Guitar Performances

Wesley Park, Guitar SoloistProfessor Christopher Parkening, Faculty Mentor Wesley Park is a Freshman at Pepperdine University in Malibu California, studying classical guitar under Maestro Christopher Parkening. He is originally from Culver City, CA. In addition to the guitar, Wesley also plays the piano. Wesley started playing the piano when he was 5, and he started the classical guitar when he was 15 years old.. He placed as a finalist in the 2014 Pacific Guitar Festival in Monrovia, CA in the chamber mixed division and in the junior solo division. He was the Second Place Winner in the 2013 ASTA/Aron Green Classical Guitar Competition junior division in Los Angeles, CA. In 2004, he was the winner of the Loyola Marymount University First Annual Elementary Artists Competition on the piano. His brother, Alex Park, is a senior studying classical guitar here at Pepperdine University. “Koyunbaba” – Carlo Domeniconi (b. 1947) Carlo Domeniconi is a guitarist and composer. Domeniconi was born in Italy, but raised in Istanbul which gives the piece “Koyunbaba (The Shepherd)”, a Middle Eastern flavor. The music for “Koyunbaba” started from an improvisation then eventually grew into a full piece. The piece is unique for the classical guitar because of the tuning that is required. The guitar needs to be tuned to a C# minor chord, and the only string that remains at normal pitch is the 1st string. “Koyunbaba” is performed frequently by many guitarists. It has been recorded by great guitarists such as Christopher Parkening, John Williams, William Kanengiser, David Russell, and others. Kenneth Bender, Guitar SoloistProfessor Christopher Parkening, Faculty Mentor Kenneth Bender is currently a Freshman at Pepperdine University where he studies under Maestro Christopher Parkening. Kenneth is originally from Encinitas, California, and began studying Classical Guitar at age eight. He developed his appreciation for the arts at a young age through collaborating with many local organizations and artists including the Encinitas Guitar Orchestra and the Mira Costa College Guitar Ensemble. In 2011 Kenneth participated in his first Guitar Foundation of America event where he won a performance opportunity during the Western Regional Youth Competition. In the Fall of 2014, Kenneth began his undergraduate studies at Pepperdine. He will be performing a selection from Celedonio Romero’s Suite Andaluz. Fantasia Celedonio Romero (1913-1996)Fantasia is the final movement of the Suite Andaluz written by the Spanish guitarist and composer Celedonio Romero to celebrate the birth of his son Pepe. Romero composed the Suite as he and his family rebuilt their lives in post-Civil War Spain. It serves as an homage to Spanish ideals and a commemoration to the beauty of Spanish culture. It captures the sounds and essence of traditional Spain by taking the listener on a journey through the vibrant streets of Málaga. Joseph Peliska & Sergio Gallardo, Guitar DuetProfessor Christopher Parkening, Faculty Mentor Joseph Peliska is currently a Sophomore at Pepperdine University studying Classical Guitar Performance under the instruction of Maestro Christopher Parkening. Joseph began the guitar at age 7, and continued his studies with Rafael Padron at the University of Miami while in high school. Prior to attending Pepperdine, Peliska was active in his local arts community of Naples, Florida, teaching, participating in competitions, performing extensively, and collaborating with various music organizations. Joseph enjoys writing new music for the classical guitar, drawing upon influences of the diverse musical styles that inspire him. Sergio Gallardo, age 20, was born in La Paz, Bolivia. He began studying guitar when he was 8 at the Montessori School. In 2006 he entered the Escuela Contemporánea de Músicas and studied with Roberto Borda. He began studying under Marcos Puña in 2008. Gallardo has won prizes at international competitions including first prize at the International Guitar Festival of La Paz in 2011 and second prize in 2010, first place in the XX International Festival Abril en Tarija in the 16 and under category in 2010, first prize at the V Competition and International Guitar Festival of Cochabamba in the youth category in 2010, and first prize in the Pacific Guitar Festival in California in 2014. He is currently a sophomore studying classical guitar performance at Pepperdine University under the instruction of Maestro Christopher Parkening. JONGOJongo is arguably the Brazilian composer Paulo Bellinati’s (b. São Paulo, 1950) most successful work. Written in Switzerland in 1988 for solo classical guitar, Jongo won the 1st Prize for Composition in the “Carrefour Mondial de la Guitare” in Martinique that same year. Bellinati proceeded to write a duet version in 1989 for the world renowned guitar duo The Assad Brothers, who concertized the piece extensively. Eventually Bellinati created versions of the piece for jazz ensemble (guitar, piano, sax, bass, and drums), jazz ensemble and orchestra, and guitar and orchestra. The Jongo is heavily influenced by rhythms from South East Brazil which has a heavy African population. Bellinati is known for taking raw folk music rhythms and musical ideas, refining them with modern compositional techniques. The piece is written in a loose ABA format, unified by the constant Jongo rhythm. Bellinati’s use of the guitar is masterful, encompassing virtually every technique available to the classical guitar. The piece is comprised of various short musical phrases that incorporate a different aspect of the instrument’s many capacities

Pickford Ensemble #2

Cave Song and Core Chant by Meredith Monk Performed by Buffy Adamski (vocalist), Rebecca Calix (vocalist), Abby Gast (vocalist), Fernando Grimaldo (vocalist), N. Lincoln Hanks (vocalist), Preston Hereford (vocalist), Jens Ibsen (vocalist) and Joseph Peliska (guitar) Monk’s music is often ritualistic, borrowing vocal techniques from folk traditions. Her “Cave Song” for two women’s voices and piano is from the final scene of her art film, Book of Days. Set in a medieval French village, Eva, a little girl who has visions of 20th c. life, sings this final duet with the village Madwoman, both singing nonsense syllables. Instead of piano, we have arranged the accompaniment for guitar. Core Chant is the last track of Monk’s album, Mercy. Borrowing from a Renaissance style, this composition for SATB choir also sets nonsense syllables and explores a variety of vocal textures