Glise on Guitar

As Director of the annual St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition, I wanted to send a personal “Thank you!” to everyone in St. Joseph and throughout the region who helped make this year’s event such a tremendous success!

Now in our fifth year, the attendance at our events AND our list of competitors increased by over 25% and we drew guitarists to St. Joseph from China, Brazil, Cuba, Columbia, South America and from the entire US.

I’m thrilled that we’ve built such a positive international reputation for the festival, Missouri Western and for St. Joseph. One of our competitors from a large music school in the South West US said that his professor (who knows us only by reputation) told him, if he only went to one festival this year “…it should be St. Joseph” and that sentiment was echoed by every single guitarist who came to our town from all over the world.

I would also like to thank Jason Riley for his brilliant organization of the post-concert jam sessions, Café Acoustic for their constant support, Dr. Robert Spurgat for home-host organization, Michael Mooreman of UMKC who acted as our French, German and Spanish translator for those guitarists who didn’t speak English, Dr. Mark Mikkelsen and Dr. Matt Gilmour at Missouri Western for logistic support and to the local press and media for help in spreading the word. Finally, a warm thank you to the home-hosts throughout St. Joseph who took in these brilliant musicians and showed them the hospitality and genuine friendship that I truly believe is at the core of our city.

When I originally wrote the mission statement for the festival five years ago, I wasn’t quite sure that we could live up to the intent. This year - with the help and support of everyone in St. Joseph - we went well beyond that dream to a reality that extended past any border, language or ideology and showed others from around the world an incredible level of professionalism and, perhaps more importantly, the warm heart and hospitality that truly is St. Joseph.

St. Joseph International
Guitar Festival & Competition
— MISSION STATEMENT —

• Our festival will present the highest level of international concert performers, lectures and masterclasses, competitive with any festival any where in the world.
• We will do this in a setting that is educational, friendly and accessible, not only to professional and amateur musicians, but to the general public.
• Through the festival we will present a balanced attitude between the music industry and an emotionally healthy and rational lifestyle.
• We will do this to promote music, the guitar, Missouri Western State University and the City of St. Joseph, Missouri to others around the world.

Sincerely,
Anthony L. GLISE
Founder and Director,
St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition

Left-Right: (1st Prize, Eduardo Costa [Brazil] - 2nd Prize, Austin Moorhead [US]- 3rd Prize Jonathan Dotson [US])

As Director of the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival and Competition, hosted by Missouri Western State University (St. Joseph Missouri, USA), I’m pleased to announce the winners of the 2007 competition who received a total of over $8000 prizes, merchandise and up-coming concerts in St. Joseph, Houston and Boston.
Sincerely,
Anthony GLISE,
Festival Founder and Director

2007 PRIZE WINNERS

FIRST PRIZE
EDUARDO MINOZZI COSTA (Brazil)
Performing:
Sonata K. 79, Domenico Scarlatti
Sonata K. 209
Sonatina, 1st Movement, “Allegretto,” Lennox Berkeley
Appassionata, Ronaldo Miranda

SECOND PRIZE
AUSTIN MOORHEAD (USA)
Performing:
Fantasia Carioca, Sergio Assad
“Allegro” from BWV 998, J.S. Bach
Scherzo Vals, Miguel Llobet

THIRD PRIZE
JONATHAN DOTSON (USA)
PERFORMING:
“Preludio” BWV 1006, J.S. Bach
Torre Bermeja, Issac Albéniz
Nuages, Django Reinhardt (arr. R. Dyans)
Libre Sonata, “Fuoco,” Roland Dyens

With FREE home hosting (room & board), NO required pieces and NO age limit, the competition this year hosted competitors from Cuba, Columbia, Brazil, China and throughout the US.

This adds to our impressive list of foreign past artists from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Cyprus, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine and Uruguay.

2007 PRIZE LIST
1st PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $5,251)

• $1000. Prize, as well as:
• $1000. Invitation for a paid solo concert and masterclass in next year’s St. Joseph International Guitar Festival.
• $550. retail. One Marshall Acoustic Amplifier, “AS 50” donated by Marshall Amplification (England).
• $500. Invitation for a paid solo concert in Boston, Massachusetts, sponsored by the Boston Guitar Society just prior to the 2008 St. Joseph Guitar Festival.
• $500. Invitation for a paid solo concert in Houston, Texas, sponsored by the “Classical Minds” festival just prior to the 2008 St. Joseph Guitar Festival.
• $369. retail. One ATM Side-Address Condenser Microphone donated by Audio Technica (US).
• $427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy).
• $400. Four hours digital studio time for recording, production or mastering Donated by Ransomed Productions (US).
• $250. Gift Certificate for Guitar Strings donated by LaBella String Company (US).
• $175. Gift Certificate for any Mel Bay Publications donated by Mel Bay Publications (US).
• $80. Sample package of hand-made Wegen Guitar Picks (Holland).

2nd PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $1,707)

• $800.Prize, as well as:
• $427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy).
• $150. Gift Certificate from LaBella Strings (US).
• $150. retail. One ATH-M40 Headphones donated by Audio Technica (US).
• $100. Gift Certificate from Mel Bay Publications (US).
• $80. Sample package of hand-made Wegen Guitar Picks (Holland).

3rd PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $1,276)

• $500. Prize, as well as:
• $427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy),
• $119. retail. One ATH-M30 Headphones donated by Audio Technica (US).
• $100. Gift Certificate from LaBella Strings (US).
• $80. Sample package of hand-made Wegen Guitar Picks (Holland).
• $50. Gift Certificate from Mel Bay Publications (US).

2007 COMPETITION JUDGES
Jury President: Anthony Glise (US/France - guitarist, composer, author),
Jurors: Dr. Scott Morris (Guitarist, Director, 2007 Guitar Foundation of America Conference), Valerie Hartzell (Guitarist,Director, Classical Minds Festival, Houston), David Newsam (Guitarist, Faculty, Berklee School of Music, Dartmouth, President, Boston Guitar Society), Jeff Anderson (Producer, Owner, Sound Logic of Indiana), Craig Kew (US, avant guarde bassist), Safety Jurors, Michael Fuson (guitarist), Thomas Ransom (guitarist, producer, Ransomed Studios).

CREDITS
THE ST. JOSEPH INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL & COMPETITION THANKS:
Jason Riley for Post-concert Jam Session Organization, Missouri Western State University, and the Department of Music, Dr. Matt Gilmour, Department Head. Jeff Fuson at Big Ape Productions for festival website design, Megan Wyeth, Julie Summa, Sally Burke, festival photographers, Dr. Bob Spurgat for Home-Hosting Organization, the Festival Board of Directors: Teresa Fankhauser, Dr. Matt Gilmour, Anthony Glise, Dr. Mark Mikkelsen, Dr. Carlos Moya, Dr. Shiva Nandan, Charles Salanski, Geo Sipp, Jason Riley. and the following firms for competition underwriting:
Audio Technica Microphones (US & Europe) - Mel Bay Publications (US) - LaBella Strings (New York) - Marshall Amplification (England) - Ransomed Productions (US) - Wegen Picks (Holland) - Editions Fondazione Araniti (Italy) - The Boston Classical Guitar Society - Classical Minds Music Festival of Houston.

And a special thanks to the host families throughout St. Joseph
who have opened their homes and hearts
to our international guests.

ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND SUPPORT FROM:
Hy-Vee, “The Dome” competition performance space provided courtesy of Ed and Linda Hood, Owners and Directors, Jeff Fuson at Big Ape Studios, David & Sally Burke at VisualFuture, Budweiser, USA, O’Malley Beverage, American Family Insurance, Getz Color Graphics, Heartland Health Foundation, St. Joseph Allied Arts Council, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, St. Joseph Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, The City of St. Joseph, MWSU: Foundation, Department of Music, Center for Arts Culture and Literacy, Center for Business and Economic Development, Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Department of Music, Leah Spratt Foundation, Private Donors: Carlos & Carol Moya, Timothy N. Prawl, D.D.S., Rick & Karen Ezzell, David & Diane Gorcyca, Marylin Hunt, Mark & Mya Mikkelsen, Phil & Judy Mullins, Dan Trifan & Kim Schutte, Schugart, Thomson & Kilroy, P.C. Volunteeer Lawyers & Accountants for the Arts and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

N.B. Additional photos available at: http://www.picasaweb.google.com/j.a.summa/NewGuitarfest