The 2008 Competitors
Click each video icon for a clip of the competitors phone interview.
Meliset Abreu
USA
Age: 42
Performances & Recordings
Soundboard Magazine has described Meliset Abreu’s playing as “confident, daring and amazingly accurate.”
A resident of Hoboken, N.J., Abreu performs extensively as a soloist and chamber musician. She recently performed the Concierto de Aranjuez with the Bronx Symphony Orchestra. Her solo appearances include the Performer’s Showcase at Caramoor (Bedford, N.Y.); the Cuban Cultural Center’s “Cuban Masters” series; the Aranjuez Guitar Strings “New Talent” series; the Connecticut Classical Guitar Society’s historic “Women and Their Guitars” showcase; and Guitarfest at William Paterson University (Wayne, N.J.).
She also is a founding member of Stretto, a trio of oboe, violin and classical guitar.
Activities
Abreu has extended the repertoire for the guitar in ensemble by transcribing the works of composers such as Bach, Schumann, de Falla and Stravinsky.
Prizes & Awards
Top prize-winner at the Guitar Foundation of American International Competition and the Great Lakes International Competition
Musical Beginnings & Education
Graduate of Mannes College of Music, New York City
Teachers & Master Classes
Michael Newman
Oscar Ghiglia (Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena, Italy)
Andres Segovia masterclasses (Manhattan School of Music): invited by Maestro Segovia to play at closing recital.
Benjamin Beirs
USA
Age: 24
Performances & Recordings
A native of the Philadelphia area, Benjamin Beirs recently released his debut recording, Distant Places & Different Times, a varied and colorful collection of his favorite guitar music.
He maintains a busy performance schedule, frequently traveling to France to perform as the American half of “Duo Transatlantique.” Formed in 2002, the duo also features Beirs’ Peabody colleague, renowned French guitarist Maud Laforest.
Activities
Beirs is a dedicated guitar instructor at Music and Arts in Germantown, Md., and at the Peabody Preparatory School in Baltimore.
He also is a site coordinator for Creative Access, through which he and other volunteers perform regularly for the Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care.
Prizes & Awards
Top prizes in the Schadt String Competition and the National Guitar Workshop solo competition; semi-finalist in the 2005 Guitar Foundation of America competition.
Musical Beginnings & Education
Beirs started playing classical guitar at age 6. He has received numerous scholarships from the Peabody Conservatory (Baltimore, Md.), where he currently studies.
Teachers & Master Classes
Julian Gray
Gonzalo Gallardo
Peru
Age: 26
Performances & Recordings
An international musician from Lima, Peru, Gonzalo Gallardo has performed solo and chamber music recitals in Lima, Peru; New York City; the Ithaca, New York area; and Tallahassee, Florida. He performed Roberto Sierra’s Concierto Barroco with the Peruvian National Symphony Orchestra in Lima.
Musical Beginnings & Education
Gallardo began musical studies at age 9 in Lima and studied at the Manhattan (New York) School of Music for two years.
He earned a bachelor’s degree in music, graduating cum laude from Cornell University (2005). Now pursuing a master’s degree in guitar performance at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Gallardo is a teaching assistant in World Music. He will begin doctoral studies in guitar in fall 2008.
Gallardo was a semi-finalist in the 2006 JoAnn Falletta Competition.
Teachers & Master Classes
Bruce Holzman
Alonso Acosta
Edgar Valcárcel (theory)
David Starobin
Antigoni Goni, David Russell, Eduardo Fernandez, Scott Tenant and Odair Assad
David Leisner
David Gálvez
Peru
Age: 33
Performances & Recordings
Currently guitar professor at the Long Island (New York) Conservatory of Music, David Gálvez performs solo and as a member of the Manhattan Guitar Quartet. He has performed throughout the United States and South America, including Mexico, Chile, Venezuela, Paraguay, and his native Peru.
He has performed as soloist with the Manhattan School of Music Philharmonia, as well as the National Symphony Orchestra of Peru in Lima and the Trujillo (Peru) Symphony Orchestra.
He’s also the guitarist on acclaimed opera tenor Juan Diego Flórez’s Sentimiento Latino CD.
Prizes & Awards
- National Competition of Guitar “Jeunesses Musicales 1989” (1st prize)
- Schadt String Competition, Allentown, Pennsylvania (top prize winner, 2002 and 2005)
- First to win the Manhattan School of Music’s Eisenberg-Fried Concerto Competition
Musical Beginnings & Education
Gálvez studied at the National Conservatory of Lima and went on to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in music at the Manhattan (New York) School of Music.
He also holds a bachelor’s degree in communication science from the Peru’s Lima University.
Gálvez was a semi-finalist in 2006’s JoAnn Falletta Competition.
Teachers & Master Classes
Oscar Zamora
David Starobin
Chad Ibison
USA
Age: 33
Performances & Recordings
Chad Ibison was selected as a concerto soloist with the Columbus (Georgia) State University Philharmonic Orchestra.
Activities
Along with acclaimed violinist Boris Abramov, Ibison was selected by the Music in Columbus Foundation to take part in a recording project highlighting outstanding music of the city of Columbus.
Prizes & Awards
- Columbus State University Guitar Symposium & East Carolina University Guitar Workshop Competitions (bronze medals)
- Guitar Foundation of America International Competition (semifinalist, 2007)
Musical Beginnings & Education
Ibison began studying classical guitar in 2005 and is currently a full-scholarship student at Columbus University.
Teachers & Master Classes
Andrew Zohn
David Russell, Pepe Romero, Adam Holzman, Ricardo Cobo and Lorenzo Micheli.
Laura U. Klemke
Germany
Age: 27
Performances & Recordings
Laura U. Klemke has demonstrated her talent through 500 performances, including radio and television appearances all over the world. She has performed concerts solo and with orchestras as well as chamber music.
Klemke has been a part of three CD productions:
- the guitar duo CD Danza Española (2005),
- her solo debut Paganini, Bach, Ponce, Searle (2006) and
- the single Preludio Nel quale Sono contenuti Tutti i Tuoni Musicali (“Prelude In Which All the Musical Thunders are Contained”) by Adam Falckenhagen (2008)
Musical Beginnings & Education
Since age 4, Klemke was taught to play guitar by her father. After four years of study at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Weimar, Germany, she made her artist’s diploma in 2004.
Among other scholarships, she was granted a two-year graduate scholarship from her academy in 2006.
She completed post-graduate studies with the concert examination in 2008.
Teachers & Master Classes
Prof. Monika Rost
Prof. Thomas Müller-Pering
Luis Orlandini (Chile); David Tanenbaum (USA)
Prizes & Awards
- Fernando Sor competition (1st prize, 2004)
- 47th Tokyo International Guitar Competition (2nd prize; 1st prize not awarded).
Krzysztof Meisinger
Poland
Age: 23
Performances & Recordings
Krzysztof Meisinger has performed in Poland and abroad, including Cologne, Paris and London. He toured twice in Germany with the Jeunesses Musicales Orchestra.
Meisinger has performed in many prestigious halls, such as The National Concert Hall (Warsaw); Polish Radio Concert Hall Studio S-I, Royal Palace in Wilanów, Lazienki Park in Warsaw, Ballroom of the Lańcut Palace and The Chopin’s Manor House in Duszniki.
He has given concerts with the Chamber Orchestra of the Polish Radio “amadeus,” Chamber Orchestra of the National Philharmonic in Warsaw, the National Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine in Kiev, Chamber Orchestra of Toruń, Chamber Orchestra “Leopoldinum, “Capella Bydgostiensis” and many other philharmonic orchestras.
His festival appearances include “Music in Old Cracow,” II summer Festival of the National Philharmony, EuroArt Meeting in Wroclaw, Toruń-Music and Architecture or Polish Music Festival in Cracow.
His works include three CDs.
Prizes & Awards
- All-Poland Competition of Classical Guitar (Kielce—1st prize, 1998; Konin—1st prize, 1999)
- International Competition “CHITARALIA” (Przemyśl—1st prize, 2001). The competition took place under the honorary patronage of Joaquin Rodrigo.
- International Guitar Competition (Lodz, Poland—2006, 1st prize, 2006; Kiev, Ukraine—2nd prize, 2007)
Musical Beginnings & Education
Graduated from the Secondary School of Music (“School of Talents”) in Poznań (2003)
Current student, Academy of Music, Bydgoszcz
Scholarships from the Minister of Culture, “Young Poland” program and “Polish Copper” Foundation
Teachers & Master Classes
Krzysztof Pelech
Prof. Piotr Zaleski
Carlo Marccione (Italy); Alexander Swete (Austria); and Pablo Ziegler, a pianist with Astor Piazzolla’s quintet
Anna Mnich
Poland
Age: 28
Performances & Recordings
Anna Mnich, age 28, of Poland was a member of the Silesian Guitar Octet from 2001 to 2004, performing concerts in Poland and abroad. She has also recorded with the National Symphonic Orchestra of Polish Radio.
Prizes & Awards
Mnich is a laureate of competitions in Kielce, Senoh, Kohaliu and Rust.
Musical Beginnings & Education
Mnich started learning to play the guitar at age 10 at the state school of music in Bedzin. Between 1999-2004, she studied at the state Academy of Music in Katowice. Mnich was recently accepted to the Manhattan (New York) School of Music, where she plans to continue her musical education.
Teachers & Master Classes
Wande Palacz
David Starobin (later this year)
J. Morel, J. Cierce and Carlo Marccione
Guido Sánchez
Costa Rica
Age: 33
Performances & Recordings
Since 1995, Guido Sánchez has been the first guitar of the Guitar Orchestra of Costa Rica, with which he has recorded five CDs and toured around the world.
Activities
Co-owner of the Escuela Superior de Guitarra in Costa Rica; has served as a teacher and director.
Traveled to France and Spain to attend the Stage de Guitares D’Alsace and the Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Córdoba.
Prizes & Awards
- Concurso y Festival Internacional de Guitarra de La Habana, Cuba (finalist, 2000)
- National Guitar Competition in San José, Costa Rica (1st prize, 2003)
Musical Beginnings & Education
University of Costa Rica’s School of Music, graduated with honors, 2001; “Student of Honor” scholarship (1997, 1998, 1999)
Master’s degree, Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music (2005, full scholarship); currently pursuing doctorate there
Teachers & Master Classes
Mario Solera
Distinguished Professor Ernesto Bitetti
Leo Brouwer, Costas Cotsiolis, Pepe Romero, Eduardo Fernández, Nuccio D’Angelo, Javier Hinojosa, Jorge Luis Zamora, Jorge Cardoso, Mario Ulloa, Juan Falú, Francisco Ortiz, Eduardo Martín, Baltazar Benítez and Jesús Ortega
Marco Sartor
Uruguay
Age: 29
Performances & Recordings
Marco Sartor has given master classes, performed live and appeared on radio and television across three continents, in Europe and the Americas.
In the United States, he has performed at the Piccolo Spoleto Festival in Charleston, S.C., and was featured in the Allentown (Pennsylvania) Symphony Orchestra’s 2003-04 season. He recently performed Joaquín Rodrigo’s Aranjuez Concerto in Pittsburgh and Washington, Pennsylvania.
Activities
Sartor’s projects include collaborations with his former mentor, guitarist Marc Regnier, and counter-tenor José Lemos.
An active teacher, Sartor started the guitar programs at the Charleston (South Carolina) Academy of Music and at the Carnegie Mellon Music Preparatory School in Pittsburgh.
Prizes & Awards
- Top prizes in competitions throughout the Americas, including the Schadt String Competition (2002) and the Music Teachers National Association Collegiate Artists Competition (2003).
- Three-time finalist, Guitar Foundation of America International Competition
Musical Beginnings & Education
Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Sartor first studied guitar at the University of Uruguay’s School of Music.
Graduated (with highest honors) College of Charleston’s School of the Arts on a full scholarship (2003); completed Artist Certificate Program.
Also holds a degree from Carnegie Mellon University.
Sartor was a semi-finalist in both the 2004 and 2006 JoAnn Falletta Competition.
Teachers and Master Classes
- Robert Ravera, Mario Paysee and Eduardo Fernández (Uruguay)
- Marc Regnier and James Ferla (USA)