Queens Theatre In The Park Presents International Guitar Night 1/16/2011

Queens Theatre in the Park (QTP) presents International Guitar Night on January 16, 2011 at 3pm at Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY. Tickets are $37 and are available by phone at 718-760-0064.

Fresh from an international tour, International Guitar Night returns to Queens Theatre in the Park by popular demand. The line-up includes an Italian virtuoso often compared to Michael Hedges, the up-and-coming son of a legendary Brazilian composer, and a player that's been named one of Total Guitar's Top 10 Acoustic Guitarists of all Time. Enjoy an evening with the world's foremost acoustic guitarists performing in their own styles, and exchanging musical ideas. This year, founder Brian Gore will be joined by Clive Carroll, England's show-stopping steel string guitarist, Alexandre Gismonti, the exciting young Brazilian guitarist who includes Django Reinhart and Jimi Hendrix among his influences, and Italy's Pino Forastiere, a master of the new steel string guitar.

International Guitar Night was founded eleven years ago by San Francisco steel-string fingerstyle player Brian Gore, who has been praised for his masterful playing and distinctive blend of fingerstyle and percussive techniques. Each year, Gore assembles a cross-section of the world's acoustic virtuosos for a touring guitar festival. This year, their music will also be available on International Guitar Night V (download MP3s on the left), a new album being released in conjunction with the tour.

The most decorated performer on the upcoming tour is British guitarist and John Renbourn protege Clive Carroll. Possessed of a first class honours degree in composition and guitar from Trinity College, Carroll racked up countless awards during his university career, including the John Halford Prize for Composition (1994), the Gladys Puttick Memorial Prize for Extemporisation ('94,'98), the Ivor Mairants Guitar Award (1997), and the Montagu Cleeve Prize for Guitar (1998). He was also named the Essex Young Musician of the Year in 1999, the first guitarist to ever win the award. Carroll was born in 1975 to a mother who played button according and sang Irish ballads and a father who was an accomplished bodhran player, banjoist, and instrument maker. He received his first banjo from his father when he was just 18 months old. By age 9, he was playing in the family band. He has since toured with John Renbourn and Tommy Emmanuel, been called "Probably the best and most original young acoustic guitar player and composer in Britain" by Acoustic Guitar magazine, and been named one of Total Guitar's Top 10 Acoustic Guitarists of All Time.

International Guitar Night's hot up-and-comer this year is Brazilian Alexandre Gismonti, the son of the legendary Brazilian composer Egberto Gismonti. Having developed his own unique voice on his instrument - one that incorporates elements of flamenco and jazz - the young Gismonti has represented Brazil at the 2003 "Entre Cuerdas" international guitar festival in Chile, performed as a soloist in the 41st Villa-Lobos Festival in Rio de Janeiro, and been selected for the 7th Visa Award of Brazilian music in Sao Paulo.

This year's line-up of guests is rounded out by Pino Forastiere, an Italian maestro whose sound has been likened to a cross between Steve Reich and Michael Hedges - with maybe a touch of Eddie Van Halen thrown in. Of his totally unique style, Guitar Player magazine says, "he employs a dazzling blend of slapping, tapping, strumming, altered tunings and harmonics, combined with classical phrasing and a focus on distinct and addictive melodies." Forastiere earned a degree in classical guitar from the Santa Cecilia Conservatory and has released four solo albums on the noted guitar label Candyrat. In 2008 he premiered Why Not? an epic concerto for electro-acoustic guitar and string orchestra. This past March, Forastiere introduced Guitar Republic, a new acoustic guitar trio "made in Italy," featuring himself, Sergio Altamura, and Stefano Barone.

The heart and soul of International Guitar Night remains Brian Gore, described as having one of the most unique new acoustic guitar styles on the scene today by News and Review. Gore is a self-described "guitar poet" who blends classical and percussive techniques. Acoustic Guitar's Ron Forbes Roberts wrote that his "well developed melodies and intriguing chord sequences set him apart from the myriad of steel-string fingerstylists who compose in open tunings." Roberts added, "His finely crafted poetic songs without words take the listener on a spellbinding emotional ride." Gore founded International Guitar Night in 2004 as a forum for the world's finest guitarists / composers to play their latest original songs and share musical ideas with their peers in public concert. Today, it is the world's premier touring guitar festival.

Queens Theatre in the Park is a tax exempt, not for profit organization, funded in part by the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Speaker Christine Quinn and the Council of the City of New York, and Queens Borough President Helen Marshall. Queens Theatre's programs and events are made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional public funding is provided by members of the New York City Council and members of the New York State Assembly and Senate.

Tickets are available:
* Online at www.queenstheatre.org.
* By phone at 718-760-0064, Tue-Sat, 12-6pm.
* In person at Queens Theatre in the Park, Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY.

* Subscriptions: Become a Theatre or Dance Subscriber by ordering tickets to all four Theatre Series events or all four Dance Series events and enjoy significant savings off the ticket price.
* Multi Show: Order any three or more shows and earn the multi show discount price. This discount is available for any show this season. There is no limit on the number of tickets you can purchase at this discount. If you are already a Theatre or Dance Subscriber or have purchased at least two shows this season, you have already earned this discount on additional ticket purchases.
* Groups: Contact group sales associate Barbara Matovu at 718-760-0064 x128 for groups of 15 or more.

Queens Theatre in the Park is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Flushing, NY.
By Subway: Take the 7 train to Mets-Willets Point stop. Exit and turn left after passing through turnstile, walk downstairs on the parking lot side and follow the theatre shuttle signs. Take free trolley to the Theatre. Trolley runs for one hour before and after all performances.
By Car: Take the Grand Central Parkway to exit 9E (from Manhattan) or 9P (from Long Island) and follow the signs for the Theatre. Free parking in adjacent lot.

About Queens Theatre in the Park
Queens Theatre in the Park is committed to presenting performing arts that provide audiences with the highest quality work. QTP also produces new plays, with a concentration on up-and-coming directors and playwrights. QTP has broadened the experience of its core audience to include works by under-recognized artists from around the world and works that tap into the diverse communities of Queens.

Queens Theatre in the Park is located in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in the New York State Pavilion designed for the 1964 World's Fair by Philip Johnson. The Pavilion was converted to a theatre in 1972 and was operated by various organizations until 1985. QTP was officially established in 1989 with the full support of the community and the Queens Borough President. After a $4 million renovation that brought full ADA compliance, the Theatre officially opened to the public in 1993 in a facility that allows it to stage productions equal to those of any Off-Broadway house in Manhattan in its 464-seat main stage theatre and its 99-seat Studio Theatre. What was then a small cabaret-style theater with an operating budget of under $500,000 has transformed itself into a major performing arts center with exhibition galleries with a projected operating budget of $3.5 million for FY10.

QTP became an independent nonprofit in 1997. It is a member of the Cultural Institutions Group receiving support from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The Theatre presents and produces 300 performances annually. QTP serves 100,000 people annually who reflect the rich demographics of its community population. Currently 75% of the Theatre's constituency is from Queens. In addition to its own season, QTP frequently provides its space for use by community arts organizations and local promoters.

QTP is soon to complete a $23 million physical transformation of the Theatre with funding provided by Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and The Council of the City of New York. This major capitalinvestment has added a 75-seat cabaret performance space with a full service cafe and kitchen facility; created a dramatic new 3,000 square foot lobby/reception area; provided new visitor amenities and improved the facility's accessibility. These improvements will transform Queens Theatre in the Park into a destination for the residents of the Borough and beyond.

Bank of America is the proud lead corporate partner for the new cabaret at Queens Theatre in the Park.

Theatre and Dance Programs are supported by The New York Community Trust.

Major Support for The Immigrant Voices Project is provided by The Greenwall Foundation and the Jerome Foundation.

The JP Morgan Chase Foundation provides funding for the Latino Cultural Festival & year-long Latin programming.

Funding for Dance Programming is provided by The Harkness Foundation for Dance, Jerome Robbins Foundation, and the Mertz Gilmore Foundation.

Additional Program Support provided by Bloomberg, the David Schwartz Foundation, RBC Wealth Management and the Shubert Foundation.

American Express is the presenting Sponsor of the American Express Cultural Heritage Series.

Con Edison is the official Sponsor of Queens Theatre in the Park's website: www.queenstheatre.org

Con Edison is the presenting Sponsor of the Immigrant Voices Project.

Queens Center is the presenting Sponsor of the Kids' Corner.

Astoria Federal Savings is the presenting Sponsor of Celebrity Events.

Funding for the Onstage Program at JHS 185 and the Westbury Middle School is provided by the JP Morgan Chase Foundation.

Deutsche Bank has awarded a 2-year "Art & Enterprise" Stabilization grant to Queens Theatre in the Park.

Delta Air Lines is the official airline of Queens Theatre in the Park.

Time Warner Cable is an official media sponsor of Queens Theatre in the Park.

For more information, visit www.queenstheatre.org.

 

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