Phoenix, AZ – The Arizona State University (ASU) Guitar Series has unveiled its highly anticipated 2023–24 season, promising a year of musical discovery, collaboration, and community involvement for students and enthusiasts.
Kicking off the season on October 24, the series presents Croatian guitarist Lovro Peretić, the proud winner of the 2022 Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Concert Artist Competition. Peretić’s performance is set to be an awe-inspiring experience for all classical guitar aficionados.
“The GFA Competition is widely recognized as the most prestigious international prize for classical guitar, and we are thrilled to welcome Lovro to ASU as part of his prize-winning tour,” shared Martha Masters, Assistant Professor of Guitar.
On November 15, the ASU Guitar Studio will take the stage for their first recital, showcasing the collective talent of the ASU Guitar Orchestra, as well as featuring select chamber ensembles and soloists.
“I look forward to our students sharing their growth with the community in our first Studio Guitar Recital in November, where we are exploring a breadth of repertoire that is a ‘get-to-know-you’ type of program — something for everyone,” Masters commented.
Martha Masters, who joined the School of Music, Dance, and Theatre in August, emphasized her commitment to understanding the strengths of the current guitar students and fostering a cohesive and engaging learning environment.
“We are doing a lot of work as a group on how to raise our ensemble IQ and our engagement with each other and with our audience to enhance everyone’s experience of making and receiving music,” Masters stated. She added that the guitar studio students are actively developing essential skills such as eye contact, cueing, and various forms of physical and nonverbal communication, all aimed at enhancing their abilities as chamber musicians and improving their communication with colleagues and audiences.
On January 31, 2024, the Guitar Series will welcome Spanish guitarist Pablo Sainz Villegas for a master class from 5–7 p.m. ahead of his performances with The Phoenix Symphony. The spring season will culminate in an April Guitar Studio Recital, held in collaboration with other talented musicians from the school.
2023–24 Guitar Season Schedule:
Lovro Peretic, guitar
Date: October 24
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Organ Hall
Guitar Studio Recital
Date: November 15
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Organ Hall
Guitar Master Class with Pablo Sainz Villegas
Date: January 31, 2024
Time: 5 p.m.
Venue: Organ Hall
Guitar Studio Recital
Date: April 10, 2024
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Venue: Organ Hall
The 2023–24 season of the ASU Guitar Series is poised to offer an array of captivating performances and educational opportunities for students and the broader Phoenix and Arizona communities. Music enthusiasts should mark their calendars for a year filled with classical guitar excellence.
