MN Guitar Society Monthly Free Concert

Overview

6-7 p.m. - Shank Hagedorn Duo - Violin and Guitar

The Shank Hagedorn Duo has performed concerts in several US states as well as Mexico, Serbia and North Macedonia. They have released CDs on the Centaur and Innova labels and play a wide variety of music ranging from Baroque to Piazzolla to Prince.

Praised by the New York Times as “an impressive violinist, playing intimately and sweetly at one moment and with fearless enthusiasm at the next,” Leslie Shank leads a busy musical life as soloist and chamber musician.

A founding member of the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet, Joseph Hagedorn performed with the group from 1986 until 2023, touring to some 30 states, Mexico, China, Germany, Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, North Macedonia and recording six CDs.

7-9 p.m. - Tim Sparks, Tom Lieberman and Ben Abrahamson - solos, duos and trios

Tim Sparks has been redefining the acoustic guitar repertoire since he won the National Fingerpicking Championship in 1993 with a ground-breaking arrangement of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite. Sparks continues to surprise, challenge, and thrill audiences with his diverse repertoire and stunning technique. Equally at home with Country Blues, Jazz or World Music, Sparks' extraordinary ability has earned him an international reputation as one of the most innovative guitarists working today.

Tom Lieberman's songs have been heard from Sesame Street to Sweet Land. He is an original member of the seminal vocal jazz trio Rio Nido and was associated with public radio’s A Prairie Home Companion from 1976-86, where he worked variously as a performer, writer and utility infielder until he was “asked” to hand over the show’s guitar chair to the Country Gentleman himself, Chet Atkins. He is currently the creator of the musical story world of Ukulele Alley and the voice of “everybody’s favorite talking ukulele,” Luke the Uke. (www.ukulelealley.com)

At age 11, Ben Abrahamson found his path set ablaze by guitar heroes Paco de Lucía, Leo Kottke, Ralph Towner, and his first guitar teacher Gary Lee Joyner. Ben has studied with flamenco guitarists Juan Ramón Caro at Taller de Músics in Barcelona, Pedro Cortés, Jr., and Michael Hauser. Ben is a faculty member at MacPhail Center for Music and a teaching artist with the MGS Guitar In Our Schools program.