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Texas Guitar Quartet

Texas Guitar Quartet

This sensational quartet is taking the world by storm! With a decade of experience and hailed as "impeccable in every respect" by Classical Guitar Magazine, the Texas Guitar Quartet has become a fan favorite throughout the US, Canada, Central America, Spain, and China. Their daring programs and dazzling virtuosity, combined with joyful music-making, have won over audiences worldwide.

The quartet's impressive resume includes performances at the Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra in Nicaragua, Victoria Bach Festival, Guitar Foundation of America Convention, and Festival Internacional del Noreste in Mexico, among many others. They've even presented a series of concerts in historic cathedrals along the Camino de Santiago in Spain and embarked on a whirlwind 10-city tour throughout China.

TxGQ's first album, RED, was a tremendous accomplishment that garnered critical acclaim from Guitar International. Their latest album, Icon, featuring the complete 40th Symphony by Mozart, was released in late 2018. The quartet has even been the featured soloist with several orchestras, including the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Bach, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, and the Abilene Philharmonic. Experience the unmatched artistry of the Texas Guitar Quartet.

Videos

QUOTES

“The TxGQ perform with virtuosity, clarity, balance, and a refined character which will no doubt help to establish them as one of today’s leading guitar quartets.”  Guitar International

 

“Truly gifted and attuned as an ensemble”  Giacomo Fiore, classicalguitar.org


“Impeccable in every respect”  Classical Guitar Magazine

“The Texas Guitar Quartet exceeded our expectations with their excellent concert as well as being so cooperative and professional behind the scenes. Their music program was most exciting and memorable for our audience. Their comments following the concert were most complimentary of both the artists and the wide variety of music performed.”
Jim McLaughlin, Zanesville Concert Association 

PHOTOS

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PROGRAMS

The Orchestral Guitar

A daring program of well-known orchestral works reimagined for just four guitars by members of the TxGQ

Barber of Seville Overture ___________________ Rossini

Symphony No. 40, K. 550 ________________________ Mozart

Alborada del Gracioso _________________________ Ravel

Pavane for a Dead Princess______________________Ravel

Egmont Overture, Op. 84 ________________________ Beethoven

El Baile de Luis Alonso ___________________ Giménez

Music of ‘Spain’ & Latin America

This program explores the vibrant and seductive musical styles of Spain and the Latin Americas, which has had wide reaching influence on composers around the world.

-Spain-

Barber of Seville Overture ___________________ Rossini

Introduction & Fandango ____________________ Boccherini

Alborada del Gracioso _________________________ Ravel

Córdoba _____________________________________ Albéniz

El Baile de Luis Alonso ___________________ Gerónimo Giménez
INTERMISSION

-Latin America-

Tango por una Cabeza _______________________ Carlos Gardel

Muerte del Angel (Argentina) _________________Astor Piazzolla

Cuba Libre (Cuba) __________________________Matthew Dunne

Toccata en Salsa (Venezuela) ___________Aureo Puerta Carreno

Bow Chaser (Guatemala) ________________Carlos Rafael Rivera

The 21st Century Guitar

An eclectic mix of exciting new works written for guitar quartet which will be featured in TxGQ’s upcoming 2022 album.

Destroyer____________________________Joseph V. Williams II

Tracks _____________________________________Peter Liuwen*

Wilderness Drive___________________________Benoit Albert*
I. Prelude       

II. Lucky’s Dream

Toccata en Salsa (Geometry and Soul) __Aureo Puerta Carreno*

Three Sketches_______________________Clarice Assad
I. Ad Lib     

II. Con Anima     

III. Electrified

Bow Chaser______________________Carlos Rafael Rivera

*Composed for the Texas Guitar Quartet

SAMPLER PROGRAM

The Orchestral Guitar

Barber of Seville Overture ___________________Rossini

Alborada del Gracioso _________________________Ravel

Egmont Overture, Op. 84 _____________________Beethoven

 

The Latin American Guitar

Toccata en Salsa (Venezuela) __________Aureo Puerta Carreno

Tango por una Cabeza _____________________Carlos Gardel

Muerte del Angel (Argentina) _______________Astor Piazzolla

INTERMISSION

The 21st Century Guitar
Destroyer___________________________Joseph V. Williams II

Tracks _____________________________________Peter Liuwen

Three Sketches__________________________Clarice Assad
I. Ad Lib   II. Con Anima     III. Electrified

 

The Spanish Guitar

Introduction & Fandango ___________________Boccherini

Córdoba _____________________________________Albéniz

El Baile de Luis Alonso ____________Gerónimo Giménez

Repertoire List

Barber of Seville Overture ___________________ Gioacchino Rossini (1792 - 1868)*

Alborada del Gracioso _________________________ Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)**

Symphony No. 40, K. 550 ________________________ W. A. Mozart (1756 - 1791)*

Egmont Overture, Op. 84 ________________________ L. Beethoven (1770 - 1827)*

Cuba Libre (Cuba) ________________________________ Matthew Dunne (b. 1959)
Cafezhino (Brazil)

Muerte del Angel _________________________ Astor Piazzolla (1921 - 1992)*

Destroyer_____________________________________ Joseph V. Williams II (b. 1979)

Tracks ___________________________________________ Peter Liuwen (b. 1953)

Wilderness Drive___________________________________ Benoit Albert
I. Prelude - Mrs. and Mr. Mayne Garden at Dawn
II. Lucky’s Dream

Three Sketches____________________________________Clarice Assad* (b. 1978)
I. Ad Lib
II. Con Anima
III. Electrified

Toccata en Salsa (Venezuela) __________________ Aureo Puerta Carreno

Tango por una Cabeza ____________________________ Carlos Gardel

Introduction & Fandango ____________________ Luigi Boccherini (1743 - 1805)****

Córdoba _____________________________________ Isaac Albéniz (1860 - 1909)*


El Baile de Luis Alonso ___________________ Gerónimo Giménez (1854 - 1923)***

Bow Chaser____________________________ Carlos Rafael Rivera

Pavane for a Dead Princess__________________________Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937)**

----

Introduction and Scherzo (for Flute or Violin and Guitar Quartet) -- Samuel Zyman

Fin de Fiesta (for Trumpet or Flute or Violin and Guitar Quartet) -- John Truitt
I. Evocacíon
II. Bulerías por tono de minera

Concierto Andaluz (for Four Guitar and Orchestra) -- Joaquin Rodrigo (1901 - 1999)
I. Tiempo de Bolero
II. Adagio
III. Allegretto

Concerto in B minor, RV 580 (arranged for four guitars + strings and continuo) -- Antonio Vivaldi
(1680 - 1743)
I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro

*Arranged Alejandro Montiel
** Arranged Isaac Bustos
*** Arranged Pepe Romero
**** Arranged Jeremy Sparks

BIOS

Formed in 2008, the Texas Guitar Quartet has been hailed as “Impeccable in every respect” by Classical Guitar Magazine. Throughout the US, Canada, Central America, Spain, and China, audiences have embraced the quartet for their daring programs, dazzling virtuosity and joyful music making. Recent highlights include performances for the Encuentro Internacional de Guitarra (Nicaragua), Victoria Bach Festival, Guitar Foundation of America Convention, Festival Internacional del Noreste (Mexico), and Texas Music Festival. The quartet has presented a series of concerts in historic cathedrals along the Camino de Santiago, Spain, and a whirlwind 10 city tour throughout China. In the summer of 2020, TxGQ was featured in a new Delos Label release, The Singing Guitar, for the premiere recording of a landmark new work by lauded American composer Nico Muhly, in collaboration with Grammy-winning chamber choir Conspirare. The group has also premiered new works by Joseph Williams II, Peter Lieuwen, Mark Anthony Cruz, Benoit Albert, and John Truitt. They continue to push the boundaries of the guitar quartet medium through daring arrangements of orchestral masterworks by Mozart, Beethoven, and Ravel. RED, the quartet's first album, was released to critical acclaim and was praised by Guitar International as a “tremendous accomplishment for the classical guitar...the TxGQ perform with virtuosity, clarity, balance, and a refined character which will no doubt help to establish them as one of today’s leading guitar quartets.” Their latest album, Icon, features the complete 40th
Symphony by Mozart, and was released in late 2018. TXGQ has been the featured soloist with several orchestras such as the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra, Camerata Bach, Corpus Christi Symphony Orchestra, and the Abilene Philharmonic.

Isaac Bustos

Isaac-Bustosb.jpg

“Soulful and virtually flawless,” hails the Portland Oregonian and the Boston Globe writes, “In
warm, round tones, the notes of Bach cascaded from the guitar, every note correct and played
without hesitation.” Classical guitarist, pedagogue, and educator, Isaac Bustos is a top prize
winner in numerous guitar competitions and enjoys an extensive solo performing career that has
taken him to Canada, Central America, China, Europe, and all over the US. He holds a Bachelor
of Music degree in guitar performance from the University of New Hampshire, and completed
graduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Bustos serves on the faculty at the University of Texas-San Antonio Department of Music,
where he is the area coordinator of guitar studies and artistic director of the Southwest Guitar
Symposium & Competition.

* Isaac is an Augustine Strings Sponsored Artist and plays on a 2021 Martin Blackwell
Double-top cedar guitar*

Joseph Palmer

Joseph-Palmerb.jpg

Award-winning guitarist, Joseph Palmer, has earned a reputation as one of the most highly
engaging and dynamic young performers on the American guitar scene. His performances have
captivated audiences in cities throughout the U.S and abroad.

He has won seventeen top prizes in international guitar competitions including the World
Guitar Competition and Guitare Montreal. Joseph holds degrees in Music Performance from
Columbus State University and the University of Texas at Austin.

In recent years, Dr. Palmer has passionately devoted himself to sharing classical music with
diverse populations. As the “Performance Engagement Artist” for Austin Classical Guitar, he
gives over 50 interactive concerts each year throughout the public schools and
under-served communities.

Alejandro Montiel

Alejandro-Montielb.jpg

Described by Soundboard Magazine as a "flawless musician, filled to the brim with polished
technique," guitarist Alejandro Montiel enjoys a performing career that has taken him
throughout the United States, China, Mexico, Central America, and Europe. He holds
graduate degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Texas at Austin.


In addition to performing, arranging and recording, Dr. Montiel directs the guitar programs at
Sam Houston State University and Lone Star College. Additionally, he is a highly sought
after chamber musician in Texas. Alejandro resides in Houston with his family.

Jay Kacherski

Jay-Kackerskib.jpg

"Virtuosismo" and "technical dominance" are the words used by the press to describe award
winning guitarist and Fulbright scholar Dr. Jay Kacherski. A native of New York, Kacherski
has given solo performances throughout the United States, China, and Mexico and has
recorded two CDs on the Sony Frameworks label: a solo album featuring new works from
Mexican composers and a duo album with piano featuring several new works from
acclaimed composers from around the world.

Dr. Kacherski is on the guitar faculty at Loyola University, the University of New Orleans,
and McNeese State University, as well as the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts.
Kacherski is also the Artistic Director of the Houston Classical Guitar Festival and the
Loyola Guitar Fest.

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