First Night of Concerts for the West Texas Guitar Festival- Part 1

     The opening night of the festival featured a variety of guitar performances with just about as many different styles as were performers.  Being the host, I could not completely listen to and enjoy all the performances, so most of my reflections stem from running around like a mad man behind the curtains. 
     The performance opened with selections from Guest Performer David Brandon.  He played the music of Albeniz, Sanz, and Ervin Rouse.  I was able to listen to a few selections, and really enjoyed his ability to transform the guitar into an instrument of emotion.  The highlight for me was hearing Capricho Catalan from Albeniz.  So many times, performers feel that they must play the fastest/hardest pieces, and forget the artistry behind the slower elements.  Both guest artist made mention to the fact that slow pieces are harder to play successfully than harder pieces.  While Capricho may not be a very fast song, the artistry required makes the piece incredibly difficult; handled by David Brandon with ease. 
     From a non-traditional classical point of view, the "Train Song" was a huge hit.  Originally written by Ervin Rouse for the fiddle, Brandon did an amazing job recreating the sounds of the train on his guitar.  You would hear the sounds of the whistle blowing, the bells ringing, and the thrusting motion of the train as it began to move from the station.  The audience really enjoyed the arrangement, and this added some spice into the normally traditional classical concert.
     Michele Ramo was next up featuring his Mostro Hei-D Guitar.  An 8 string guitar with a range of 6 and 1/2 octaves, just short of the piano on the low end and a High D in the top range.  Living true to his jazz roots, Michele came up with a set list and adapted on the fly for the audience, eventually asking what country and style they would like to hear.  This was an outstanding way to showcase both the instrument and his ability to play a vast selection of musical genres.  I believe he ended up playing some Brazilian music, but unfortunately I was taking care of stuff in the back and could not catch the entire concert.  (On a side note, before he went up to play, I spent a lot of time staring at his guitar in amazement as it was perched, backstage waiting for its turn to amaze). 
     Wow, so much to say about the opening 45 minutes of the performances and I haven't even touched on the other acts.  I will take this time to break before continuing with the local musicians who played on opening night.