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ASU's Palmer takes second in GuitarFest
by Lindsay Craven
Staff Writer
A historic moment took place at the 10th annual Appalachian State University GuitarFest and Competition this year when an Appalachian student walked away in second place with only one vote separating him from the first place winner.
This is the first time an Appalachian State student has ever placed in this competition.
That student was graduate Matthew C. Palmer from Fall Branch, Tenn.
Palmer competed in the event once before in 2004 and made it to the semi-finals round. The event, which was open to any guitarist under the age of 30, had competitors from schools such as Florida State University, Manhattan School and several others.
The competition also attracted guitarists from around the world.
“I felt great to have made it to the finals because I was around some really great guitar players and just to be included in that company was a pretty cool experience,”Palmer said. “It’s a really big deal, placing in a competition like this where there’s people coming in from everywhere. It felt good.”
Palmer performed a total of six pieces for this competition.
He performed the one required piece by Johann Sebastian Bach, two pieces by Spanish composer Vicente Asenicio, two pieces by Italian composer Luigi Legnani and one piece by Ukrainian composer Stepan Rak.
Palmer has been playing guitar for 16 years. Before beginning classical guitar he played electric guitar, performing mostly metal/shred metal music. He began performing classical guitar six years ago and is now teaching Classical Guitar I and II, as well as teaching private instruction.
“After I graduate from (Appalachian) I want to go on and get my doctorate and go get a teaching position at a big university and maintain an active performing career like I do now,” Palmer said.
Palmer has also competed and won in other competitions. He won first place in the 2000 Beethoven Young Artists Competition and won in a competition titled Guitar Wars.
The GuitarFest is a good opportunity and it brings in world-renowned artists to perform.
“There is a reasonable fee to attend the concerts and see the competitors compete,” Palmer said. “It’s a good opportunity to compete.
Even if you don’t advance in the competition, it really raises your ability to play just by being around those performers.
There is no other opportunity like this around except for the GuitarFest,” Palmer said.
Palmer plans on competing in the event again next year and, until then, will continue with his teaching and private instructions.
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Black Banjo combines old, new
by Kyle Conrad
Staff Writer
The annual Appalachian Heritage and Music week will conclude this weekend with a presentation by a very talented and dedicated group of string instrument players called "Black Banjo: Then and Now."
The group, which originated in March 2004 as an online list group in Yahoo, has never before congregated into one area to share their talents.
Thus, Appalachian State and Black Banjo have formulated the first "Black Banjo Gathering," an event that will undoubtedly stir the collective pot of traditional African American culture in the region.
"Black Banjo: Then and Now" unites African American banjo players and enthusiasts to preserve the heritage of African American banjoists and to support the efforts of contemporary players.
"There will be a number of people who are very well known, as well as some people who [are in the act of] becoming well know," Tony Thomas said. Thomas initially began the group and has coordinated the group's visit to Boone.
"This will be our first and only public event," he said.
Thomas lives in Miami, Fla., but said he had been looking forward to visiting Boone for quite some time because of the amount of tradition and culture that is so intertwined with the area.
While most people think that the banjo is traditionally a white instrument, Thomas said African Americans invented the banjo and played it in Africa many years before its introduction to North America.
The tradition and culture of African American banjo players has been neglected in past years, but scholars and researchers have recently begun to study the history of the music tradition, Thomas said.
"This type of music is so good and so special because it's inspired," he said. "There are such a variety of people that participate."
"The Gathering" will feature not only musicians and performers, but also special guest speakers and experts that will answer questions and educate visitors on African American musical history.
Also featured throughout the week will be collectors, professors, educators and banjo teachers.
The group will hold a discussion with a panel of experts that will talk to students about the nearly forgotten heritage and tradition that is the African American banjo player.
Thomas emphasizes that students and faculty should come see the many "jam sessions" that will take place throughout the week.
"There will be a number of internationally known classic banjo players [performing together]," he said.
"The Gathering" will take place today through Saturday, April 10.
"I just want to emphasize that the routine sessions will be free for students and faculty," Thomas said.
"The Gathering" will host events in the Plemmons Student Union all day from Friday to Sunday, and will play shows in Legends Friday and Saturday night from 7-11p.m. Admission for the shows at Legends will be $5 for students and there is a six-pack limit with valid ID.
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Black Cat Burrito hosts dance party
by Lindsay Craven
Staff Writer
There is finally an event custom fit for those who have a crazy striped outfit hanging in the back of a closet and absolutely no excuse to wear it.
Black Cat Burrito will be hosting a dance party tomorrow night.
Here's the catch to this dance party ... anyone can get in, as long as they are wearing some kind of stripes.
Andrew Guier is the main person organizing the event. He has hosted several similar dance parties around Boone over the past six months.
These parties are done by an organization called the International Revolutionary Dance Front.
"Our goal is nothing short of world domination and we chose Boone as our headquarters." Guier said. "We've had [parties] at The Old Jailhouse, Boone Saloon and just other people's houses, but this is the first time we will be sponsoring one at Black Cat Burrito," Guier said.
Guier said Black Cat was chosen because it is a good venue: it has a bar and a concrete floor, which helps prevent the record player from skipping.
Other themed dances Guier has helped organize are "Dress Like Your Favorite Celebrity," "Dress In One Color" and "Dress As Your Favorite National Holiday."
"We are trying to get people addicted to the dances," Guier said. "We want it to be an empowering experience."
The idea for the striped theme came after the IRDF continually tried to do costume dances but were met by little effort of those who attended.
"We are always trying to make people wear costumes and no one ever did it, so we figured stripes because everyone has stripes," Guier said. "This also helps us to have structured dance fights against opposites."
The event tomorrow night will also have a dance off at the stroke of midnight against the vertical stripes and the horizontal stripes.
Guier said there is also a rumor that there will be attendees wearing stripes on the outside but hiding polka dots underneath.
Music for the dance will be done by DJ Small Wonder and will start at 10:30 p.m. and will last until at least 2 a.m.
Pricing for this event will be based on several factors. For those wearing bold stripes, it will cost only $2 to get in. For those wearing no stripes, it will cost $4, a plaid outfit will cost $20 and there is also a sliding scale based on the boldness of the stripes.
Black Cat is located on Depot Street, which is off of West King Street.
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Chamber ensemble performs Sunday
by Ryan Finn
Staff Writer
You can't travel back in time to watch a chamber ensemble perform the music of its age, but here at Appalachian State University, you can do the next best thing.
The Hayes School of Music and director Alicia M. Chapman will bring together a group of students dedicated to the music of the classical past Sunday.
"Collegium Musicum" is a chamber ensemble that performs the music from earlier periods, such as the Baroque and Renaissance periods. The music heard will be particularly accurate, senior music performance major Amanda J. Kelly said.
"We perform on both early instruments as they would have during these periods in music history and on modern instruments as well," Kelly said.
Being part of the ensemble provides Kelly with invaluable musical experience.
"As a music major, one needs to be exposed to all genres of music and also to learn to play them well," she said.
Kelly plays the Baroque flute, the traverso, and appreciates the time with the instrument that "Collegium" allows. "Being part of 'Collegium' has improved my skills on this instrument as well as my skills as a musician overall," Kelly said.
Beyond advancing her musical talents, Kelly also finds the ensemble to be a lot of fun. "This is my third year at Appalachian and my third year in 'Collegium,' so I definitely enjoy performing early music with the other members of the ensemble," she said.
"This is my sixth semester in 'Collegium,'" senior music performance major Allison R. Willet said. "The group has definitely evolved over the years, growing in size as well as proficiency."
"'Collegium Musicum' means a group of music-lovers," Willet said of the program that can trace its roots back to French soirees. Peers alternate listening to each other's performances and then playing themselves.
"This concert is perhaps one of the most interactive at this school. Ms. Chapman [director] always does a wonderful job of making a very welcoming environment," she said. In the past, on-stage decoration has even included a few chairs for audience members.
Rehearsals to learn the stylistic differences in performance can be challenging, Willet said.
"We've been working all semester, but as common for all ensembles, rehearsals get more and more vigorous and demanding as we get closer to the concert date," she said.
For Willet, one of the more valuable aspects of the ensemble is the change of pace it offers audiences today. "I personally love playing early music. It is so different from what we are immersed in every day," she said.
"Collegium Musicum" is scheduled to perform Sunday night at 8 p.m. in Rosen Concert Hall. Admission for the event is free and open to the public.
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