Artist description New music for solo classical guitar; always passionate, sometimes raucus, the tender moments make you weep. Laced with harmonic and rhythmic echoes of the Middle Ages, jazz and the blues.

Music Style classical

Musical Influences early music, world music

Similar Artists Andres Segovia, Michael Lorimer, Christopher Parkening, John Williams

Artist History Frank Wallace’s compositions for guitar, lute and voice are the fruit of a colorful career in music that has been unlike any other of his generation of guitarists. Wallace has distinguished himself not only as a dynamic soloist and accompanist on classical and romantic guitars, but he is also recognized as a leading player of the vihuela and lute. Possibly his most astounding skill is as a master of self-accompanied song, singing and playing the solo songs of renaissance Italy and Spain, Elizabethan England and Schubert with equal attention to the subtleties of melody, words, and accompaniments. Those who know the sophistication of both the sung melodies and their accompaniments in these repertoires joke that the only way he can pull it off is that he was born with two brains. . .Frank Wallace-his own new works (Gyre 10012), Wallace’s debut recording of his own compositions, won him a 2000 Artist Fellowship grant from the Arts Council of New Hampshire. His composition for solo classical guitar, The Stubborn Oak, was published in October 2000 by Tuscany Publications and is distributed worldwide by Theodore Presser. His previous recordings can be heard on Titanic Records, Musical Heritage Society, and Centaur Records.As an outstanding young classical guitarist from San Francisco Conservatory in the 70’s, Wallace joined the guitar faculty at New England Conservatory, while also studying early music with Marleen Forsberg Montgomery. In the early 80’s, he began full-time performance of medieval and renaissance music with his ensemble LiveOak and Company. He has performed at many of the leading early music festivals including Utrecht, Regensburg and Boston, and has also performed, lectured and taught at a number of Lute Society of America Seminars, the Holland Festival/Utrecht, Amherst Early Music Week and the Guitar Foundation of America Festival.Wallace currently performs with soprano Nancy Knowles as Duo LiveOak. Their concerts span the ages from medieval to contemporary, with guitar and its ancestors, often featuring Wallace’s own works and arrangements. In the summer of 2000 the duo founded the Gyre record label as a way to best represent the broad spectrum of their work.

Instruments classical guitar

Albums Frank Wallace: his own new works; ˇAy! de mi: Music for vihuela de mano and voice, Centaur 2112; Schubert and Mertz, Duo LiveOak, Gyre 10022

Press Reviews "It is easy to feel an intimate connection to the ethereal beauty of Frank Wallace's compositions not only because of their individual splendor, but also because of the lush tone and sensitive perfection with which Wallace executes his music. This disc features twenty tracks of Wallace's own compositions ranging from longer multimovement works such as Quadrangle and Sweet Ladyslipper, with the hauntingly beautiful Pavane for a Dying Prince, to shorter etudes and preludes from his Sketches. Wallace's writing reveals interests in early music, American folk music, and the blues, as well as a more contemporary language. His music also clearly reflects a thorough knowledge of the guitar's repertoire; the works sound idiomatic, though never to a fault, and his harmony and counterpoint bring out some of the richest sonorities that the guitar has to offer. This recording is a must own for anyone who is interested in discovering a brilliant collection of new repertoire performed by its composer, who happens to play with equal amounts of grace, sensitivity, and virtuosity." reviewed by Stephen Griesgraber Guitar Review No. 121, 2001The concert by Frank Wallace was a veritable tour de force; apart from solos for the vihuela, he sang and played at the same time in works by the 16th century vihuelistas. Tom Kerstens Classical Guitar (London)Great CD! Beautiful sound and work. Bravo! I need to say that I liked the most the "Quadrangle". A very nice piece! Apostolos Paraskevas composer/guitarist The CD is excellent. I liked it very much. Personally, I think it's one of the most original guitar CDs I have heard in many years. Tim Miklaucic Guitar Salon InternationalAnd by the way, I LOVE your CD as well. It took me by surprise. So much really fine stuff on it. I've listened many times. Maybe later I'll ask you for some scores... Congratulations. Excellent work! Kenny Hill luthier, guitarist I'm thoroughly enjoying the CD...It's what I listen to when I return from my nightly beach walks and meditation. It's food for my soul. Thanks so much. Selfishly, I sincerely hope you keep getting grants so you can keep creating such wonderful works!! Judy Rigmont NH Arts Council The pieces, the playing and the sound are all beautiful. Bravo. Allen Krantz guitarist/composer

Location Antrim, NH - USA

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