Glise on Guitar

Dear Friends,

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

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

Dear Friends,
Urban Guitar, the primary New York City website for classical guitar activities, is currently featuring an extensive interview with Anthony Glise.
(article link: http://urbanguitar.com/main_stage/articles/six-strings_in_st_joe)

The article’s focus is Glise’s directorship of guitar festivals including the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition (May 16-20, 2007, US) and Six Strings and the Spirit (France) and has been cited as a “must read” for anyone connected to guitar festivals as either an organizer or a participant.

Sincerely,
The Aevia Group - Publicity

Dear Guitar Professors,
I wanted to let you know that we have had an unbelievable response to our call for home hosts for competitors for this year’s St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition (May 16-20)
so we have extended the deadline to May 12 to try and take advantage of this opportunity.

With no required pieces, no age limit and only $250 entry fee for competitors, free housing - AND over $8000 total prizes (including paid concerts in Boston & Houston) - there’s still time for your students to enter the competition.
(See: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/guitarfestival for application information.)

If you have any questions, please contact me at the university:
[USA] + (816) 271-4420.

I look forward to seeing you at the festival and remain,

With Very Best Regards,
Anthony GLISE,
Festival Founder & Director

The St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition held its annual contest among the Missouri Western State University graphic design students for a flyer to be used in regional publicity for the festival.

The 2007 prize-winning flyer was designed by Missouri Western art student, Kady Rahne Mabury and will be distributed throughout the region.

Ms. Mabury is a Graphic Design major at Missouri Western who will graduate in 2008. She plans to pursue a career in advertising or work as a free lance photographer.

The Ms. Mabery prize consists of a $100 award and two complimentary Auditor’s tickets to the festival (a $300 retail value).

Geo Sipp, Associate Professor of Art at Missouri Western directed the design competition and was very pleased with the winning flyer.

“The Art Department at Missouri Western is pleased to collaborate with festival director, Anthony Glise on designs for the St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition.” said Professor Sipp. “For our illustration students, this project is a professional assignment; deadlines and specific parameters must be met appropriately.” Professor Sipp added, “I’m pleased to present students with the opportunity to visually support such an important international event held right here in St. Joseph.”

The St. Joseph International Guitar Festival and Competition will run from May 16-20 at Missouri Western and various sites throughout St. Joseph. The competition, one of the largest in the US, offers over $8000 total prizes. The competition has no age limit or required pieces and brings guitarists to St. Joseph from over a dozen countries each year.

Flyer Inside (pdf)
Flyer Outside (pdf)

For more information, see:
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/guitarfestival

Dear Friends,
I’m very excited to let you know that Mel Bay Publications, the largest guitar publisher in the US, is featuring St. Joseph, Missouri, in their monthly “City Scene” article. See: http://www.guitarsessions.com/apr07/cityscene.asp

“City Scene” (directed by Mel Bay author and executive, Stephen Rekas), has highlighted cities including Baltimore, Los Angeles, New York and Nashville, so their attention to St. Joseph, and our International Guitar Festival & Competition (May 16-20) is not only confirmation as to how highly we are regarded by the professional music industry, but is an unprecidented complimpliment to our brilliant local musicians and the venues that present such a wide array of live music throughout St. Joseph.

Written by Julie Summa (watch for her up-coming “City Scene” article on London, England), with photographs by Sarah Johnson, the article features interviews and photos of some of the leading area musicians and lists selected venues throughout St. Joseph.

Hopefully this artistic reputation of St. Joseph will continue to grow into one of the primary tourist attractions to our city.

Please take a moment to skim the article and thank you for supporting the tremendous live-music scene that’s exploding throughout St. Joseph.

The 5th Annual St. Joseph International Guitar Festival and Competition will be from May 16-20, 2007 in St. Joseph Missouri, USA. As well as various masterclasses, career development seminars, jam sessions and concerts, the competition offers:

• FREE HOME HOSTING (for competitors AND out-of-town auditors - including free airport pickup)
• NO AGE LIMIT
• NO REQUIRED PIECES
• OVER $8000 PRIZE MONEY, MERCHANDISE and
• PAID PRIZE CONCERTS IN ST. JOSEPH, BOSTON AND HOUSTON.

In addition, because of the tremendous following and local support, THIS YEAR WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE FEES:

• Competitors/Performers: $250.
• Auditors: $150.

Application and information is available at: http://www.missouriwestern.edu/guitarfestival/

We’re extremely proud that our festival has been host to some of the leading musicians from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Cyprus, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Uruguay and throughout the US and we look forward to hosting the same diversity and tremendous level of international artists this year.

I greatly look forward to seeing you in St. Joseph this May and remain,

With Very Best Regards,
Anthony Glise,
Festival Founder and Director

The 5th annual ST. JOSEPH INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL & COMPETITION is currently taking applications for home-hosts for the US and international musicians that will arrive in St. Joseph from May 16-20, 2007.

Home hosting is an opportunity to become personally involved in the festival and get to know some of these brilliant artists on a personal level in exchange for 2 full complimentary tickets valid for entrance to all festival events (a $300 total value).

More importantly, this is a chance to introduce our tremendous community to the foreign and US musicians that come to St. Joseph every year for this monumental event.

Former guests to our festival have come from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Costa Rica, Cyprus, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Poland, Serbia, Ukraine, Uruguay and throughout the US. Naturally, hosts with varied language skills are a great asset, but a majority of our guests speak English fluently.

The prize money and gifts for this year’s competition are in excess of $8000 which places us among the top 4 classical guitar competitions in the US so the festival is expecting more competitors than ever before.

To receive a Home Hosting Application, please contact the Missouri Western State University Department of Music at:
(816) 271-4420

An application will then be sent to you by mail for you to complete and return.

PRIZE WINNERS OF THE
2006 ST. JOSEPH INTERNATIONAL GUITAR FESTIVAL & COMPETITION
(photo of winners - Megan Wyeth, Photographer, St. Joseph Missouri, US)

The 2006 St. Joseph International Guitar Festival, (May 17-21) sponsored by the Department of Music at Missouri Western State University (St. Joseph, Missouri, US) is pleased to announce the winners of the annual classical guitar competition

1st Prize: Aleksandr Tsiboulski (Ukraine / Australia)
2nd Prize: Samuel T. Klemke (Germany)
3rd Prize: Robert Fielding Sharpe (US)

The competition has been praised internationally as one of the most original in the world for a number of reasons: there is no age limit, there are no required pieces and the audience members who are present for the final round are each given a ballot sheet and their votes are calculated with the judge’s votes into the final score to select the respective prizes.
Judges for this year’s competition were:
Anthony Glise [Jury President] - USA / FRANCE (guitarist, composer, author)
Andrew Dickenson - USA (guitarist, President, New York City Classical Guitar Society),
Isaac Bustos - NICARAGUA (guitarist, former St. Joseph Competition Winner),
Marie-Caroline Lebriez - FRANCE (guitarist, President, Cord’Accord Guitar Society of Northern France),
Dr. Jeffrey George - USA (guitarist, professor),
Thomas Ransom - USA (recording producer, owner, Ransomed Productions),
Michael Fuson [Safety Juror] - USA (noted classical / rock studio guitarist).

Next year’s festival and competition (May 16-20, 2007) will again feature free home hosting, various masterclasses with internationally-acclaimed artists, general musical and non-musical classes concerts, evening jam sessions and the competition.
In addition to prizes already established, prizes for the 2007 competition will also include a paid concerto appearance with the St. Joseph Symphony and one or more US east coast debut concert.
Interviews with the final competition winners may be arranged by contacting the festival director, Anthony Glise via Missouri Western at: [US] + 816-271.4420.
Further information about the festival may be found at:
http://www.missouriwestern.edu/guitarfestival/

Prizes for the final three competitors were distributed in an award ceremony immediately following the competition concert.

1st PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $4377.oo)
$1,000. Prize and Medal— as well as:
$550. 1 Marshall Acoustic Amplifier, “AS 50” ideal for concerto and chamber music performance. Donated by Marshall Amplification, England.
$495. 1 AT 4040 Studio/Concert Microphone Donated by Audio Technica Microphones, US,
$250. Gift Certificate for Guitar Strings Donated by LaBella String Company, New York, US,
$175. Gift Certificate for any Mel Bay Publication Donated by Mel Bay Publications, US,
$400. 4 hours digital studio time for recording, production or mastering Donated by Ransomed Productions, Kansas City (US),
$427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions Donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy),
$80. Sample package of handmade Wegen Guitar Picks (Lochem, Holland).
$1,000. Concert contract. Invitation for a paid performance in next year’s St. Joseph International Guitar Festival & Competition.

2nd PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $1,557.oo)
$800. Prize and Medal — as well as:
$150. Gift Certificate from LaBella Strings,
$100. Gift Certificate from Mel Bay Publications.
$427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions Donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy),
$80. Sample package of handmade Wegen Guitar Picks (Lochem, Holland).

3rd PRIZE: (TOTAL VALUE: $1,157.oo)
$500. Prize and Medal — as well as:
$100. Gift Certificate from LaBella Strings,
$427. Electronic Files of Various Public Domain Compositions Donated by Fondazione Araniti Editions (Italy),
$50. Gift Certificate from Mel Bay Publications.
$80. Sample package of handmade Wegen Guitar Picks (Lochem, Holland).

Additional funding and support from:
“The Dome” competition performance space provided courtesy of Ed and Linda Hood, Owners and Directors, Big Ape Studios, Budweiser, USA and O’Malley Beverage, Lanham Music, Department of Music, Dr. Mark Mikkelsen, Getz Color Graphics, Heartland Health Services, St. Joseph Allied Arts Council, St. Joseph Area Chamber of Commerce, St. Joseph Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, The City of St. Joseph, Western Institute Center for Arts Culture and Literacy, Western Institute Center for Business and Economic Development, Dean, College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Target, and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency.

[END]

Past Competition Winners:
2004
1st Prize: Isaac Bustos (Nicaragua)
2nd Prize: Munhk-Orgil Turbold (Mongolia)
3rd Prize: Nenad Savic (Serbia)

2005
1st Prize: Alieksey Vianna (Brazil)
2nd Prize: Marco Sator (Uruguay)
3rd Prize: Joseph Williams (US)