Bringing the music but not the noise

By Eliot Rose

SHAWN CHENG/YH

When I first heard about the"Yale Guitar Extravaganza III," on Sat., Nov. 6, I assumed that it had something to do with G3, the epic guitar trio of Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and Eric Johnson. Unfortunately, I was sorely mistaken. While there will certainly be plenty of guitarists on hand, there will be no lightning-fast solos or bone-crunching feedback. "Our goal is to bring together people who are interested in all aspects of guitar," Vincent Oneppo, MUS '73, director of the concert and press office of the School of Music, said. "While a number of people who are participating in the conference play all sorts of styles from rock to jazz, the focus is definitely on classical guitar." Hanging on to some last shred of hope, I asked Oneppo if he really meant "classic" guitar, but he assured me that I heard him right the first time.

Despite the apparent lack of classic rock gods, Guitar Extravaganza III, which takes place Sat., Nov. 6, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. in Sprague Memorial Hall, does have its share of talent. Andrew York, a composer who is also a member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, and Hubert Kappel, an expert on the works of J.S. Bach, will give a concert together at 8 p.m., and professional guitarists Stephen Aron and Richard Savino will play a show at 5:15 p.m. During the day there will also be classes (including a beginner workshop—but will it cover power chords?) and performances by the Curtis High School Guitar Ensemble and the Audobon Ensemble, of which several Yale graduates are members. Yale will be showcasing its collection of classical instruments and manuscripts, including letters written by Andres Segovia. And just in case all that tapping and whammy-bar action is giving you carpal tunnel syndrome, there will be a lecture on preventing and treating musical muscle injuries.

Although the symposium has plen-ty of interesting activities lined up, the atmosphere is the most important aspect of the event, according to Kim Perlak, GRD '00, who helped organize Guitar Extravaganza III. "The guitar appeals to a smaller group of classical musicians than many other instruments," he said. "Festivals like this allow guitarists to meet each other and exchange ideas. It's almost like a family reunion." Oneppo agreed: "It's really about a holistic interpretation of music."

Benjamin Verdery, another professor at the School of Music, organized the first Guitar Extravaganza three years ago because he felt that there was a need for a guitar conference with mass appeal. According to Verdery, "We try to attract all skill groups and not just professionals. For example, the Suzuki Guitar Ensemble, which is opening for the symposium, has members who are as young as four years old." Although the symposium showcases plenty of work by Yale students and alumni, student attendance hasn't been stellar—a problem that Verdery hopes to rectify. "Occasionally, when I'm working around campus, somebody will come up to me and say, `Hey, I really dug that concert.' I hope it'll start happening more often." I suggested that he book Mötley Crüe or light something on fire, but for now, it seems, the Guitar Extravaganza will remain true to its original goal.

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