Valérie Hartzell, director
and Fernand Vera and Lauren Kesgen-Guidry, assistant
directors
Check out the pictures from the 2007 festival!
PICTURES
The fifth "Classical Minds" Guitar
Festival will be held from June 27 - July 3, 2008
at University of Houston
Moores School of Music
for more infomtion click
HERE
"Congratulations...what an amazing thing to pull off. I know how hard
you [Valerie] and all your co-teachers had to have worked and the end
result was well worth
it. Thank you for coaxing Charlotte into it. She's in love with
classical again. The teachers were all so different and
fascinating.....This is my second experience hearing a guitar orchestra
and I just can't think of anything more pleasant than a bunch of
beautiful strings playing in parts." Jane Heron, parent of Charlotte
Heron
"What an incredible experience!!!! Randall Avers was just
awesome to watch, listen and talk to. What a great guy. The
unlimited access to the artists and staff was incredible! My
[private] lessons with Olga Amelkina-Vera were very informative.
Valdemar Phoenix was very kind to us "classical" types and helpful in
his insight into the Spanish music and how to approach it from a
flamenco point of view. Thank you for putting together such a fun
festival! I spent an entire week of my annual vacation attending
and will definitely be attending next year! It was well worth my
vacation time!" Jon Erickson
"Thanks Valerie the recital was absolutely beautiful! I know that
Cat was depressed when it was over she said she made a lot of friends
and wished it was longer. I know she will be delighted to attend
again next year she feels she really learned from this experience.
Thanks Again!" Margaret Garcia (Cat Anton's mom)
"As a result of the festival, both Katie and Cat decided to take
classical guitar lessons (neither were), so you [Valerie Hartzell and
faculty] must have done lots of things well." Margaret Hornbostel
(Katie Hornbostel's mom)
Valerie Hartzell,
Classical Guitarist
Full audio clips: Click HERE
To watch Valerie perform, click HERE.
Performances include 'Fuoco' by Dyens, 'Julia Florida' by
Barrios, 'Maria,' 'Marieta,' and 'Recuerdos' by Tarrega.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
6th 'Classical
Minds' Guitar Festival & Competition
University of Houston, Moores
School of Music
June 15 - June 20, 2010
Valerie Hartzell, director
Fernand
Vera, assistant director
Frank Koonce,
Mary Akerman, Enric and Sabine
Madriguera, Anthony Glise, Randall Avers, Olga Amelkina-Vera and
Fernand Vera,
Patrick Lui, Dieter Hennings, Marc Garvin
For
more information on the festival, click HERE
Click HERE for pictures of the 2009 Festival
Click HERE
for pictures of the 2009 Competition.
Click
HERE to read about the new Guild in Houston:
The Greater
Houston Guitar Guild
Valerie Hartzell, director
Aquiles Torres, Eric Gracia,
Claudio Zangirolami and Jon Erickson, co-directors
JB Taylor, student assistant
The line up for 2010:
Jeremy Collins (winner of the 2009 'Classical Minds Competition), Lynn
McGrath, Andrew Zohn, Lucia Y Valdemar Gitanerias
Flamenco, Kithara Duo, Ernesto Tamayo, and Valerie
Hartzell
NEWS:
* Listen here to KUHF (Houston's NPR) "The Front Row" on 88.7FM.
Click on this
link to here the interview and live performance.
I was a guest artist along with jazz guitarist, Mike Wheeler.
This show was to showcase the 1st Annual Guitar Fest that
occurred on Saturday, December 5th.
* Recital on Sunday, September 13th at the Roger Smith Hotel:
Presented by The Roger Smith Hotel, Co-Sponsored by
New York City
Classical Guitar Society (Frank Wallace and John Olson, co-curators)
Roger Smith Hotel
501 Lexington Avenue
New York City
Click
HERE for pictures of the event
* Katy Guitar Fest to take
place on December 5, 2009 (note the
date change) from 10am
-
8pm at the Westland Baptist Church (1407 W. Grand Parkway S., Katy,
TX). So far, artists include
Bill
Solley (jazz guitarist), Mark Everson (flamenco), Mike Wheeler (jazz),
Valerie Hartzell (classical guitarist), Erich Avinger (jazz / world
music) George Heathco, and Sam Perez (classical guitarist). For
more information, call 281-578-5873 or go to:
KatyFest
* February 4-5, 2010 in Lancaster, PA at the Pennsylvania Academy of
Music, concert on the 4th and master class on the 5th. This is the 2nd
guitar festival at this academy. For more information, go to:
http://www.pamusacad.org/
* Recital on February 11th at Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art at
Auburn University at 7pm
. This
performance is sponsored by the Chattahoochee Valley Classical Guitar
Society. Master class to be held at Schwob School of Music.
* Concert and Master class at the Fifth Annual Guitar Orchestra
Workshop (February 26-28), directed by the Kithara Duo. Concert
on
Friday, February 26th and master class on Sunday, February 28th at 10am
until 1pm. For more information go to:
www.kitharaduo.com
* March 16th, solo recital at Pikeville College in Pikeville, Kentucky.
More information will be announced soon.
*Solo fundraising recital through the
GHGG in Katy, TX on Saturday, May 7th at 7:30pm. This
fundraising concert is for the
'Classical Minds' Competition which will be held in June of 2010.
All proceeds will go toward the competition prizes. Tickets
are $12 for Students, $15 for senior citizens and GHGG members, and $20
for the general public.
Valerie Hartzell & Jennifer
Grassman, Concert Tour:
Jennifer Grassman invited me to tour with her; we plan on driving from
Texas to California! How it works: I would perform 1st on the
program, all classical guitar and then she would perform 2nd (she is a
pianists/song writer/singer).
The tour is going to be in October of 2010, from Houston, TX to
California. If anyone west of Houston in TX, New Mexico, Arizona,
and California would like to book us, please contact me at
valeriehartzell@consolidated.net This tour will promote both of
our new cds.
For information on Ms Grassman, go to:
http://www.jennifergrassman.com/
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I also work in a duo with Sandra Johnson, the music we perform ranges
from the Renaissance all the way to the 20th C.
Please go to the DUOATHENA web site for biographies, pictures,
programs, and more information on the concerts.
Biography
Click HERE for more
promotional pictures
Click HERE
for pictures of the Ft. Worth Guitar Guild Concert.
Click HERE
for picture of the Dia de la Guitarra Festival.
Valerie
Hartzell began
her classical
guitar studies on a half-size Ramirez at the age
of three. At
the age of six, she
studied with maestro Alexandre Lagoya at the Académie
Internationale d’Eté in
Nice, France. She has participated in
master classes with several internationally acclaimed artists,
including Ako
Ito, Castellani-Andriaccio Duo, David Russell, and Elena Papandreou.
In 1991,
Ms. Hartzell made her debut performing Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s
“Concerto
for
guitar and orchestra” with the New Philharmonic Orchestra of
Irving,
Texas. She made her international debut
in San Mamete, Italy at the Festival del Piccolo Mondo in August
1994.
She has performed in Europe, Canada, the
U.S. and has appeared on television in Nice, FR. From September
29-October 5, 2002 she toured the Carolinas which promoted her first cd, Fuoco!
She has performed in many festivals, including the 'Close
Encounters' Voice and Guitar
Festival at University of Houston (where she performed and co-directed
the festival along the side of Katherine
Ciesinski), the Eastfield College Guitar Festival
and Competition in Mesquite, the
first Classical Guitar Weekend Workshop at The Music Conservatory of
Texas in Frisco, the Tennessee Festival at Middle Tennessee State
University, the ECU Competition and Festival in Greenville, NC and the
MANC Guitar Competition and Festival in Greensboro, NC.
In
March of 2007, Ms. Hartzell performed with studio members of the
Houston Grand
Opera at the Rienzi Recital Series.
In
August 2003, Ms. Hartzell was the first performer to win
the “K-Artist of the Month
Contest” sponsored by Houston’s
former classical station, KRTS, 92.1FM. Additionally,
she was a prizewinner
at the
Portland
Guitar
Competition, the East Carolina University Competition and Festival, and
the Appalachian Guitar Festival and Competition. Was has won 1st prizes at the 10th International
Guitar
Competition “Simone Salmaso” in Viareggio, Italy and at
the Concours de Guitare Classique Heitor Villa-Lobos in Nice, France.
At
the Peabody
Conservatory of Johns
Hopkins University, Ms. Hartzell was awarded the highest undergraduate
scholarship for the classical guitar and studied with Manuel Barrueco
earning
her Bachelor’s Degree in 1997. She was
awarded a Graduate Teaching Fellowship at Radford University with
Robert Trent
and was placed as Adjunct Faculty while studying for her Master’s
Degree in
Music. She received her performance
degree in May of 1999 and currently, she is a Professional Teacher at
Moores
School of Music, University of Houston and is Adjunct Faculty at the
Houston Community College. She also accompanies many vocal
students at both Moores School of Music, University of Houston and at
the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University. She keeps an
active solo career and works in a professional duo with soprano Sandra
Johnson, as Duo Athena and frequently is a judge at
international competitions throughout
the United States (St. Joseph International Competition, Texas Guitar
Competition, East Carolina University International
Competition, the
Eastfield Guitar Competition, the 'Classical Minds' Guitar Competition,
and the MANC Guitar Competition). Many
of her private students have placed and won national and international
competitions. Also, her private
students have been accepted on scholarship to Schwob School of Music
(University of Columbus), San Francisco Conservatory, University of
North Texas
in Denton, University of Texas at San Antonio, and Texas State
University at San Marcos.
Valerie Hartzell is the creator
and Director of the "Classical Minds" Guitar Festival and Competition
at Moores School of Music, University
of Houston and is the director of the Greater Houston Guitar Guild.
Ms. Hartzell plays a Greg Byers
Guitar.
Examples of Valerie's playing:
(right click and select 'save target' to download the clip)
Pujol
Dyens-LIVE
MEDIA
APPEARANCES:
Valerie Hartzell with soprano Sandra
Johnson (Duo Athena)
May 31, 2007
on 'The Front Row,' KUHF, 88.7FM. Interview with Dean Dalton.
Guest
on 'Pulling Strings' with Elaine Kennedy and Marc
May 26,
2007
Garvin; KUHF, 88.7FM
Valerie Hartzell and tenor Richard
Kosowski on 'The Front
November 3, 2006
Row'. Performed three of the "Letters from Composers" by
Argento. Interview by Catherine Lu.
Duo Athena (soprano Sandra Johnson and guitarist Valerie
June 1, 2006
Hartzell) interviewed by Dean Dalton on 'The Front Row' KUHF,
88.7FM (with Kithara Duo)
Guest on 'Pulling Strings' with Elaine Kennedy and Marc
May, 2006
Garvin; KUHF, 88.7FM
(with Isaac Bustos)
Guest on ‘Pulling
Strings’
with Elaine Kennedy and
Marc
May 14, 2005
Garvin; KUHF,
88.7FM
Interview
on 'The Front Row' with Dean Dalton on
May 28, 2004
KUHF,
88.7FM
(With Beau Benson and Kithara Duo)
Interview
on 'The Front Row' with Dean Dalton on
June 2, 2004
KUHF,
88.7FM (With
Randall Avers)
Houston:
Winner of the
“K-Artist of the Month Contest”
-Interview with Tom Richards on 92.1FM
August
14, 2003
-Performance (live broadcast) at
Magnolia Bar &
Grill
August
17, 2003
-60 second bio spot on 92.1 FM; three times a day for all of
August
Houston:
Interview
with Dean Dalton on KUHF,
88.7FM
May
8, 2003
FESTIVALS:
Concert and judging at the
Rosario Festival and
Competition April
24-26, 2009
in Columbia, SC at
the Carolina Music Academy
Concert and master class at
the Dia de la Guitarra
May 30th, 2009
at
Eastfield Community College
Solo concert, master
class and judging of the College Division
November 14 - 16, 2008
at the MANC
Guitar Festival and
Competition in Greensboro, NC
Judged,
performed, and gave master classes at the East
July 12-15, 2008
Carolina University Competition & Festival; Greenville, NC
Solo recital at the Tennessee Gutiar
Festival at Middle
March 16th,
2008
Tennessee State University
Taught private lessons at the East
Carolina University Festival
July 15-July 18, 2006
& Competition; Greenville, NC
Director of "Classical Minds"
Guitar Festival at Moores School
June 26 - July 2, 2009
of Music, University of Houston (Texas Music
Festival)
June 27 - July 3, 2008
May 29 - June 3, 2007
May 30
- June 4, 2006
May 31 - June 4, 2005
May 30 - June 5, 2004
'
The Houston Festival was a
great experience. The festival provided one
of the most thorough and
comprehensive programs available for classical
guitarists of all levels. Each
day, the student is completely immersed
- from warming up,
ensemble practice, master classes to lectures on
guitar building and flamenco
among other things. The aspect that truly
sets this festival apart was
the laid-back atmosphere and the staff's
ambition to design a program
that is well rounded and accommodating to the student.'
Randall Avers - Faculty Artist 2004, 2005, 2007
www.randallavers.com
classical guitarist, competition winner, performer, teacher, recording artist
'I have enjoyed the last two years attending the guitar festival and
look forward to attending again next year. I did gain valuable
knowledge and experience from this year's festival. Specifically with
the lecture on indentifying and avoiding medical problems with our
hands, the technique classes, the work during the flamenco break out
sessions, and the individual lessons with Richard Todd.
I cannot dismiss the value and enjoyment received from observing the
high quality performances offered up as a part of the festival as well.
I came away with six or seven CDs this year. It was a win/win for me. I
obtained more classical and flamenco music to enjoy and was also able
to support the performing artists. Thank you again for sponsoring the
annual festival. I look forward to supporting you, your directors and
the other instructors again by participating in next year's festival.'
Michael Smith - Student of the 'Classical Minds' Institute 2 years in a row
Thank you so much [Valerie], and thank you Robb, for your hospitality and
generosity. You were gracious hosts and great company....I enjoyed the festival
and the visit and think you have made a real and lasting impression on the folks
in Houston; I see only successes in your future!!
Again, thanks for including me on the roster, and for your many kindnesses.
Stephen Aron - Faculty Artist 2007
stephenaron.net
performer, recording artist, arranger, composer, teacher, writer,
adjudicator, lecturer and impresario
Co-Director of "Close Encounters:
Chamber Music Festival for
June 1 - 6, 2003
Voice and Guitar"; Moores School
of Music (University of Houston)
Director of Montgomery College Guitar
Festival;
February 29 - March 1, 2003
Montgomery College, Conroe, TX
Competitions
First person to win 92.1 FM's K-Artist of the Month Contest
August 2003
Semi-Finalist in Stotsenberg International
Competition;
May 30- June 1, 2003
Malibu, Ca
2nd Place Winner
of the Portland Solo Guitar
Competition:
March 9, 2002
Portland, Or.
Finalist in Appalachian State Guitar Competition
April
2001
First Prize: 10th International Guitar
Competition
March 30, 2001
‘Simone Salmaso’: Viareggio, Italy
Finalist in East Carolina University Competition
July 2000
First Prize: “Villa-Lobos” Guitar Competition: Nice,
France
June 2000
Performances
Solo concert at the Texas
Music Festival 'Classical Minds' June 30, 2009
Institute in Dudley Recital Hall
at University of
Houston
Concert and Master class at
Herberger College of the
April 9-10, 2009
Arts, Arizona State
University in Tempe, AZ
Fundraising
Concert through the Greater Houston Guitar
March 28th, 2009
Guild
for the
'Classical Minds' Guitar Competition
Concert through the Fort
Worth Guitar Guild
March 8, 2009
at The Art Gallery at the Rose Marine
Theater
Recital and Master class
at Yeager Recital Hall in the
January 21, 2009
Center of the Arts Building at Elon Universty (Elon, NC)
Concert
through the Charlotte
Guitar Society
January 17, 2009
Tate Hall
@ CPCC in Charlotte , NC
Concert
at Wofford
College,
in Spartanburg, SC
January 14, 2009
in Sandor
Teszler Library Gallery
Solo performance
at Appalachian
State University in
November 10, 2008
Boone, NC - Master class on November 11th.
Solo performance through the Triangle
Guitar Society
November 9, 2008
at the Durham Arts
Council in Raleigh/Durham, NC
Solo
performance at the Austin Classical Guitar
October 19, 2008
Society Meeting at the Austin History Center
Solo Concert at the East
Carolina University
July
12, 2008
Competition and Festival;
Greenville, NC
Duo Athena and Valerie Hartzell in concert at the Greater
May 3, 2008
Houston
Guitar Guild Salon Concert Series
Solo Recital and Master class (Mark Cruz Studio) at
April 6, 2008
Texas State University-San Marcos
in Evans Recital Hall;
San Marcos, TX
Solo
recital at the Tennessee Gutiar
Festival at Middle March 16th,
2008
Tennessee State University
Duo
Athena (Sandra Johnson, soprano and Valerie
March 3, 2008
Hartzell, guitar)
in concert at Kemp Recital Hall
at the Illinois State
University; Bloomington-Normal, IL;
Valerie Hartzell in Master class with Dr. Angelo Favis' studio
Duo Athena (Valerie
Hartzell, guitar and
Sandra Johnson, June 1, 2007
soprano) in Concert at the 'Classical Minds' Guitar
Institute Faculty Artist Concert Series at the Moores
Opera House: University of Houston
Duo Athena in Concert at the First Unitarian Universalist
May 5, 2007
Church downtown Houston
Duo Athena in Concert at the Houston
April 14, 2007
Community College; Houston, TX
Duo Athena Recital at the University of Houston,
March 30, 2007
downtown campus.
Recital at Rienzi with
Houston Grand Opera Studio
March 2, 2007
Members (Alicia Gianni, Tamara
Wilson, Beau
Gibson, and Liam Bonner); Houston, TX Click HERE
for pics
Performed "Letters from Composers" by Dominick
November 12, 2006
Argento for tenor, Richard Kosowski's doctoral recital
at Moores School of Music, University of Houston
Fundraising concert for S.T.A.A.R., a dog shelter, with
November 4, 2006
Richard Kosowski at the Crosspoints Community
Church in Katy, TX
Concert with soprano, Sandra Johnson at the
June 3,
2006
'Classical Minds' Guitar Festival at University
of Houston
Concert & Master Class at the first Classical Guitar
January 27-29, 2006
Weekend Workshop at The Music Conservatory of
Texas; Frisco, TX
Fundraiser Salon Concert at Hartzell-Nejako residence
December 10, 2005
for the S.T.A.A.R. dog shelter; Houston
Private Guitar Concert at the Surgical Pathology
December
8, 2005
Conference, M D Anderson Cancer Center at the
Westin Galleria Hotel; Houston, TX
Guitar Concert at the Eastfield College Guitar Festival
July 30, 2005
& Competition; Mesquite, TX
Guitar Concert
sponsored by the Ft.Worth Guitar Guild at
March 14, 2004
the Southwest Regional Library
Auditorium; Ft. Worth, TX
Close
Encounters: Chamber Music for
Voice and Guitar
June 5,
2003.
Katherine
Ciesinski, director Valerie Hartzell,
co-director
Flute and Guitar recital at the First Unitarian
May 11,
2003
Universalist
Church; Houston, TX
Voice and Guitar Concert at Moores School of Music with
April
14,
2003
Sandi Johnson,
soprano; Houston, TX
Montgomery College Guitar Festival featured Kithara
Duo,
February 28 - March 1, 2003
Valerie Hartzell and Mike Havens.
Recital at East Carolina University School of Music;
January 21, 2003
A. J. Fletcher Recital Hall in Greenville, NC
Tour: Saluda, NC; Wofford College, SC;
September 29 – October 5, 2002
Appalachian State
University, NC; Elon University, NC
Guest Artist at
the Winner’s Recital of the Villa-Lobos
April 23, 2001
Guitar Competition, sponsored by KATAULUS: Nice, FR
Faculty Recitals
at Montgomery College
October 12, 2002 February 17, 2002, February
24,
2002,
March 18, 2001, October 28,
2001
Guest Artist at the Summer Guitar Workshop:
June 22, 2001
Greensboro,
NC
Guitar Recital presented by the
Guitar Houston,
at
February 20, 2000
Texas Select Music: Magnolia, TX
Guitar Recital presented by the
Guitar Houston,
at
October 1, 1999
St. Dunstan's Church
France Debut: Guitar Recital
at the Saint
Antoine
May 28,
1999
de Ginestière Church presented by the Ars
Antonina:
Nice, France
Guitar Recital, Christopher Newport
University:
April 20, 1999
Newport News, VA
Faculty Recital, Bondurant Center
(Norwood
Room):
December 4, 1998
Radford, VA
Switzerland Debut: Guest
Artist at the Arts
Festival
May
23, 1998
presented by the American School in Switzerland,
Villa
Monticello: Lugano, Switzerland
Debut:
Guest Artist with the New Irving
Philharmonic,
April 1991
Irving, TX
dkfjl
RESUME
Please click HERE
for
a list of teaching experience, judging, and awards.
Information
If you are interested in private
lessons,
concert bookings, or would like more information, please:
Links
ErnestoTamayo
Monrad
Guitars
Sandra
Johnson (Duo Athena)
Byers
Guitars
Clear Lake Guitar
Instructor
www.fleurdeson.com
ECU
worldguitarist.
Matt Gould
Guitar Houston
Naxos
GFA
RandallAvers
Lorenzo Micheli
www.multimania.com/parj/ako/
www.utexas.edu/cofa/music/
www.music.appstate.edu
www.savarez.com/
www.uh.edu/music/tmf.html
Guitarra
Magazine
Los Angeles Classical Guitars
Guitarrabrava.com
UnivofTexasDallas
DouglasJames
FortWorthGuild
EdwardGrigassy
Marc Garvin
ACGS
FrankKoonce
RosarioFestival
MexicoFestivalCompetition
http://www.GuitarCurriculum.com
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Last Updated: 01/08/08
Produced
by: Robert Nejako
nejrob@consolidated.net
