JUST IN!!! Olga Amelkina-Vera's guitar quartet Nebulae was chosen as the winner of the 2012 Austin Classical Guitar Society Composition Competition. The piece will be premiered at the Guitars Galore Festival in Austin on April 28th, right before David Russell's concert. This will be performed by 100+ guitarists!! Congrats to our resident trio composer!

As of December of 2010, The Presti Quartet has become Presti, an all women classical guitar trio. Our dear friend Sabine Madriguera, is battling cancer and until she is able to join us, we will be touring as a trio. Thank you and we will be sure to keep you up to date.

From August 15-August 19th, we will be rehearsing in Houston to prepare for our tour which will happen September 24-October 1st. We have two concerts in NY State and two concerts in Florida.
But before we go on our first tour, we have a concert to do in Houston. This is a Benefit Concert for the “Cure for Cancer” which will take place on August 19th. For more information on all our concerts, please visit our Calendar of Events.

Lynn here! I am so excited about having the ladies come to Albuquerque in a few weeks. We are playing two concerts, the first in the beautiful Santa Fe and then in my city, Albuquerque, NM. We also have recently booked some concerts for next Fall in Florida and NY.
It will be great to share my home with the ensemble. No doubt we will be cooking some great New Mexican food here while we rehearse, and I am hoping for great weather so that we can get out for some hiking in the Sandias.

We have a special treat for the audiences here: three of my young students, all young women, will be opening our concerts with a beautiful Weiss transcription. I am lucky to have truly exceptional students, and it has been a pleasure to coach them. I can’t wait for them to feel the energy from the audience when they are on stage. We are so happy to be working with these young women, encouraging more women to pursue the classical guitar!


INFO on Concerts:

PRESTI!
Friday, March 18th at 7:00 PM at the Scottish Rite Temple in Santa Fe, NM
Tickets sold at the door: $15 Adults, $10 Seniors, $5 students

Location:
The Scottish Rite Temple-Santa Fe
463 Paseo De Peralta
Santa Fe, NM 87501-1958
(505) 982-4414

Website:

http://www.nmscottishrite.org/
http://www.nmscottishrite.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1


PRESTI
Saturday, March 19th at 7:30 PM Robertson & Sons Violin Shop Recital Hall
Tickets sold at the door: $15 Adults, $10 Seniors, $5 students

Physical Address:
3201 Carlisle Boulevard Northeast, Albuquerque, NM 87110-1652 (505) 889-2999 ‎

Website:

http://www.robertsonviolins.com/

Jennifer Grassman: When and why did you start playing classical guitar? Who have been your inspirations?

Lynn: I did not seriously begin studying classical guitar until I was 20…and was not in a guitar program until 21. I had taken lessons on the guitar as a young child, but my teacher only really worked with me on basic reading, playing chords…I played everything with my thumb. When I first heard classical guitar music at the age of 11, I was mesmerized…I couldn’t imagine how one person could play so many notes, but at that stage I could not find a teacher in my small town. I dabbled on my own, playing simple studies, and when I went to college I decided to study Spanish and Education.
While I was quite musically inclined, I never considered being a musician until I spent a semester in Mexico. There I bought a guitar and asked a visiting professor for lessons (Alfredo Sanchez). With his encouragement, and the alignment of the stars, I found myself in a classical guitar program after having already graduated with a degree. I was hooked, and I worked fastidiously to make up for lost time.

Olga: I started classical guitar lessons at the age of 22 at the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX. The year before that, I met my future husband, Fernand Vera, who was a guitarist and a music major at UST. Since my musical ambitions involved singing and songwriting at the time, I recruited him into a short–lived trio which performed my own songs. I think we performed once! However, after hearing a practice run of his senior recital (which included Dowland, Giuliani, and Merlin); I was astonished to see the capabilities of this instrument. I grew out my nails, got a used Takamine “beater,” and enrolled in lessons. Next semester, I officially changed my major from fine arts to music, trading in one of the least lucrative fields for another!

As a latecomer to the classical guitar, I have had to learn as much and as quickly as possible! I have had great help along the way. At the earliest stage, our own Valerie Hartzell was my teacher for some time, and her encouragement and knowledge helped steer me in the right direction of development. I have learned and continue to learn from Fernand, whose development as a musician has unfolded parallel to mine. We have been each others cheerleaders, “shrinks,” counselors, and coaches throughout the years. Some private studies with the great Robert Guthrie and yearly lessons with Matteo Mela and Lorenzo Micheli have provided me with much wisdom “to chew on”—I’m still chewing!

Sabine: I was nine years old when I started with guitar lessons at a music school in Berlin. I wanted to make music. The instrument I was going to learn to play was secondary. Initially, I was interested in learning to play the recorder which I found at home and learned that my mother had played it when she was younger but my father who is a musician wanted me to start on an orchestra instrument. My mother brought me to the music school, and we met with the flute teacher who didn't want to take me but recommended piano or guitar after she inspected my hands. By that time, I also liked both of those instruments because I had just heard my uncle play the piano and my friend play the guitar. As it turned out, the school had an opening in guitar. That's how I started playing guitar!

Valerie: My mother was a classical guitar student at the New England Conservatory when I was a toddler. After begging continuously for a guitar, my mother finally got me a half-sized Ramirez at the age of three and a half. She was my first teacher and my biggest inspiration. We also performed as a duo until I left for college. Throughout my childhood I had the privilege of studying in France with Maestro Lagoya and with Ako Ito. These great masters have influenced my use of colors, dynamics, and vibrato. As a teenager I became inspired by Manuel Barrueco’s brilliant technique and use of phrasing. I was lucky enough to become his student at the Peabody Conservatory.

Outside of the guitar world, I studied the recordings of Maria Callas. Her approach to musicality has greatly influenced me as a teacher and performer.

Jennifer Grassman: Why is The Presti Quartet special to you?

Lynn: Performing in a quartet has always been a dream of mine, from my first years of serious study of the instrument. As guitarists, we often get so immersed in solo playing…so much so that we can get quite set in our ways!
Interacting with and rehearsing with other players opens the door to new musical ideas, keeps us flexible, and can really change us as players. This is a good thing! And of course, watching an ensemble performance can be an incredibly exciting experience for the audience too, so it is nice to have that to offer. Performing with the Presti Quartet members gives me the opportunity to be exposed to and learn from 3 wonderful musicians and to have FUN too!

Olga: For two reasons: First, I love the idea of playing on a bigger ensemble. A quartet, much more than a duo, is similar to a “band.” With more people, there’s more energy, more potential sound, more musical personalities that can emerge. I guess my secret wish of playing in a band one day has finally come to life! And second, all women in the band—how cool is that? The guitar world is dominated by men, and it is nice to be able to bypass that and enjoy some bonding time with other women.

Sabine: I enjoy sharing music making. I enjoy playing chamber music. I think it is one of the most beautiful ways to communicate amongst the musicians and to an audience. The Presti Quartet is a fresh idea and an exciting opportunity to do high professional level work with three of my female colleagues.

Valerie: Outside of performing in a duo with my mother and the various ensembles in college, I have been primarily a soloist. It is so refreshing to be part of an ensemble where there are four talented women with four great minds and personalities. We all already have successful careers and it would be logical to finally put ourselves together to create great music.
And as Olga has mentioned, the guitar world is dominated primarily by men; it is refreshing to see an all women ensemble.

Jennifer Grassman: Tell us about a hobby or about your family; share something personal about your life or about your non-musical passions with your fans. After all, being a performer in a quartet is not just about making music but it is also about the personalities of each artist coming together as one.

Lynn: I am interested in a lot of things outside of music…Literature (Latin American and Spanish Literature in the early 1900s especially), art, gardening, yoga, playing soccer, languages, great food…the list goes on and on. I find myself constantly in a battle to find the time for all of my passions…it can be a real challenge! Not owning a TV helps…but in the end there are sacrifices that must be made as I work to find the best balance that allows me to have career and at the same time keeps me healthy and happy!

Olga: Ever since the guitar took over my life, I have struggled to devote time to other things that I love to do. This instrument does not tolerate competition! So, here is what I would love to spend more time with: hanging out with family and friends, drawing and painting, brushing up on the foreign languages that I have studied in my life, reading (I miss being able to spend the entire day just reading a book!), physical exercise, movies…The list goes on.

Sabine: I like cooking healthy stuff and creating my own dishes with what I have bought. I like traveling with Enric, my husband, exploring other places, their costumes and traditions. I practice yoga and like to do it more often than I do. I love being out in nature but I am not outside enough. I'd like to add two hours to every day. I like drinking tea of all different kinds. Cheers! (Can you toast with tea?)

Valerie: Performing, practicing, teaching, and recording along with self-promoting take up most of my time. When I do get the chance of having a day off, I love going to see a movie or when weather permits, hiking in the hills of Austin with my husband and two dogs Jodie & Lucy. Finding time to exercise is a real challenge but I made a commitment to myself about staying healthy. This year I’m going to learn Spanish. The quartet is going to Madrid and I refuse to go back there without knowing some simple conversational Spanish! I also love to experiment in the kitchen but again, that’s only when I have time. There’s nothing better than to make your friends happy with good food and wine. I look forward to having the quartet in Houston come December. I plan on trying out my new recipes on the ladies!

First Rehearsal:
On August 15th, Sabine and I picked up Lynn from the airport so we could start rehearsing at Collin College by 11:30am. Once we established where we would sit, we read through the Ninochka written by our very own resident composer, Olga. Our first issue was switching parts. We kept playing the wrong part and usually we ended up laughing a LOT! Also, since we opted to sit in the typical quartet position, we had a hard time hearing and seeing each other. Olga suggested we sit in a box formation, facing each other. I got to be the lucky one facing the composer!! I decided to sneak out and take a picture. I managed to get only one decent one because the lighting was really bad.



A neat fact about our quartet: two of the members, Olga and myself, play Greg Byers spruce top guitars. So, our sounds match!
After a two hour rehearsal, we broke for Tai food. Three of us are vegetarians and were thrilled about eating Tai food. Olga is the odd woman out and was the only one to order chicken. That’s ok, Lynn is the only one that plays with a footstool still!
After a lengthy break, we rehearsed at the college for another four hours before going home around 9pm.

We didn’t even have time for dinner. Sabine was my host and we had no energy for dinner, so we opted for a bit of cheese & crackers with a glass of wine before crashing. Lynn stayed with Olga during the week in Denton and they too had no energy for dinner; I believe they ate the leftover Tai food from lunch.




Day 2:
On August 16th, we met at 11am (hey, we’re musicians) and rehearsed for 3hrs. We had all packed our lunches and rested up while Olga worked tirelessly on after a short break. She programed a drum set sequence into her Doggiebox program. What an ingenious program! After lunch, we rehearsed the Ninochka again with the Doggiebox and any of our rhythmic issues disappeared!
The Hellish Tattoo of the Heart, also written by Olga, is a percussive and rhythmic work. That too gave us a headache on rhythm but Doggiebox was not an option. The metronome was failing us but WAIT! Lynn saved the day! All that experience teaching children payed off. Sabine and Lynn’s rhythm became “Pineapple, yellow pineapple” and mine was “Chikie-dee go.” Olga was greatly amused at listening to us sing our little songs while rehearsing her composition. That afternoon, we rehearsed for about five hours with breaks. Sabine even manged to squeeze a student’s audition in during a break.
After an exhausting day, we decided we should go out to dinner. We ended up eating Tex-Mex food and received free appetizers. The manager liked us and even locked up our guitars for us in a safe place (and he didn’t even try to sell them on Ebay!). As you can see in the pictures, we were exhausted but were rewarded with a large Mexican beer. Here’s how the conversation went:
Valerie: “I don’t want to get a margarita [I’m looking around the restaurant] because they’re huge and we have to sleep, get up early, and make a recording.”
Sabine: “Yes, we don’t want to look hung-over!”
At first, some of the ladies were going to just get water but I thought out loud, "I’ll just get a beer."  Lynn agreed that a beer sounded refreshing, plus, hey, they’re smaller. The waiter told us to get a draft beer and so we did. Well, just take a look at the pictures; we failed in our attempt to order something small!!! But, let me tell you, I slept GREAT!




Day 3:
During these three days of rehearsing, Lynn has managed to find time to film random in-between the scenes footage. She even caught Sabine on the second day dancing to Olga’s Doggiebox sequence during lunch. She got me doing my sit-ups…..too bad we didn’t get Lynn or Olga doing something silly…we’ll get them next time!
Today we managed to meet at 10:30am (yea! it’s not 11) and worked for an hour and thirty minutes. After some invigrating coffee, compliments of Fernand (Olga’s husband and duo partner) and a Doggiebox workout, we were ready to run through the two pieces minus metronome, silly songs, and Doggiebox. We took an hour to eat lunch, change, and beautify ourselves (that took us probably 45 minutes….hey, we’re ladies!) before heading to the Collin College theater. There, Suvanee Chirachanchai and Fernand videotapped Ninochka and Tattoo. We did 9 takes of the Ninochka and 8 takes of the Tattoo. Of course, it was all a blur so I’m not exactly sure how many there were of takes!
Once we were done with the videotapping, Alfred Coy did our photo-shoot. Poor Alfred only had an hour but as you can see on our Photo page, he still managed to get a few great pictures. We only had from 1pm until 5pm to get the video recording and photo-shoot done before wisking Lynn away to the airport. She had to teach on Saturday and unfortunately missed out on our last horrah dinner.
Texas is filled to the brim with Tex-Mex food, so it was easy to find a place that was tasty and close to the college. This time, I opted for a well deserved margarita as did most of the table. Our wonderful guitar supporter, now friend – Danny Rodriguez, joined us for dinner.


               

Suvanee (took our videos), Fernand, and Alfie (our photographer)   Danny Rodriguez, a sweet person who supports guitar!
 
All in all, with only three days to rehearse, we did a fine job for our first time rehearsing. We managed to not drive our resident composer nuts with our mistakes AND even put down two recordings! We will be back together in December in Houston for SEVEN days this time and we will re-record the Tattoo and Ninochka. We will also record a few other works and post them on the site.
We are all anticipating our next get together and are already booking concerts. We look forward to hearing from you. Please make comments, suggestions, and feel free to contact us about giving a concert at your venue!

written by Valerie for The Presti Quartet