Dear Readers:

This summer I had the good fortune to attend Ben Verdery’s masterclass seminar in Maui. It was an amazing week in so many ways: As anyone who has studied with him knows, learning from Ben is a unique experience that can be compared to none other- A master of guitar history, technique, and musicianship mixed with Barnum and Bailey and a Buddhist ceremony. I also had the opportunity to meet many fantastic people- The participants came from all over the world and from all walks of life. Of course, as much as I love guitar, I wasn’t there just for the instrument- The beautiful beaches and perfect weather that permeates the island are as intoxicating as the cocktails that are served on its shores. While in this scenic nirvana, I dream of living there full time, and maybe someday I will. For the time being, it’s enough to go once a year and return invigorated and refreshed, ready to be patient with a city that moves fast and has perpetual insomnia.

In the midst of all the hustle and bustle of New York, I hope you’ll find time to relax and refresh yourself at some of our events this year. We have quite a lot going on- concerts, workshops, masterclasses, and of course our monthly general meetings and lectures, which you can read about at our event calendar. We’re very excited about this year and everything that we have going on, and I hope that you will be, too.

Here’s to another year of guitar… I’ll see you at the concerts!

Sincerely,
J. Andrew Dickenson
Editor-in-Chief