Benjamin Verdery, guitar, performs Bach and Albéniz alongside music of Yale faculty composers

Program includes works by Verdery and a world premiere by Ezra Laderman

The celebrated guitarist Benjamin Verdery will perform a Faculty Artist Recital on Monday, January 25, 2010 at 8 pm in Sprague Hall (470 College Street, New Haven). The program opens with a transcription of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 6 in D major and also features Albéniz’s Andalusian-inspired suite Córdoba. Verdery, whose compositions have been played by such musicians as John Williams and the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, will perform two of his own works: Phillips Center, for guitar and digital delay, and Prelude and Wedding Dance. Three other composers from the School of Music are also featured, with Martin Bresnick’s Joaquin is Dreaming (2008); the world premiere of a new work by Ezra Laderman; and Ingram Marshall’s The Mentioning of Love (2008) for alto flute and guitar, with flutist Rie Schmidt.

Admission to the performance is free. The recital will be streamed live from the Yale School of Music website. For more information, visit the School of Music’s website or call the Yale School of Music concert office at 203 432-4158.

About the Artist

Benjamin Verdery has performed and taught master classes throughout Europe, Mexico, Canada, Cuba, Japan, and South America, and has recorded and performed with such diverse artists as Frederic Hand, Leo Kottke, Anthony Newman, Jessye Norman, Paco Peña, Hermann Prey, and John Williams. He regularly gives flute and guitar concerts with the Schmidt/Verdery Duo and with his ensemble Ufonia. Workshop Arts has published the solo works from Mr. Verdery’s recording Some Towns and Cities, which won the 1992 Best Classical Guitar Recording in Guitar Player magazine. Workshop Arts (distributed by Alfred Music) has released Mr. Verdery’s book Easy Classical Guitar Recital as well as his instructional video, Essentials of Classical Guitar. He has recorded for GRI, Sony Classical, and Mushkatweek. Verdery is artistic director of the Yale Guitar Extravaganza and Art of the Guitar at the 92nd St Y in New York. He is an honorary board member of the Suzuki Association of the Americas, Inc., and held his tenth annual international master class on the Island of Maui, Hawaii, in July 2008. Benjamin Verdery has served on the faculty of the Yale School of Music since 1985.