Jason Vieaux, a highly praised classical guitarist with accomplishments ranging from symphony soloist to a Grammy Award winner, will provide outreach engagements in Quad City schools and community sites from Nov. 26 through Dec. 7, with a solo recital in Davenport on Dec. 8.
Vieaux is the guitarist that goes beyond the classical and is “among the elite of today's classical guitarists,” according to Gramophone Magazine. Vieaux’s most recent solo album, “Play,” won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Classical Instrumental Solo.
In 2012, the Jason Vieaux School of Classical Guitar was launched with ArtistWorks Inc., an interface that provides one-on-one online study with Vieaux for guitar students around the world. In 2011, he co-founded the guitar department at the Curtis Institute of Music, and in 2015 was invited to inaugurate the guitar program at the Eastern Music Festival. Vieaux has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music since 1997, heading the guitar department since 2001.
A first-rate chamber musician and programmer, he frequently collaborates with artists such as the Escher Quartet, harpist Yolanda Kondonassis, and accordion/bandoneon virtuoso Julien Labro. He has performed as soloist with over 100 orchestras and his passion for new music has fostered premieres by Avner Dorman, Dan Visconti, Vivian Fung, José Luis Merlin, and more. Vieaux was the first classical musician to be featured on NPR’s “Tiny Desk” series.
During his Quad City visit, Vieaux will present lectures and demonstrations for 15 schools and eight community groups. He will also give informal performances for the public as part of the Jackson Concert Series at Wesley United Methodist Church, Muscatine, at the Muscatine Art Center, and at public libraries in Eldridge, Rock Island, Davenport, and DeWitt, Iowa. For more information on informal public performances, visit www.quadcityarts.com/vas.
Vieaux will give a full-length public recital at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 8 at the Davenport Central High School Performing Arts Center, 1000 N. Harrison St., Davenport. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 students and children. To purchase tickets, visit www.quadcityarts.com/events.
The 2018-2019 Visiting Artist Series brings ten artists and ensembles, including a classical guitarist, a STEM-based juggler, and string quartets, to visit the Quad Cities region from September 2018 through March 2019. For more information on these artists and details of their performances, visit www.quadcityarts.com/vas.
About the Visiting Artist Series
Quad City Arts is a nonprofit local arts agency dedicated to enriching the quality of life in the Quad City region through the arts.
Quad City Arts receives significant support for the Visiting Artist Series from Scott County Regional Authority, John Deere Foundation, Bechtel Charitable Trust, Regional Development Authority, Iowa Arts Council, Amy Helpenstell Foundation Fund, Chamber Music America, Arts Midwest Touring Fund, Rock Island Community Foundation, U.S. Bank Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, Doris & Victor Day Foundation, Melvin McKay Trust, Mary Iva Gittens Knouse Trust, Rauch Family Foundation I, Rock Island Kiwanis, Rotary Club of Rock Island, Kiwanis Club of Davenport, Quad City Arts PASS, and Festival of Trees.
Performance space is provided by First Presbyterian Church of Davenport, Galvin Fine Arts Center at St. Ambrose University, the Spotlight Theatre in Moline, the Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center, the Bettendorf Performing Arts Center, Davenport Central High School Performing Arts Center, and Rock Island High School. Additional support comes from service fees paid by school districts, Parent Teacher Associations, service clubs, and businesses.
Contact: Margot Day, community engagement director at Quad City Arts, mday@quadcityarts.com or 309-793-1213, ext. 106.
