July 16, 2015: Ryan’s Daughter 350 E. 85 St. New York, NY 10128 $15 comes with free drink. Party afterwards in the venue. 

Gizem Gokoglu (not pronounced Gizem Gokoglu), a brilliant young composer from Turkey, explains how she had to choose between engineering and composition. I had to choose between working in mens’ suits at JC Penny and catering at birthday parties in Yonkers. 

Juilliard Guitar Professor Tali Roth thinks I’m from Texas. I’m not from Texas everyone. I just struggle with my weight. I’m from California. 

With the instrumentation of an early European jazz ensemble, this group of fusion players reference Andalusia, Americana and Django Reinhardt. It's Django Unchained!  

Bay Area guitarist Giacomo Fiore argues that new music is not too new and I ask Chris Roberts from the San Fransisco Examiner if it’s ethical for Fanfare to charge musicians for positive reviews. Spoiler alert: it’s not.

EMI recording artist Xuefei Yang explains to me that China is a country that is not in Africa and that Africa is not a country either. USC Professor William Kanengiser comes on to talk about the new Los Angeles Guitar Quartet release, and I buy a chair for the park. 

ders of my favorite ensemble in New York, violinist Colin Jacobsen from the Brooklyn Rider, The Knights and Yo Yo Ma’s Silk Road. But before I do that, I complain for 20 minutes about journalists that charge for positive reviews in magazines. Then I fantasize about going into real estate.  

If you don’t want to hear grown ups talk about drugs, leather pants, dropping out of college, or putting a classical guitar through a wood chipper on stage, you shouldn’t listen to me and multi media artist Dominic Frasca.  

Composer Carlos Rafael River talks about studying with Randy Newman at USC, writing the music for the movie A Walk Among the Tombstones staring Liam Neeson and his upcoming score for the film The Ballad of Big Diaper Bret, a story about a rosy cheeked California boy who dreams of opening a stand up MRI station in Grand Central. 

Adam Holzman, from the University of Texas, sits down with his old student (me) and reminisces about Segovia, Ghiglia, winning the GFA and getting a call from a student the night of his concert asking him where it was and how much it will cost. (also me age 19)