A “Competition Drawing” is a ceremony when the international competitors receive their playing order for the first round of a musical competition.

The event also gives the public a chance to meet the international players and judges who will be involved in the competition.

Following the first round performances (which are not open to the public), the Final Competition Round will be held Sunday, May 17, 3:00 PM and is open to the public. It will be held at the “DUC,” Downtown University Campus at 515 N. 6th (the former Scottish Rite) in Downtown St. Joseph. Entrance is $5 / $10 general public and seating is limited.

In the final round, the audience (18 and older) will have a chance to hear the top three competitors in a concert setting and vote for placement and the division of over $7,000 prize money and gifts.

The Final Round will be followed by the award ceremony, with the post-concert jam session and closing party held at the St. Joseph Terrible’s Casino beginning at 7:00 PM, hosted by the Jason Riley Trio.

More information is at:
http://www.MissouriWestern.edu/GuitarFestival

All guitar majors & minors plus different guitar ensembles will be playing their jury pieces so be sure to be there for some great music!
Former guitar students and ALL other Western Music students are also welcome to come by and try out jury pieces (the Café has a well-tuned upright piano!).

The next big event is the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition, May 13-17. PS: we still DESPERATELY need more Home Hosts! Please fill out an application form or call (816) 271-4100.

See you all at the Café AND the Festival!

PS the new radio series, “THE GUITAR IN ST. JOSEPH,” highlighting the festival is still running daily at the St. Joseph Music Foundation!

Location: Café Acoustic (2605 Frederick Ave., St. Joseph, MO)
Date: Thursday, September 18, 2008
Time: 7:00 PM
Featured Speaker: Jean Graeff, Director of Brand Strategy, VML Marketing
Sponsor: St. Joseph Music Foundation and Café Acoustic
Contact: Café Acoustic: (816) 671-1141

According to Ms Graeff, “The digital landscape has transformed the marketing and advertising world.Today, the power to influence audiences doesn’t just belong to big companies with big budgets. Now a single individual can have an equal, and sometimes more powerful voice. It’s an exciting time, especially for musicians who in the past were often at the mercy of opportunistic record companies.”

Ms. Graeff, who has led creative strategies for multi-million dollar brands such as AMC Theatres, Colgate, Hallmark, and Microsoft, will share insights, marketing tools, and tactics that advertising agencies use to achieve success for their clients.

Anyone who is interested in marketing themselves – especially individual musicians, bands, artists – will leave this presentation with a new perspective on marketing, especially on marketing themselves.

Ms. Graeff, who began her career as a copywriter and broadcast producer, has spent the last 18 years in the advertising industry.She is a veteran of the television and radio business, first working in broadcast news and later producing hundreds of radio and television spots.She has been a featured speaker at seminars throughout the U.S. prior to joining VML in 1996 where she has led creative campaigns and brand development for some of the world’s biggest brands, including Microsoft, AMC Theaters, and Colgate.

Jean Graeff, Linkedin professional profile

classical — like you’ve never heard before.

• • • For Immediate Release • • •

— The Nova Project Review —

See : http://www.myspace.com/thenovaproject1

Dear Friends,
The Nova Project has just been reviewed on the noted Prog website, ProGGnosis (USA) regarding their “official bootleg” CD, Live at Café Acoustic.

ProGGnosis cited, “… the extraordinary craftsmanship in the guitar parts which clearly dominates the album, makes it a good investment. …you cannot go wrong here.”

The Nova Project is an avant-garde “classical prog” ensemble featuring Anthony Glise, Jason Riley [guitars] James Kew [6-string electric ‘cello] and Nick Baker [percussion].
See also: http://www.myspace.com/thenovaproject1
ProGGnosis : http://www.proggnosis.com/MAIN.asp

Sincerely,

The Aevia Group – Publicity

PO Box 7242

St. Joseph, MO 64507 — USA

European Management:

Bernard Hennebique

238, Boulevard Victor Hugo
F-59000 Lille — FRANCE
télé : (33) 03 20 30 07 78
b.hennebique@wanadoo.fr

Write to us at:
aeviagroup@aol.com

The concert will feature the full Western Guitar Ensemble (over a dozen guitarists), the Western Guitar Quartet, the Western Rock Ensemble and several soloists from the guitar program.

The concert is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Missouri Western State University Department of Music at (816) 271-4420.

As founder and director of the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition I’m very sorry to announce that the festival will not take place this year as planned for May, 2008.

There have been logistic issues in the time line for presenting the 2008 festival that have made it impossible to produce the festival this year at the level of professionalism that we have in the past.

Rather than risk having the festival not live up to the tremendous reputation that we have developed internationally, it is necessary to cancel this year in hopes that the event can be relaunched in the future.

I look forward to keep you apprised of further developments and I remain,

With Best Regards,
Anthony Glise,
Director,
St. Joseph International
Guitar Festival & Competition

The public is invited to a free Guitar Masterclass at Café Acoustic, 2605 Frederick Ave., Wednesday, April 9, beginning at 6:30 PM, featuring guitar majors from the music department at Missouri Western State University.

Local guitarists are also invited to bring their guitars and receive a free coaching. All ages and musical styles are welcome.

The Masterclass will be taught by Anthony Glise, who was the 2006 recipient of the Missouri Arts Council’s award as “Individual Artist of the Year,” presented at the State Capital by Governor Matt Blunt.

A Masterclass is an open music lesson where students perform for an audience and are then coached in front of the audience by a professor on various musical subjects including technique, stage presence, anatomy, historical performance practice and musicianship as well as discussions on career development, management, recording and publishing contracts, etc.

The Nova Project will perform contemporary music for classical, electric and improvising guitars with 6-string electric ‘cello and percussion from their upcoming CDs with AME Recordings (Lyon, France).

Musicians for this concert are

• Anthony Glise — classical guitarist / composer / vocals
• Jason Riley — electric / acoustic rock and jazz guitarist,
• James Kew — 6-string electric ‘cello,
• Nick Baker — percussion.

The Nova Project, founded by American-born musicians, Anthony Glise and Jason Riley, is one of the most original prog ensembles on the music scene today. The group has one simple goal: to combine different musical and historical styles with traditional classical music under the banner of electric classical prog.

Part classical, part rock and part jazz, their music also uses 16th-Century poems sung by Glise with North African rhythms and compositional structure from 19th-Century Vienna. The ensemble has received tremendous attention throughout Europe. This concert of The Nova Project promises to be a highlight for anyone interested in some of the most progressive alternative music today.

The program is being sponsored by THE CAFÉ ACOUSTIC.

Suggested donation: $5.00 at the door.
For further information, contact Café Acoustic: (816) 671-1141

The Nova Project will perform contemporary music for classical, electric and improvising guitars with 6-string electric ‘cello and percussion from their CDs from AME Recordings (Lyon, France).

Musicians for this concert are

• Anthony Glise — classical guitarist / composer,
• Jason Riley — electric / acoustic rock and jazz guitarist,
• James Kew — 6-string electric cello,
• Nick Baker — percussion.

The Nova Project, founded by American-born musicians, Anthony Glise and Jason Riley, is one of the most original prog ensembles on the music scene today. The group has one simple goal: to combine different musical and historical styles with traditional classical music under the banner of electric classical prog.

Part classical, part rock and part jazz, their music also uses 16th-Century poems sung by Glise with North African rhythms and compositional structure from 19th-Century Vienna. The ensemble has received rave reviews throughout Europe. This concert of The Nova Project promises to be a highlight for anyone interested in some of the most progressive alternative music today.

The program is being sponsored by THE WESTPORT COFFEE HOUSE.

Tickets are $15.00 available at the door.
For further information, contact Westport Coffee House: (816) 756-3221

Several times during the day, people were being turned away because we were already at legal capacity and the hosting venue, Last Call, documented that they had the highest sales in the history of the club.

The money raised for the Ward family to help support the financial strain of their sudden loss, was beyond all expectations.

Our sincere thanks to the volunteer participation of nearly every band in our area, the support of music critic, Blake Hannon at the St. Joseph News Press, Dave Ledden of Kansas City radio stations, KYYS, The Buzz and The Rock, the event venue, Last Call Bar and Grill and our many sponsors (cf. below) who helped make this one of the most successful events in the musical history of St. Joseph.

We feel confident that this unbelievable response and support of the Foundation activities will continue to grow throughout St. Joseph and our branch divisions that are already underway in California, Oregon, Arizona and France.

In the words of Dave Ledden of Entercom (owner of the three Kansas City radio stations) “…this is an incredible example of musicians taking care of their own… one entrance fee, 13 bands, two stages and one cause…”

Thank you for being a part of this tremendous success and we look forward to seeing you at our next event!

Sincerely,
The St. Joseph Music Foundation
Board of Directors