The Santa Cruz Guitar Orchestra presents the finale concert of the 2012-13 season with an exciting program of music from Baroque to modern, as well as traditional musics from African and Indonesian to Turkish with wonderful guest musicians: Marc Teicholz, guitar; Doanna Weissgerber, soprano; Sheila Willey, soprano; Christopher Mallett, guitar; and Ravi Lamb, electric guitar.

The concert program includes a wide range of works. Among the highlights are Bach’s “Sinfonia” (watch out how the guitars imitate trumpets, oboe, strings, and timpani of the original cantata version), Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos’s beautiful “Aria” from the Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5, Carlos Rafael Rivera’s dreamy “Lula’s Prayer”, William Kanengiser’s “Gongan” (specially arranged for the guitar orchestra with Indonesian kendang drums), eerily sounding like an authentic Gamelan Orchestra), our signature piece Ben Verdery’s “Scenes from Ellis Island” featuring surprise guest musicians in the exciting finale with a special rhythmic pattern from traditional East Indian music, and the world premiere of Mesut Özgen’s “Istanbul Espresso” for guitar orchestra with soprano, mandolin, electric guitar, and bass. Also in the program are works by John Williams, Mark Aitken, Sean Hayward, Mark-Hilliard Wilson, and Jordan Brownlee.

Program
Phunk Phase by Jordan Brownlee
Prophecy by Sean Hayward
Sinfonia by J.S. Bach (arr. by Peter Constant for guitar orchestra with solo guitar, mandolin, timpani, and bass from Cantata BWV 29)
Following the Wind by Mark Aitken
Lula’s Prayer by Carlos Rafael Rivera
Musha Study and Middle Ten by John Williams (based on traditional Zimbabwean music)
Gongan by William Kanengiser (for guitar orchestra with Indonesian drums)
Aria by Heitor Villa-Lobos (arr. by Mesut Özgen for soprano and guitar orchestra from Bachianas Brasileiras no. 5)
In Honor of Her Success by Mark-Hilliard Wilson
Istanbul Espresso by Mesut Özgen (for guitar orchestra with soprano, mandolin, electric guitar, and bass) (world premiere)
Scenes from Ellis Island by Benjamin Verdery

Santa Cruz Guitar Orchestra:
Classical Guitars: Sean Hayward, Weston Mossman, Andy Dalton, Robert Shapero, Janet Sanchez Noguera, Maya Khayat, Ziad Khayat, Debbie Morton, John Bower, Roger Mawer, Kelsey McDonald, Ellery Wolfe, Robert Bell, Sven Gamsky, Bruno Franco, Nathania Isnandar, Jay Arms; Mandolins: Robert Shapero, Roger Mawer: Slide Guitar: Weston Mossman; Electric Guitar: Sean Hayward; Bass Guitars: Roger Mawer, Sven Gamsky
Guest Soloists: Marc Teicholz (guitar), Doanna Weissgerber and Sheila Willey (voice), Christopher Mallett (guitar), and Ravi Lamb (electric guitar)
Director and Conductor: Mesut Özgen