It was our pleasure this week to host the storied French guitarist and master teacher, Judicaël Perroy, at the Oberlin Conservatory. Perroy emerged on the American scene when he won the GFA competition back in 1997 and played the “winner’s tour,” exposing him to audiences across the country. In more recent years, it has been his students that, repeatedly, have done the same thing—rising to the top of the GFA competition and cementing France as a dominant world-player in the classical guitar arena. He was hired recently as a faculty member at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, replacing Sergio Assad (the SFC President, David Stull, was previously the Dean of Oberlin Conservatory), and has a flourishing studio there.

Perroy played a lengthy and challenging program of works both familiar and uncommon (including pieces by Bach, Sor, Mertz, Villa-Lobos, José and others; the entire program is at the end of the post). He spoke generously to the large audience, whose enthusiasm led to two encores.

After the concert, we gathered at Agave for some food & drinks. At the table, L-R is David Malone, Lucy Biederman, Kevin Covney, Aidan Wiley Lippke, Judicaël, Suvan Agarval, Julia Bodian, Raphaël Feuillâtre, Craig Slagh, Caeli Massey, Brian Gaudino, and Ben Flomenbaum:

We had a master class the following day. To kick it off, Craig Slagh played a Fantasy of John Dowland:

Next, Suvan Agarval played the Gavotta-Choro from Villa-Lobos’ Suite Populaire Bresillienne:

Caeli Massey then played for Judicaël the Gigue from Bach’s Suite BWV 996:

Julia Bodian followed her with a performance of the Cadenza from Villa-Lobos’ Concerto:

Finally, Aidan Wiley Lippke played Invierno Porteño of Astor Piazzolla:

And, the recital program: