Performance Opportunities

Solo -- Guitar students at Ithaca College have the opportunity to perform for their peers in repertory class numerous times throughout the semester. Rep classes are held weekly, and constructive comments are encouraged from all guitar students. The comments are delivered in an oral forum so that both the performing and listening students can benefit from them. All performance majors are required to give two hour-long recitals in Ford Hall, but any guitar student can find many places to perform elective recitals. Intimate and acoustically well crafted, the on campus Chapel is a popular venue.

Ensemble -- Students can register for guitar ensemble, a group that meets weekly to perfect a variety of repertoire written for guitar duos, trios, and quartets. Chamber ensemble and contemporary chamber ensemble also give guitar students the valuable opportunity to work with a variety of different instrumentalists. These ensembles give numerous concerts each semester and there is often a crossover between ensembles (a flute and guitar duo can often be found programmed on a Guitar Ensemble concert). Many guitar students choose to accompany other instrumentalists in their recitals, giving themselves the benefit of additional performances and coaching from diverse faculty members.

Concerto -- Each winter Ithaca College holds its annual concerto competition. A small handful of finalists are selected to play a major concerto with the Ithaca College Symphony Orchestra in early March. Guitar students interested in performing a concerto enter this competition ó or gather other students and perform the concerto on their own recital.

Tours and Outside Performances -- Guitar students perform both solo and ensemble repertoire outside Ithaca College. The IC guitar program is in liaison with the Mansfield University guitar program, and many guitar students from Ithaca choose to preview their solo repertoire there before performing it in a recital. Members of the guitar ensemble have also performed in various places throughout New York State, including the NYSSMA conference.