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Music for Youth, Audubon Summer Music Series at Farm Pond
July 31, 2021 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Classical Guitar An afternoon with talented award winning guitarists; James Toomey-Wilson, Jesse Balkcom
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Amazing youth guitarists who are all preparing to compete in the GFA finals in August, will perform at 60 minute program with a rich variety of literature from the classical guitar repertoire.
James Toomey-Wilson. https://youtu.be/Egp4yHIZHWY
James became devoted to playing classical guitar at the age of 5. Currently studying with Dr. Trevor Babb, he has performed both solo and as an ensemble at the World Trade Center, Carnegie Hall, and SubCulture in New York City, as well as the Conservatorio Profesional de Música in Segovia, Spain, and the Morse Recital Hall at Yale. He received first place in the 2021 Marianne Liberatore Memorial Instrumental Competition, an honorable mention at the 2020 Mid-Maryland Virtual Guitar Competition, highly commended at the 2020 Rising Stars Competition, and first prize at the New Horizons Guitar Competition in 2018.
Jess Balkcom. https://youtu.be/Kxu_BjSa22o
Jesse Balkcom began studying classical guitar in the Suzuki method at the age of three, initially at the Talent Education Suzuki School (TESS) in Norwalk, CT and then at the Connecticut Suzuki Guitar Academy in Norwalk. He currently studies with Dr. Trevor Babb. Jesse also plays Cello in his high school orchestra.
Jesse was recently awarded a place in the first Guitar Foundation of America Mentorship Program. This new program supports talent among classical guitarists of color through instruction, engagement, and career development. In the program Jesse has had the privilege of working with former GFA winner Mr. Marc Teicholz. Jesse has twice been a finalist in the Marianne Liberatore Instrumental Competition Fairfield County, CT. He was also awarded 2nd place in the Mid-Maryland Guitar Competition in 2017 and earned 3rd place in the same competition the following year. In 2016 Jesse traveled to Segovia, Spain to play in a summer institute at the Conservatorio Profesional de Música de Segovia.
Jesse will be a junior at Staples High School in Westport this fall. When he is not playing guitar, Jesse loves to play basketball. He is also on track to earn his Eagle Scout rank with the Boy Scouts in late 2021.
Andrei Orasanu https://youtu.be/O8CVpD5TSKw
