Tale of Two Champions Guitarists Muriel Anderson and Helen Avakian Will Display Their Winning Styles at the Towne Crier
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May 20-26, 2015 Creative Living celebrating all good things Tale of two champions Guitarists Muriel Anderson and Helen Avakian will display their winning styles at the Towne Crier. by Kate Goldsmith compositions by Ralph Towner, George Muriel Anderson Gershwin, Stevie Wonder, Lennon & also Helen Avakian McCartney and Avakian, herself. There’s Friday, May 22, 8:30 p.m. also a dual-guitar arrangement by Peter Towne Crier Café Huttlinger of the traditional “Monaghan 379 Main St., Beacon Jig,” with a guest performance by Tickets $20 advance, $25 door Huttlinger. (845) 855-1300• www.townecrier.com As an arranger, Avakian takes songs that she loves, listens carefully to all the parts What are the chances of the only two and transcribes them. female fingerstyle guitar champions in the “After that I often will give it to a guitar world performing on the same bill in ensemble I am working with. This gives me Beacon, New York? a chance to see how the parts fit together Pretty good, as it happens. and sound on guitar,” she said. “That leads Muriel Anderson and Helen Avakian to tweaking the arrangement, fixing prob- will share the Towne Crier stage this Friday lems and maybe getting a new idea or two. evening, demonstrating why they are Then I figure out how to fit it all on one gui- among the best of the best. Each will per- tar as effectively as I can.” form a solo set and then join forces for a She records throughout the process, too, few tunes. “so I can listen from more of an outsider A longstanding popular presence on the observer point of view.” The performance Hudson Valley music scene, Avakian is an process tweaks the piece further until a accomplished singer-songwriter who was “standardized” version emerges. voted No. 1 Favorite Acoustic Act four Avakian relocated from Dutchess Fingerstyle Guitar Champions Muriel Anderson (holding a harp guitar) and Helen Avakian will per- times by Rhythm and News magazine and County to Madison, Wis., last year but vis- form at the Towne Crier in Beacon this Friday evening. Photo courtesy Helen Avakian has won numerous songwriting awards. its the area frequently. Comfortable in a variety of musical settings, “[Madison] is nice. It’s different. It’s for several years she was accompanist for interesting,” she said. “People are friendly. ommended young Muriel’s parents buy her profit organization she founded to facilitate Bard College’s flamenco dance program It’s amazing now: I used to have to drive one of Watson’s album for Christmas. funding for this purpose. and taught guitar at Marist College and everywhere; now I can walk to the library, to “I remember running home from school The story behind the Alliance began in Dutchess Community College; and has per- [get coffee]. I feel like I’m still transitioning, to learn every song from that album,” said 1998, when a string of crime in Anderson’s formed classical compositions with long- getting to know the area. So far, so good.” Anderson, an Illinois native who now lives community was attributed to young people time partner Terry Champlin. Avakian met Muriel Anderson in 2012 in Nashville. on drugs. She approached city leaders about When she began competing in finger- but had admired her long before that. Anderson eventually recorded with her the problem, which they blamed on arts style contests, Avakian took her playing to “I first read about Muriel in Acoustic hero and made music with other legends programs being cut back in the schools. yet another level. Guitar magazine and other publications, including Chet Atkins and Les Paul. Digging further, Anderson became aware of “When I first tried it [competing] I did- and I was intrigued. That is also where I A singer and prolific composer for many small organizations that were already n’t know what to expect. There’s some learned about the Fingerstyle Champion- acoustic and harp guitar, Anderson has 10 addressing this need in poorer school dis- absolutely phenomenal players,” she said. ship,” she said. “Then I heard recordings of CDs and several instructional DVDs to her tricts around the country. Her thought was “It became kind of an addiction. It helped Muriel and was impressed. Finally, I had credit. Her latest recording is the double- to create an organization to support pro- me get a lot better, and I met a lot of the chance to attend her performance at the CD “Nightlight Daylight,” which features grams that were already in place. people.” Indiana Fingerstyle Guitar Festival, and I the first interactive lighted CD cover and On her website, murielanderson.com, In 2013, she finished in the Top 5 at the was blown away!” contributions from Victor Wooten, Phil she wrote: “My vision was two-fold; first, I International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion- Avakian and Anderson performed Keaggy, Mark Kibble of Take 6, wanted to collect instruments for music ship at the Walnut Valley acoustic music together once before, at the Hyde Park Danny Gottlieb, Stanley Jordan, Tommy programs in need; and second, I wanted to festival in Kansas. Last year, she took it to Library Annex. Emmanuel, Earl Klugh, Howard Levy, Jeff create a national database, giving grants the top, becoming the first woman to win “It is amazing to be in concert with her; Coffin, Tierra Negra and members of the and recognition to organizations making a since the competition went international in a dream,” said Avakian. Nashville Symphony. difference in the lives of children through 2004, and the second since Muriel Anderson Anderson has good things to say about “People are really feeling the love music.” won in 1989, when it was called the Avakian, as well. and joy that went into making it,” said A true Renaissance woman, Anderson National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship. “She’s straight-ahead fingerstyle and Anderson, who describes the package as has published articles in Guitar Player, Her winning pieces were “Zambra,” a very accomplished. Very secure in her play- “one [disc] to go to sleep to, one to wake Acoustic Guitar, Fingerstyle Guitar, traditional flamenco composition; and an ing, and a good singer, too,” Anderson said. up to.” Classical Guitar and Frets magazines, and arrangement of Jay Ungar’s “Ashokan “It’s nice to see another woman really going As an arranger, Anderson has different is currently a regular columnist for Acoustic Farewell,” known to millions as the for excellence in their playing, and I think approaches for different songs, but always Guitar Japan magazine. She is a regular theme from Ken Burns’ PBS series, “The we’re going to see more of that.” takes note of what she finds most striking guest instructor for Truefire and at guitar Civil War.” Asked how it felt to finally have some about the tune. workshops across the country. Anderson Ungar’s haunting tune stood out from company at the top, Anderson said she was “It can be the phrasing of the singer, the also has a YouTube channel, where there the material presented by the other finalists, proud of Avakian’s accomplishment. timing of the piano player, the nuances of are clips from live performances as well as she said. “People cite[d] me as the only woman to the chords, and so I really try … to capture instructional material. “Apparently, people thought it might win the championship, and I always [said], that,” she said. “It’s more about capturing Visitors to her website can click on have helped me,” she said. “It’s a very quiet ‘So far!’” she said. the magic of that tune, rather than just the “Nightlight” from the top menu and down- piece; the other finalists had flashier Anderson took up the guitar at age 8. notes. That’s what really makes the song.” load a free bonus track, “What the World pieces.” The third-grader’s first gig was for her She is the host and founder of Muriel Needs Now is Love,” a duet with Phil Avakian used her prize money to fund classmates, a performance that included the Anderson’s All Star Guitar Night, which Keaggy. her latest album, “Notes from Helen,” fea- blues standard “Nobody Knows You When brings together some of the world’s finest Anderson and Avakian will sell their turing 12 instrumentals that showcase her You’re Down and Out.” guitarists to raise money for youth music CDs at the Towne Crier show. To learn diversity and virtuosity. “Zambra” and Doc Watson was Anderson’s first guitar education. Many of Anderson’s concerts more about the artists, visit murielander “Ashokan Farewell” appear, as well as hero. Her guitar teacher, Anne Jones, rec- benefit the Music for Life Alliance, a non- son.com and www.helenavakian.com. May 20-26, 2015 - NORTHERN DUTCHESS NEWS & Creative Living 11.