*SBM Sponsored Artists

Alex De Grassi

Alex De Grassi has been a unique voice in the world of acoustic guitar for over 30 years and his innovative approach to composing and arranging for solo steel-string guitar has influenced a generation of players. From his first solo performances in university coffeehouses and as a street musician to his engagements at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and the Montreux Jazz Festival, Alex has followed his own vision and, in the process, helped to lay the foundation for contemporary fingerstyle guitar. Inspired by American and British Isles folk and blues artists in his early teens, his musical pursuits soon expanded to encompass classical, jazz, and world music. He has since become known for his evocative compositions and arrangements, and for his sheer virtuosity. Using a broad palette of techniques and timbre in conjunction with his ability to weave together melody, counter-melody, bass, harmony, and rhythm into a highly orchestrated canvas of sound, Alex’s performances take the listener well beyond the instrument. The Wall Street Journal has called his playing “flawless” and Billboard hails his “intricate finger-picking technique with an uncanny gift for melodic invention.”

Alex’s career has drawn acclaim for numerous recordings as well as for his live performances as a soloist and within ensemble settings. His 1978 recording, Turning: Turning Back (cited by Acoustic Guitar magazine among their top ten essential fingerstyle recordings), the subsequent recordings Slow Circle (1979) and Southern Exposure (1984), and his Grammy® nominated recording The Water Garden (1998) are considered classics of the genre.

He has twice been commissioned by the New York Guitar Festival to compose and perform live scores for the festival's Silent Films/Live Guitars series: in 2010 at Merkin Hall, and in 2006 at Flushing Town Hall. Festival director David Spelman says “Alex de Grassi is a treasure… his technical wizardry as well as his vibrant and poetic music-making make him one of the most distinctive steel-string guitarists performing today.”

Alex’s most recent solo guitar recording, In Concert (Mel Bay Records), was recorded in front of a live Nashville audience and it features compositions and arrangements spanning the length of his career. His latest solo studio recording, Now and Then: Folk Songs for the 21st Century (Tropo Records), features contemporary arrangements of 11 treasured melodies from the American standards repertoire.

Matt Palmer

“Matt Palmer is one of the most extraordinary young guitarists I have heard in the last few years. His ability on the instrument in quite outstanding and the ease with which he takes on the most challenging works of the guitar repertoire is impressive. I wish him all the success in his career that he clearly deserves.”

Matt Palmer ranks among the elite virtuosos of his generation of classical guitarists. Recipient of the 2010 “Up and Coming Guitarist of the Year” award by Guitar International Magazine, Matt is gaining worldwide recognition as a virtuosic and soulful concert artist. His performances have been described as “powerful and emotional,” and “highly expressive and technically virtuosic.” An active performer, winner of numerous guitar competitions, and author of “The Virtuoso Guitarist” method, Matt is emerging as a major force in the modern guitar world.

His debut CD, Un tiempo fue Itálica famosa, has been applauded by Guitar International Magazine as “an album of the highest quality. Palmer performs with flawless technique, deep levels of personal expression, and an artistic integrity that seems far too rare these days.” Classical Voice of North Carolina proclaims Matt’s “positively nuclear” debut displays “stunning precision and unwavering accuracy enclosed in a huge dynamic envelope.”

Primarily self-taught as a youth, he began his formal studies at age 20 with Dr. William Yelverton at Middle Tennessee State University, and has since received his M.M. at Appalachian State University, where he studied with Dr. Douglas James. Matt is currently in the final stages of a D.M.A. degree at The University of Arizona under the guidance of Professor Thomas Patterson, and receives further instruction from Artists-in-Residence David Russell, Sergio Assad, and Odair Assad.

Matt has had the honor of studying in masterclasses with world-renowned artists, including Pepe Romero, David Tanenbaum, Andrew York, Lorenzo Micheli, Scott Tennant, Denis Azabagic, David Starobin, Roland Dyens, and Aniello Desiderio, among others.

In demand as a performer and teacher, Matt has performed and lectured at guitar festivals and universities throughout the United States. Recent performances include concerts at the Tennessee Guitar Festival, Tucson International Guitar Festival, Interlochen Guitar Festival, WIU Guitar Festival, Las Vegas Guitar Festival, Texas A&M Guitar Symposium, and Appalachian Guitarfest. In addition, Matt’s pioneering method and workshop has been recognized as a valuable addition to guitar pedagogy.

Gohar Vardanyan

"Gohar Vardanyan performs with a genuine passion and virtuosity that is engaging and compelling." ~ Sharon Isbin

"With her flaweless technique, natural musicality and gorgeous sound Gohar Vardanyan is undoubtly one of the most talented young guitarists I had ever had the pleasure to teach. It is only a matter of time before the entire guitar world will be speaking of her." ~Antigoni Goni

Armenian guitarist Gohar Vardanyan has performed throughout the United States for numerous guitar societies, universities, and arts organizations, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC, Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, and the Grand Canyon, Sierra Nevada, and New England Guitar Societies. She has appeared on National Public Radio on the program “From the Top.” Ms. Vardanyan has also performed with the Juilliard Opera Center and as a soloist with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra. Guitar International Magazine has described her as “the complete package,” “with a musicality and emotional quality . . . that one would expect from someone much older than the young wunderkind. Not only is she able to draw you into her performances with engaging musical interpretations, but she has the technical facility that is required of any concert level guitarist.” Her playing has been described as “passionate,” “evocative,” and “virtuosic.”

Ms. Vardanyan began studying the guitar in her native Armenia at the age of five under the careful guidance of her father, Vardan Vardanyan. At the age of eight, she gave her first public performance and also appeared on Armenian National Television. She was the first prize winner in the Armenian National Music Contest “Amadeus” and was accepted into the prestigious group, “New Names,” for talented young musicians. She performed in numerous concert venues in Armenia, including Komitas Chamber Music Hall and the Small Philharmonic Hall. She went on to study with Antigoni Goni at the Pre-College Division of the Juilliard School. In 2001, Ms. Vardanyan studied with John Wunsch at the Interlochen Arts Academy. She was awarded the Young Artist's Certificate from Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Harold Randolph Prize in performance from the Peabody Conservatory.

Ms. Vardanyan holds a Master of Music Degree from The Juilliard School where she studied with Sharon Isbin, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory of Music where she studied with Manuel Barrueco. She is also an alumna of the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Petar Jankovic Ensemble

"The interplay of the string quartet sounds very impressive..., and is executed flawlessly and artistically by all the members! The Petar Jankovic Ensemble is an exciting new group that has something to offer both fans of classical music as well as fans of guitar music!"
~Brad Conroy, music critic, GuitarInternational.com

Petar Jankovic, international award-winning classical guitarist and faculty member at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, joins forces with a string quartet comprised of brilliant musicians from the prestigious Indiana University.

This collaboration creates a very unique and attractive ensemble. The group currently tours with Spanish and Latin American classical music programs, playing original arrangements by some of the icons of this repertoire: Albeniz's Leyenda (Asturias), De Falla's La Vida Breve, Piazzolla’s tangos, etc... The string quartet and guitar blend infuses new vigor and refreshing outlook in combination with the group’s expressive and enjoyable renditions. Their show is well-received across a wide audience spectrum - from traditional chamber music lovers to guitar enthusiasts.

Jankovic began his performance career in 1985, and has since delighted audiences at concerts and enlightened students in his master classes throughout Europe and the United States. Jankovic’s guitar studies started at age eight in his native Serbia, where he later earned a degree in classical guitar from the Music Academy in Belgrade. At age 16, he delivered his first professional performance. By age 20, the Community College in Belgrade invited the young, talented Jankovic to share his expertise with novice guitar students.

This marked the beginning of a distinguished teaching career that has developed alongside his successful performing career. He went on to earn a Masters Degree and the esteemed Artist Diploma Degree from the renowned Indiana University School of Music where he currently teaches.

On average, Jankovic performs over 30 concerts per season. His expressive interpretations and technical mastery - found only among the world's top musicians – leaves no mystery to the many rave reviews received over the years. With his new Petar Jankovic Ensemble, Jankovic promises to deliver another triumph in his performing career.

Irene Gómez

I had been aware of Irene and her artistry for some time, but when I had the opportunity hear her performances of some of the unique South American repertoire she champions, she distinguished herself as a guitarist of importance. Her powerful yet sensitive performance skills provide incisive and moving interpretations and we at Strings By Mail are proud be a part of the contribution she is making to the world of music and culture.
-John Wunsch, Proprietor | STRINGS BY MAIL

Classical Guitarist Irene Gómez was first guitarist graduated in the National University in her home land Bogota, Colombia. She was awarded the master of music at the Julliard School where she studied under Sharon Isbin. She holds the Gold Medal in Guitar and Chamber music from Claude Debussy Conservatoire in France. Her high interpretative qualities on the guitar have been praised by prestigious magazines like Soundboard and Classical Guitar Magazine. She has released four CDs: Sunset Guitar (2000), En los bosques (2004), Images (2006) Estudios and Fantasias para Guitarra (2010).

Irene currently shares her time between her worldwide concert career, recording, and teaching at the Conservatory of Music at the National University of Colombia. She has toured in Europe and USA where she has performed as a soloist and as chamber musician in cities such as Paris, Metz, Dijon, Bergerac, Basel, Liestal, Brno, Olomouc, New York, Washington, Chicago, Dallas, Erie Pa., Caracas and Bogotá, among others.