DIRECTIONS: St Francis Episcopal Church
Guitar Virtuoso Paul Galbraith in concert
with a Prelude performance by Kenneth Chen
Renowned as one of the foremost guitarists of our time, Paul Galbraith has a revolutionary approach to guitar playing that has made him an instantly recognizable figure in classical music. But it is ultimately his interpretative breadth that has captivated audiences around the world.
Paul plays a unique 8-string guitar, which he developed in 1993 with luthier David Rubio. To distinguish it from the traditional 8-string guitar, Rubio called it the "Brahms Guitar," reflecting his enthusiasm for the way this guitar, with its rich sound and wide range, performed in the music of Brahms through Paul's transcription and rendition of the Variations Op. 21.
On this instrument, Paul has made a series of highly acclaimed albums, most famously a recording of J.S. Bach's complete Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin, which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1998.
Paul developed an individual approach to guitar posture at age 20 following a period of intense investigation into technique. He discovered a playing position that allowed equal freedom of movement for both arms. Within three years, this position developed into the cellist's posture associated with him today.
Paul began concertizing in his late teens after attracting public attention in Britain through a series of televised competition successes. Since then, Paul has performed throughout Europe as well as in China, South America, Russia, Norway, Australia, Canada and India. From the early 1990s onwards, he has toured regularly in the U.S.
Paul has appeared with major orchestras and ensembles in Britain and Europe, including the BBC Orchestras, the Royal Philharmonic, the St. Petersburg Quartet, the English Chamber Orchestra, the Halle, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, the European Chamber Orchestra, the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, and the Shanghai Quartet. Most recently he formed a duo with legendary Brazilian cellist Antonio Meneses.
Prelude performer Kenneth Chen
Kenneth Chen began learning the guitar at age 8 and has become increasingly passionate about the instrument over the years. Now 16, Kenneth performs a range of genres including classical, jazz, rhythm & blues, and pop. He is a student of Scott Cmiel in the Pre-College Division of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, where he also performs in a guitar trio and guitar orchestra. Outside of music, Kenneth is a high school junior in San Francisco and enjoys football and basketball.
