Segovia Classical Guitar Series to Be Held at Ryan Center

EVANSTON, Ill. --- Established international artists, including Eduardo Fernández and Paul O’Dette and rising star Ekachai Jearakul, are among the performers who will bring Northwestern University’s annual Segovia Classical Guitar Series to life during the 2015-16 season, which begins Nov. 21.

The Segovia recital series allows audiences to explore the vast variety of guitar repertoire -- as well as music of its predecessor, the lute -- by presenting works that were written during the Renaissance, Spanish masterpieces and 20th-century classics.

Co-presented by Northwestern’s Henry and Leigh Bienen School of Music and the Chicago Classical Guitar Society, the popular series honors Andrés Segovia (1893-1987), a virtuoso Spanish classical guitarist, who is considered by most modern scholars to be the father of the modern classical guitar movement. More information on Segovia is available online.

For the first time, all Segovia series events will take place at Northwestern’s new Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Center for the Musical Arts. The performances occur in the Ryan Center’s 400-seat Mary B. Galvin Recital Hall, 70 Arts Circle Drive, as noted.

Kirkegaard Associates -- the world-renowned acoustical design firm whose president, Lawrence Kirkegaard, designed the acoustics for Pick-Staiger Concert Hall -- assisted in designing the Galvin Recital Hall’s interior, which features a glass wall offering stunning views of the Chicago skyline.

2015-16 Segovia Series events

• Eduardo Fernández will open this year’s Segovia Series at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, with a performance of music from Latin America. During the course of his career, Fernández, who was born in Uruguay, has toured the world and won several awards, most notably prizes at the Porto Alegre and Radio France competitions and first prize at the Andrés Segovia Competition in Spain. Fernández’s program will feature works by Fernando Sor, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Dionisio Aguado, Luys de Narváez, Francisco Tárrega and Carlos Guastavino. 

• Paul O’Dette will showcase his mastery of the music of John Dowland at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23. The American lutenist, conductor and music researcher is best known for his recitals and recordings of virtuoso solo lute music. O'Dette has performed and conducted at festivals in Boston, Sweden, Paris, London, Barcelona and many more locations throughout the world. He is an active member of Tragicomedia, a continuo (figured bass) ensemble acclaimed for its recordings and performances of 17th-century operas, cantatas and oratorios.

• The Waller and Maxwell Duo will perform music by Schumann, Falla and Britten at 3 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14. Anne Waller, Bienen School faculty member, and Mark Maxwell have toured the United States and Europe for more than 30 years. Their unique programming of works for both 19th-century and modern guitars provides rare insight into the evolution of this enthralling art. In their recital, they will perform works for four or more guitars joined by Bienen School guitar program alumni.

• Ekachai Jearakul will continue the series with works by Leo Brouwer, Luigi Legnani, Johann Mertz and others at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 12. In addition to his 2014 win in the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition, Jearakul has received a dozen first prizes at competitions in Europe, Asia and North America. Jearakul, who was born in Thailand, has appeared with the Buffalo Philharmonic and orchestras across the globe, including Thailand, the Ukraine and South Korea. 

• Guitar virtuoso Alvaro Pierri will conclude the 2015-16 Segovia Series at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, April 24. Pierri, who was born in Uruguay, is a frequent performer at major concert halls in Europe, North and South America, and Asia. In addition to his distinguished solo career, he is sought after as a teacher and ensemble player, performing and giving master classes on nearly every continent. His awards include prizes in the Buenos Aires, Porto Alegre and Radio France competitions. 

Tickets and Subscriptions 

Single tickets to each recital are $30 for the general public and $10 for students with valid IDs. Subscriptions are currently available, and beginning this year subscribers can save up to 30 percent off the cost of single tickets and enjoy new benefits. The full subscription deadline is Nov. 20.

More information is available online.