Guitarist A Publication of the Minnesota Guitar Society • P.O. Box 14986 • Minneapolis, MN 55414 JULY/ AUGUST 2006 VOL. 22 NO. 4 2006–2007 Sundin Hall Concert Series To Feature Earl Klugh, David Serva, William Kanengiser, Lorenzo Micheli, Jérôme Ducharme, Duo Erato, Nigel North, and Guitarathons! Also In This Issue Remembering Dennis Burns, Dan Estrem on Recording the Guitar, Learning Guitar in Minnesota, News and Notes News and Notes Board of Directors PRESIDENT Changes to MGS Board Joe Haus With regret, we announce the departure of Managing Director Nancy Frederiksen, who VICE-PRESIDENT resigned effective June 30th to pursue other interests, including more time to play the Joanne Backer guitar! We thank her for making the last two years so successful for our Society through MANAGING DIRECTOR her efforts in writing grants and coordinating our concert series. Taking over as Manag- Paul Hintz ing Director is Paul Hintz, who held the position from 2001 to 2003. SECRETARY We also regret to announce the departure of Jim Campbell, longtime MGS Treasurer, Christopher Kachian who is contemplating a move out of state (career related). His work in keeping our books in order was invaluable and will be missed. He’ll be missed at the Sundin box office, too. TREASURER We welcome long-time MGS member Patrick Strother to our Board. He is CEO of Jim Campbell Strother Communications Group, and we look forward to benefiting from his expertise in BOARD MEMBERS helping us publicize our concerts and other activities. Alan Norton Bob Owen OpenStage to Continue Brent Weaver Despite the passing of OpenStage founder Dennis Burns in April (see next page), the Annett Richter MGS Board hopes to continue this important forum. OpenStage is a structured but infor- Kuan Teoh mal way for guitarists of any level to experience the joy of playing for each other. Details Steve Haskin will appear in our next issue, but mark your calendars, and start polishing your rendi- Joe Hagedorn tions of classical, folk, and jazz favorites. Get-togethers at Brady Education Center (Uni- Steve Kakos versity of St. Thomas, St. Paul campus) are planned for the following Sunday afternoons: Gene Swanson October 1st, November 5th, February 4th, and April 22nd. Lisa McGowan Daniel Sturm Minnesota Guitar Society Web Site Patrick Strother Information about guitar-related events can be found at the Minnesota Guitar Society Web site calendar. Visit <www.mnguitar.org>. At the home epage, click on “Calendar.” Newsletter In addition to Society concerts, included are events featuring Minnesota Guitar Society EDITOR members and other guitarists of note. To get your items listed, email Al Norton at Paul Hintz <[email protected]>. PRODUCTION Contributions Welcome Martha King Send us your news—gigs, concerts, CDs, etc.—by July 15th to appear in the Septem- David’s Print Shop ber/October issue. Web Site Production Volunteer Opportunities Amy Lytton We need help distributing the newsletter, especially in the northeast corner of the metro (White Bear Lake and Stillwater) and the southwest (Savage, Edina, and Blooming- ton). Time commitment: 1 hour, every other month. Contact the editor for details. Minnesota Guitar Society Future Issues Mission Statement Our September/October issue will profile our first Sundin Hall performer, flamenco To promote the guitar, guitar master David Serva, and October’s artist, Italian Lorenzo Micheli. We’ll have infor- in all its stylistic and cultural mation about our 2006–2007 Local Artists series as well. And expect to read about an diversity, through our exciting new guitar performance opportunity for young players. Get your copy without newsletter and through our leaving home! Become an MGS member today! See the form at the back of this issue. sponsorship of public forums, concerts, and workshops. Contact Editor Paul Hintz To commission new music You can reach him by email at <[email protected]> or by phone 651-699-6827. and to aid in its promotion, publication, and recording. To serve as an educational Directions to Sundin Hall on the Hamline U. Campus and social link between From I-94, head north on Snelling Avenue in St. Paul, past amateur and professional guitarists and the University Avenue to Hewitt Avenue. Turn right, Sundin Hall is on community. your left, a half-block east of Snelling. To promote and help Free parking is available one block past the hall, in lots off Hewitt create opportunities for (on your right) or off Pascal (1 block north). Minnesota guitarists and players of related For Concert and Ticket Information call 612-677-1151. instruments. 2 guitarist Remembering Dennis Burns (1950–2006) ennis Burns was an amateur on the guitar, an member Kuan Teoh. Dan Estrem’s entry speaks to the amateur in the best and truest sense—someone effect OpenStage had on Dennis, and the effect he had who loved the instrument and devoted on others: immense energy and passion to playing it. A guitarist “Dennis and I got to know each other through the Dsince his teens and a long-time member of the Minneso- OpenStage series that he made a huge success. It was ta Guitar Society, Dennis passed away in April. His loss impossible for anyone to not like Dennis. He was one of is felt by his family and many friends, and will be felt the most friendly and humble people that I've met. If by the Society. His inestimable contribution was as cre- there were a poll taken of the OpenStage players as to ator and sustainer of our OpenStage program. who was the most improved guitarist over the years...Dennis would be the winner. When we first OpenStage began his hands were trembling and he could hardly OpenStage began in fall of 2001 when Dennis get through a song. The last time I saw him play I was approached members of the MGS Board with a unique inspired to track down one of the pieces he per- idea: an ongoing series of informal get-togethers for formed....it was great. My sympathy to family and guitarists to share music and, just as importantly, over- friends.”—Dan Estrem come barriers of shyness and anx- The guestbook holds many similar remembrances of iety that stood in the way of their Dennis: experiencing the joy of playing “... I met Dennis through the 'open stages', and was music for others. Thanks to Den- always struck with his warmth and kindness. ...” nis’s persistence, OpenStage was —Eduardo Colon born. “You were always nice, polite and trying to help One of Dennis’s many gifts was everybody. We will miss you.”—Guillermo Etienne his ability to create a warm, sup- “Thank you so much for your down-to-earth warmth portive atmosphere, and plan and and never-ending generosity. I also appreciate your host the events in a way that per- dedication to the MN Guitar Society’s Open Stage, fectly balanced the informality of where you always made me feel like a million bucks! photo by Bob Owen a jam session with the formality Ruth and Tracy, my sympathy for your loss of this most of a small recital. Thanks to him, incredible man.”—Robert Everest and the participation of a core group of regulars plus “I very much appreciate how Dennis initiated and many guests, OpenStage was an immediate and contin- persisted, making the Minnesota Guitar Society Open- uing success. Stage a success. I really enjoyed how he would play OpenStage grew out of Dennis’s own experience as a folk as well as classical, especially his singing of Bob musician. His love of the guitar started as he learned Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right.” I felt like he the folk music of the day (the mid- to late 1960s). It led was a friend.”—Al Norton him to study at different times with several of the best- Perhaps Dan Sturm says it as well as it can be said: known teachers in the Twin Cities, including Will Agar, “Dennis was a student of mine around 1985. Howev- Jeff Van, John Holmquist, and Dan Sturm. It led him to er prepared he was for the lesson he always appeared the classical guitar when he was in his early thirties. He ready, and sporting a warm generous smile. Over the and his wife Ruth were regulars at all MGS concerts, years we lost touch but we reconnected through the and other classical guitar events such as Segovia’s last Society. It made me so happy to see his eager zealous concert in the Twin Cities. Classical music gave him his will in action making our Society a society for all gui- greatest enjoyment, and his greatest challenge. Part of tarists. It’s rare to find such zeal-in-action, all for the the classical guitarist’s challenge is tremolo technique. love of an instrument and its players. He once gave me Ruth Burns remembers him sitting down next to her on the gift of two fine crystal beer glasses which he pur- the couch one night not long ago and saying, “I think chased in Germany. Dennis was a chap composed of a I’m finally getting the hang of it!” Another part of the crystalline material precious and singular. We shall all challenge is note-perfect performance and the anxiety miss him greatly.” that can create. His friend and fellow guitarist, MGS Board member Bob Owen, recalls many conversations about the challenge of overcoming anxiety symptoms 2006–2007 OpenStage Schedule while playing. OpenStage provided the place to meet Sundays: Oct 1st, Nov 5th, Feb 4th, Apr 22nd that challenge.. All meetings at 3 pm at University of St. Thomas Brady Education Center.