer Matthew Halper.
In addition to his performance activities, Mr. Fanella is an active arranger
and composer. Current projects include a CD recording of his arrangements
of international carols and a compilation of transcriptions for two guitars by
composers Schumann and Mendelssohn. He has taught at various regional
music schools and currently maintains an active private studio. Keith Fanella
teaches Classical Guitar to students of all ages, levels and styles.
Enrico
Granafei
Montclair, NJ
Classical guitarist, singer, harmonica virtuouso,
arranger, composer Enrico Granafei has a long history of musical experience
which encompasses both Classical Music and Jazz. Enrico received a degree in
classical guitar from the Conservatory of l'Aquila in Italy in 1976. In 1978
Enrico moved to Germany where he began to perform and to teach in two different
"Musikschulen". In the early 80's, after returning to Italy, Enrico
started to broaden his horizons by discovering Jazz through the harmonica.
Following in the tradition of the legendary Toots Thielemans, he began to
explore new possibilities for the harmonica, an instrument too often associated
solely with Rock and Blues. Besides playing in the best jazz clubs in Italy
during that period, Enrico performed regularly on national television where he
was a member of the Pippo Caruso orchestra. His love for Jazz led him to New
York City, where he soon started to perform in local jazz clubs, including The
Blue Note, Birdland, Visiones, Angry Squire, and the Bottom Line. In 1992 Enrico
earned a masters' degree in Jazz Performance from the Manhattan School of Music
where he was the only student of Toots Thielemans. Enrico's latest
accomplishment is his work on Hands-Free-Chromatic Harmonica. The revolutionary
instrument allows him to play Chromatic Harmonica and Guitar at the same time,
something that nobody has ever done before in Jazz. Enrico is one of the most
respected players of the Chromatic Harmonica in the world today and continues
to cultivate an audience for the instrument through his international
performances. He is also the owner of Trumpets Jazz Club and Restaurant in
Carol
Hammersma
Woodbridge, NJ
Carol Hamersma
has performed extensively in the metropolitan area leading her own combos. She
has been heard at major venues in Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia,
appearing for such dignitaries as Governors Florio and Whitman, Mayor David
Dinkins and Donald Trump. She has appeared at the Barron Art Center Series
Women in Jazz and Four Guitars and is a regular performer at Trumpets Jazz
Club. Classical performances have included the Montclair Art Museum and the
Bruno Walter Auditorium at Lincoln Center. As a member of the Metropolitan
guitar trio, she appeared on the Saturday Evening Concert Series sponsored by
the Morristown Unitarian Fellowship as well as New Jersey Cable television
spots. She played with the female rock band She at CBGB's and at Cami Hall with
Electix. Her CD the Carol Hamersma Trio Out Of My Head features standards as
well as original material and received airplay on WAER, WFMU and was featured
during an hour-long interview with WNTI's John Hammel on his Mozart to Motorhead
show. Carol is currently on the faculty of the County College of Morris and
Seton Hall University and accepts students at The Classical Guitar Studio in
Montclair.
Seth
Himmelhoch
Teaneck, NJ
Besides performing guitar with Duo Cavatina (flute and guitar duo), Seth Himmelhoch has made solo appearances at
such venues as the 92nd St. Y, Alice Tully Hall, Wagner College in Staten
Island, St. Paul's Chapel in NYC, JCC on the Palisades CPC Concert Series, and
numerous workshops and television appearances. As director of guitar studies at
William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, Mr. Himmelhoch has taught guitar to
many talented young musicians and has overseen a yearly guitar festival which
has presented such artists as Benjamin Verdery, Nicholas Goluses and many more.
Mr. Himmelhoch is the founder and director of the Suzuki guitar program at the
JCC/Thurnauer School of Music in Tenafly, NJ and he also serves on the Guitar
Development Committee of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. Mr. Himmelhoch
is also active as a guitarist and composer in jazz, pop and experimental music
groups. As a member of the Doansburgh Chamber Ensemble led by flutist Christine
Smith, his compositions have been presented in their yearly jazz concerts in
upstate New York. He has been a member of the rock group Ripe since December
2000. Mr. Himmelhoch holds a Bachelor's and Master's Degree from the Manhattan
School of Music.
Christopher
Kenniff
Summit, NJ
Chritopher
Kenniff,
classical guitarist, is a critically acclaimed recitalist and chamber musician
who performs throughout the
John
LaBarbera
Teaneck, NJ
John LaBarbera-
composer/guitarist and multi-instrumentalist who has won several awards and
commissions. He is a graduate of Hartt
School of Music and participated in graduate studies at Hunter College (in ethnomusicology) and Villa
Schifanoia (Rosary College) in Florence, Italy. He participated in
Masterclasses with guitarists Oscar Ghiglia and Jose Rey Della Torre. His
private teachers include Albert Valdez Blain, Richard Provost, Gene Bertoncini,
and Carlos Barbosa-Lima. John has numerous film compositions including the
documentary Sacco and Vanzetti (2006) as well as several other films for PBS.
He appears together with legendary singer Jimmy Roselli in the Italian and
American production of Neapolitan Heart (2000), a film about the Neapolitan
song. His Theater credits as composer-sound designer, includes several off-
Broadway productions. John has been invited to perform in concert halls and
music festivals around the world. He
currently teaches at Bergen Community College, and conducts workshops in
Tuscany, Italy each summer and lectures on Acoustic guitar styles,
ethnomusicology, world music, and writes for Acoustic Guitar magazine. His solo
CDs In the Labyrinth, String Ecstasies and Mixed Emotions was produced on his
own label ITRI MUSIC.
La Vita Williams Guitar Duo
The La Vita Williams Guitar Duo
has stunned audiences with a delicate mixture of virtuosity and musical
sensitivity. Recent concerts were hailed as “a duo of spectacular energy and
technical resource” and as “superb duo playing… with virtuosity” (Nylon
Review). Both guitarists were profiled as “rising stars in the
Dan LaVoie
Somerset, NJ
As one of the few musicians in the world actively
composing and performing on the rare instrument known as the harpguitar, Dan LaVoie is bringing a unique sound and
texture to fans of acoustic music. The music Dan produces has deep basses and
well-executed melody lines." Reminiscent of Michael Hedges and Richie
Havens, Dan's music is sophisticated and compelling. To watch Dan perform live
is a special experience visually and aurally. In the time that he has been
working with the harpguitar, he's developed a keen relationship with the
instrument, coaxing out harmonies and grooves impossible on lesser stringed
instruments. Combined with his passionate singing and creative use of a loop
station, Dan inspires and impresses audiences everywhere he performs. Dan has
toured extensively all over the U.S. and has performed internationally with
stops in the United Kingdom. He is also an annual performer at the
"Harpguitar Gathering", a concert series featuring the world's finest
harpguitarists. He is endorsed by Dean Markely strings, Sunrise pickups and
K&K pickups. Dan has 2 CDs- Dan Lavoie and the more recent Cause and
Effect. He is also featured on the compilation album Nostalgic Memories-
Acoustic Breath VI released in Japan to much critical acclaim.
Phillip
Lester
Bloomfield, NJ
Phillip Lester
is an acoustic and classical guitarist, composer, arranger, and recording
artist. Growing up in Southern California, he began to play the guitar at the
age of 12. After several years as a lead guitarist in rock bands, Phillip began
to study solo classical guitar. In 1980, he developed a program, The Artistry
of the Guitar, to introduce college students to the beautiful sound of the
classical guitar. The program was initially presented in residence halls
throughout the University of Florida and was received with tremendous
enthusiasm. In the Spring and summer of 1981 Mr. Lester attended Master classes
taught by Christopher Parkening and Andres Segovia. In the summer of 1990 he
studied with Windham Hill guitarist, Alex De Grassi. His other musical
influences include Earl Klugh, Chet Atkins, and Andrew York, Christopher
Parkening describes Lester as: " a very fine solo guitarist, His approach
to the guitar is both sensitive and intelligent. He is a talented arranger with
a gift for musicianship." Phillip has been a featured guitar instructor
and performer at the annual Chet Atkins Appreciation Society convention in
Nashville. He conducts workshops on arranging for solo guitar. His solo guitar
arrangements are published by Mel Bay and his instrumental solo guitar
recordings include: Dreamsong and Carols of the Nativity and American
Treasures. His recordings have been featured on radios stations from Portland,
Oregon; to Boston, Massachusetts. His American Treasure program has been
presented throughout the Northeast.
Janet
Marlow
Janet Marlow
takes center stage with her mastery on the 10-string guitar. She is one of the
few artists in the world whose performances and recordings are acclaimed as one
of the leading players, composers and arrangers on this innovative instrument.
At home in classical and jazz, her performances have taken her around the world,
which include venues such as the Lincoln Center, Festival Estival De Paris,
Carnegie Hall and the Blue Note. She has composed for television documentaries,
stage premieres, and performs on screen in Woody Allen's Celebrity and the
award winning film Swimmers. As an educator, Janet has been artist-in-residence
at Colorado College, New York University and the Manhattan School of Music. Ms.
Marlow has lectured at Yale University and teaches workshops on composition and
practicing techniques. Born in London, Janet Marlow is the fifth generation of
noted Russian musicians. Classically trained as a violinist and pianist, she
studied classical guitar in classes with Maestro Andres Segovia, Julian Bream,
Abel Carlevaro and Leo Brouwer. Marlow then became the protege of Maestro
Narciso Yepes, the innovator of the modern ten-string guitar. Her nine
recordings bring her classical and jazz worlds together in solo and ensemble
composition. Janet Marlow is the Founder and director of The International Ten-String Guitar Society.
Paul
Meyers
Jersey City, NJ
Guitarist/Composer Paul
Meyers has performed and/or recorded with Geri Allen, Kenny Barron, Andy
Bey, Ron Carter, Ray Drummond, Eliane Elias, Clare Fischer, Sonny Fortune,
Eddie Gomez, Stefon Harris, Jon Hendricks and Annie Ross, Marc Johnson, Wynton
Marsalis, Rufus Reid, David Sanchez, Kenny Werner, Frank Wess and the Woody
Herman Orchestra in appearances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kool Jazz
Festival, jazz clubs and on national tours. He's also been touring for years
with two great jazz singers - Jon Hendricks since 1993, and Andy Bey since
1997.
Barry
Mitterhoff
Scotch Plains, NJ
Mandolinist Barry Mitterhoff
has developed an international reputation for his versatility, having adapted
the mandolin to, and mastered musical styles as diverse as bluegrass, opera,
Jewish klezmer, Dixieland, old-time, classical, Brazilian, Italian and
19th-century American duo-style. Barry has performed with guitarist Jorma
Kaukonen, banjoist Tony Trischka, appeared at the Metropolitan Opera with
renowned singer Jerry Hadley, played and recorded with folk-singer Tom Chapin;
appeared at the Smithsonian Institute and elsewhere with hard-hitting singer,
songwriter and labor activist Hazel Dickens and performed with innovative free
music composer Eugene Chadborn at The Knitting Factory. In addition, Barry has
performed at Carnegie Hall, the Library of Congress, the White House, the
Metropolitan Museum of Art and New York's famous Rainbow Room, and has
performed in concert and at music festivals throughout the U.S., Canada, Japan,
and Europe. He's contributed music to the score of films such as You've Got
Mail, Mickey Blue Eyes, Two Family House, O Brother Where Art Thou and The
Rookie. Barry is also the most current member of Hot Tuna!
Joel
Perry
Kearny, NJ
Joel Perry is an
accomplished musician whose interest in the classic, jazz, and blues guitar has
resulted in an original performing and compositional style. Joel has performed
in every sort of venue, from Carnegie Hall to The Rainbow Room to a US
Department of State tour of West Africa with blues artist Johnny Copeland to
any number of small clubs on the East coast including Trumpets, The Blue Note,
The 55 Bar, and Tramps. Some of the artists that Joel Perry has performed with
include Papa John Creach, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, Lavern Baker, Joni
Mitchel, Margaret Whiting, Eddie Fischer, James Cotton, Percy France, Leon
Thomas, Jimmy Dawkins, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Frank Foster, Frank Wess, Ken
Peplowski and Al Hibbler. Joel Perry teaches Classical Guitar, Jazz Guitar, and
Blues Guitar. Joel teaches all ages, levels and styles. Joel's most recent CDs
include RAINBOW SKYLIGHT and PERRY AIRS. He also sings with the Pro-Arte
Chorale.
Tomas Rodriguez
Brooklyn, NY
Since 1990, Tomas
Rodriguez has performed as a soloist and ensemble leader throughout the NYC
metropolitan area, as well as in France, Spain and Egypt. In 1997, Mr.
Rodriguez' and his group was selected to play for a gala tribute to New York
Philharmonic Director Kurt Masur at Lincoln Center, sharing the bill with
Wynton Marsalis and the Boys Choir of Harlem. In 1998, Tomas released his debut
CD Guitarra de mi Alma (1998). In March 2004, Rodriguez received a touring
grant from Arts International to perform in the International Festival of the
Guitar in Lima, Peru. Recent U.S. performances include the Brooklyn Museum, New
York's Merkin Hall and Trinity Church, the New Jersey Center for the Performing
Arts (NJPAC), Boise State University and the University of Virginia. His guitar
is featured prominently on Rasa Records release A Gift of Love , Deepak
Chopra's musical tribute to the Indian poet Tagore, which features performances
by Sinead O'Connor, and Lisa Bonet among others. As an educator, Tomas founded
and continues to direct an innovative guitar program at Circulo de la
Hispanidad in Suffolk County, Long Island.
Ana
Maria Rosado
New York, NY
Guitarist Ana Maria Rosado has concertized extensively
in the United States, Europe, Latin America and the Far East. Her solo compact
disc on the Albany Records label, We've got (poly)rhythm, has been critically
acclaimed and her interpretations praised for each cunningly placed note, chord
and expression mark. [Classical Guitar, U.K.]. Ana Maria Rosado's playing has
been described as having great style and zeal [The San Juan Star, Puerto Rico]
with total command both technically and musically of the guitar. [La Nacion,
Costa Rica] The legendary Spanish guitarist Andres Segovia personally selected
Rosado, who had participated in his final Masterclass in New York, to perform
in a concert given in his honor. Her chamber music work has garnered acclaim
nationally: Arrangements for guitar rather than piano gave a more vernacular
grounding to the accompaniment, sensitively played by Ana Maria Rosado. [The
Washington Post]. Dr. Rosado is an Assistant Professor of Music at the New
Jersey City University, and also teaches at the Manhattan School of Music
Preparatory Division, and at the 92nd Street Y School of Music.
Sal
Cooperstown
Sal
Salvaggio began his studies on pick guitar with Frank Mancuso in the early
60's before starting his formal classical training with Stanley Solow in 1973.
He later went on to advanced studies with Dennis Koster and Jerry Willard and
worked with violinist Clarence Shaw on the music of J.S. Bach. Mr. Salvaggio
has performed recitals for concert associations as a soloist, accompanist and
continuo player for over 25 years. He is also the recipient of numerous
performance grants for projects in the field of early music. He has played with
early music consorts, chamber ensembles and as a member of the Flagstaff
Symphony and Glimmerglass Opera Orchestras. Recent endeavors have included
performances and recordings for the New York State Historical
Association/Farmer's Museum, public and local radio broadcasts and recitals at
the 1999 and 2001 Boston Early Music Festivals. In April of 2002 Mr.Salvaggio recorded
an hour long program of Renaissance lute music for NPR station WSKG. His 2003
fall tour included performances for the Long Island Classical Guitar Society,
the Philadelphia Guitar Society, The Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New
York, The Listening Room at Dreamcatcher Guitars, Roswell, Georgia, Cafe Lena
in Saratoga, New York and the Stamford Performing Arts Center.
John
Sheehan
Ringwood, NJ
John Sheehan is
a multi styled Composer/Finger
Style Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter from
Matt Smith
New York, NY
Matt Smith
is one very busy NYC based musician. Any given day he can be found wandering
the globe spreading the love, performing, producing, writing, teaching,
recording or at giving up the secrets of playing guitar at one of his
"Chop Shop" concert/clinics for Ovation and Hamer guitars. Matt is a
self-taught singer-songwriter and guitarist who plays a bunch of crazy stringed
instruments in just about any style and a simple, friendly way of sharing his
knowledge with others. Recently, Matt has performed at the NYC Blue Note as
well as Carnegie Hall, Central Park Summerstage and Eisenhower Park with the NY
Pops Orchestra, under the direction of Skitch Henderson.. Matt has performed at numerous international
guitar festivals including the Bath International Guitar Festival and the
Montreal Guitar Festival, and does annual tours in the UK, Germany, Italy,
France and Switzerland. Matt has performed with opened for or recorded with the
following artists: B.B. King, Sheryl Crow, Trey Anastasio, Al DiMeola, Greg
Allman, Los Lobos, Johnny Winter, Buddy Guy, Adrian Legg, Ed Gerhard,
Portishead and many others. Instruments played: Acoustic, Electric and
Resonator Guitars, Mandolin, Mandocello, Dobro, Lapsteel, Banjo, Ukulele, banjo
uke, Saz, Cumbus, Charango.
Jim Tosone
Washington Twp, NJ
Jim Tosone is the author of Classical
Guitarists: Conversations, published by McFarland & Co., now in its
second printing. He is also a Contributing Editor and Staff Reviewer for Guitar
Review magazine, where his articles and reviews have appeared since 1991. He
has also written for Soundboard magazine and authored the classical guitar
entries for the three-volume Music in the Twentieth Century. His
transcription for guitar of J. S. Bach’s Suite No.1 for Solo ’Cello was
premiered at the 1991 Toronto Guitarfest. He studied privately with Dr.
Nicholas Goluses, who at the time was Chairman of the Guitar Department at the
Manhattan School of Music. He has also performed in master classes for
internationally renowned guitarists David Tanenbaum, Hubert Käppel, and
Raphaëlla Smits.
Vinny Valentino
Guitarist Vinny
Valentino continues to redefine jazz music, to the acclaim of audiences
worldwide. His international debut recording, The Distance Between Two Lines ,
shot straight up the charts to #2 and stayed on the national charts for more
than 14 weeks--an unprecedented achievement for a first international release.
Playing guitar since age six, this native Virginian began touring in a
progressive rock band while still in high school. At age 16, influenced by the
music of George Benson, Vinny began pursuing Jazz as a career. He recalls,
"The turning point for me was hearing George Benson in concert; I had
never heard anybody play like that. It was an eye-opening experience."
Vinny and his mentor have since developed a close friendship. Vinny earned his
Bachelor of Music in Jazz Studies at Howard University. Vinny has shared the
stage or recording studio with such jazz greats as Charlie Byrd and George
Benson. Vinny and his band have opened for Spyro Gyra, Steve Morse, Paco
deLucia, and David Crosby. Based in New York City, Vinny tours extensively,
playing concerts, festivals, and club engagements around the world. Vinny and
his trio were selected by the Kennedy Center and the Department of State to
represent the United States in the U.S. Jazz Ambassadors Program. Vinny is
constantly working intensively on his own new sounds, new compositions and new
recordings.