The University of Central Arkansas Guitar Studio and Palmer Music Company will host a guitar master class and guitar composition workshop given by Grammy Award-winning guitarist/composer Andrew York on Friday, Sept. 22.
York will give a classical guitar master class at UCA Downtown, 1105 West Oak St., from 2:30-4:30 p.m. The class will feature UCA guitar students performing compositions written by York. Following the master class, York will give a guitar composition workshop, where he will discuss his approach to composing for the guitar at Palmer Music Company, 506 West Oak St., from 5-6 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
York is one of today’s best loved composers for classical guitar and a performer of international stature. His compositions blend the styles of ancient eras with modern musical directions, creating music that is at once vital, multi-leveled and accessible. York received a GRAMMY as a member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet during his 16 years with the cutting-edge ensemble. York’s compositions have been featured on GRAMMY-winning recordings by Jason Vieaux (CD “Play”, featuring York’s iconic composition “Sunburst”, 2015) and Sharon Isbin (CD “Journey to the New World” featuring “Andecy”, 2010). In 2006, York recorded and performed with the Atlanta Symphony for the opera “Ainadamar” by Osvaldo Golijov. The recording of “Ainadamar” (Deutsche Gramophone) won two GRAMMY awards.
York has released CDs on Sony-U.S., Sony-Japan, King Records (Japan), Telarc, GSP and Delos labels, as well as inclusion on Rhino Records “Legends of Guitar” and numerous other compilations. His 2010 CD release “Centerpeace” offers individual collaborations with guitarist Andy Summers, and pianists Mitsuko Kado and Allaudin Mathieu.
York’s most recent solo recording “Yamour” was released on vinyl as a double LP album and garnered the No. 1 spot in Acoustic Guitar Magazine’s “Essential Recordings of 2012” by editor Teja Gerken.
York’s compositions have also been recorded by guitar luminaries John Williams and Christopher Parkening, Sharon Isbin, Jason Vieaux, and Japanese pianist Mitsuko Kado. In addition, generations of younger guitarists make his music a staple of their repertoire in their performances and studies. As a published composer, York’s works appear in print worldwide through Majian Music, Alfred Publications, Hal Leonard, Mel Bay Publications, Guitar Solo Publications, Doberman-Yppan in Canada, Ricordi in London, and Gendai in Japan.
For more information, contact Smokey Emerson at 501-450-5755 or semerson@uca.edu.
The UCA College of Fine Arts and Communication includes the Departments of Art, Music, and Film, Theatre and Creative Writing as well as the School of Communication. The college’s primary mission is the preparation of the next generation of artists, educators and communicators. For more information about CFAC, visit www.uca.edu/cfac or call 501-450-3293.
