Hope College will premiere the newly formed Lake Michigan guitar duo featuring guest artist Paul Vondiziano and faculty member David Martin on Friday, March 11, at 7:30 p.m. in the Concert Hall of the Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts.
Evert Lutz, a music critic from the Netherlands, has called Paul Vondiziano “an aristocrat among guitarists,” while Gerald Elliot of the “Grand Rapids Press” has described him as “a superb guitarist… a sensitive musician in full command of his instrument.”
Vondiziano was born in Larnaca, Cyprus, where he began his study of the guitar at the age of eight. Following his studies in the United States, he returned to Cyprus, where his performance activities led to further engagements and tours in Europe. Since his return to America, he has been active as a performer, and continues to make appearances abroad. He has premiered works for guitar such as his own “Memories of Inner Time” and “Triptych,” as well as Will Bottje's “Lighter Strings” for guitar and harpsichord and “Greetings” suite for solo guitar.
Martin, who is an adjunct assistant professor of guitar at Hope, received his master’s degree at University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music under the instruction of renowned Professor Clare Callahan. Throughout his scholastic and professional career, Martin has performed several styles of guitar music, from lead guitar in both acoustic and electric rock bands to various classical guitar concerts and recitals. He is also a member of several ensembles, including the Grand Rapids Guitar Quartet and the Folias Tango Quartet, which performs original compositions along with traditional Argentinean Tango music. He teaches a wide variety of music, from hard rock, to jazz and classical.
Tickets are $10 for regular admission, $7 for senior citizens, $5 for children and students, and free for Hope College faculty, staff and students, and are available at the ticket office in the Events and Conferences Office located downtown in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at (616) 395-7890. Tickets are also available online at hope.edu/tickets.
The Jack H. Miller Center for Musical Arts is located at 221 Columbia Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets.