Referred in the specialized press as “One of the most active and brilliant soloists from his generation (…)” (Acervo Digital do Violão Brasileiro) and by the composer João Luiz as “one of the best interpreters of my solo guitar music.”, Octávio Deluchi is a Brazilian classical guitarist that debuted at Carnegie Hall at the age of 24. With more than 15 prizes in different levels, he is active and performs in cities such as New York City, São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, and more, being featured in different venues, like Composer’s Now (NYC), Americas Society/Council of Americas (NYC); Odeon Guitar Series (NYC); Starry Nights (NY); Guitar by Masters (USA); VMEA (USA); Musik Expedition International Music Festival; Sao Joao del Rei’s Inverno Cultural (MG-BRA); IFCE Ciclo Violonístico (CE-BRA); Souza Lima Guitar Competition (SP-BRA); Festival Internacional de Violão do Espírito Santo (ES-BRA); BNDES Quartas Instrumentais (RJ), among others.

Octávio is a passionate advocate for new music, having premiered, commissioned, or published pieces by Vicente Paschoal, João Luiz Rezende, Juliano Camara, Luis Carlos Barbieri, Cleisson José, Terrance Shepherd, Megan Deslinger, Mary Simmons, and others. He is a founder member of AssoVio Vertentes Guitar Association, in the state of Minas Gerais (BRA), having worked and promoted concerts and activities with names like Duo Siqueira-Lima, Marco Pereira, Paulo Inda, Gilson Antunes, Duo Vincens-Maciel, Thiago Colombo, Daniel Wolff, and more. In the most recent event, Festival Escrita Fina/Composição em Pauta (2021), 24 four new pieces for guitar were premiered and released, done through a partnership between composers and performers. As a chamber musician, Deluchi has played with names such as João Luiz, Guilherme Vincens, Robert Trent, Luca Raele, Pedro Visockas, Silvio Catto, Haruna Furukawa, Michael Celentano, Kimberly Kang, Rosana Diniz, Fabio Chamma, Gustavo Fontes, Geraldo Neto, Rodrigo Frade, Ana Chinelato, William Neres, Andre Bachur, Guilherme Andreas, Romulo Viana, Gabriel Preusse, Adhemar Campos Neto, Guido Campos, Rosberg Patrocínio, and more.

Octávio is a resident professor and guest soloist at Prados Music Festival (Brazil) since 2018, one of the oldest events in the classical music field in the country. Deluchi is a doctoral student at Stony Brook University (SUNY-SBU), working with Dr. João Luiz. Other important names for his career as a musician and guitar player are Fabio Zanon, Guilherme Vincens, Robert Trent, Paulo Martelli, Ian Guest, and Vladmir Agostini. His latest tour in Brazil this summer (2022) included 6 concerts, TV and Radio interviews, chamber music, teaching, masterclasses, and the soloist of Villa-Lobos Guitar Concerto, with orchestra. Some of his upcoming endeavors feature an EP and album release, and his Europe debut. Octavio is an Augustine Ambassador, playing Augustine Regal Red strings. For more information, check: www.octaviodeluchi.com. Octávio is thrilled to join the EzraGuitar teaching faculty for the 2022-23 season.

Inspired by the infinite sonic possibilities of the guitar, Stelios’ activities range from contemporary music to classical guitar with a strong focus on improvisation. Equally committed to the nylon as well as the electric guitar he combines elements of both worlds in his sound. 

His guitar has gotten him from playing dive bars & sticky basements to accompanying divas in prestigious concert halls, as well as rocking out in stadiums.

Based in NYC he is currently splitting his time between his own projects, freelancing & teaching.

In the summer of 2017 he was invited to perform with the performer, writer & multi-grammy recipient René Juan Pérez Joglar, known professionally as Residente, as part of the Spanish leg of their world tour.

Earlier on, he recorded with pianist & composer Leo Genovese’s cross genre large ensemble ‘the Legal Aliens’ in their 2016 album after the group performed in & around NY.

In June of the same year he released an album of acoustic improvisations in duo with NYC based bassist Zach Swanson, Chamber Music as in the music of friends.

In 2015 he got invited to join a large ensemble, this time by the NYC based multi instrumentalist Daniel Carter. The Listening Group went on to play the Forward Festival in NY in 2015 and 2016 and is preparing its first release on 577 records in 2018.

Prior to the Listening Group Stelios had been in the studio with Daniel twice in 2015 to record two sessions of free improvisation.

‘Unanimity’ featuring fellow greek drummer George Spanos, clarinetist Vasko Dukovski & Kansas based bassist Jeff Harshbarger was recorded in September of 2015 while a couple months earlier in June ‘Why not Now?’ was recorded with Aleksandar Petrov on drums & Francesco Marcocci on Bass. Leo Genovese guested the recording on bandoneon.

During the same summer he recorded an album his native Athens, Greece with the Meating for Business group led by Don Stavrinos. The album was mixed & mastered in NYC in 2017 by Jeremy Loucas and will be released in 2018.

In 2014 and after 3 summers of collaboration, a record of (mostly) original intuitive music was released by ‘Surd’ : a trio formed with long time friends & partners in crime, composer Nikos Ioakeim & multi instrumentalist Alexis Kotsopoulos.

Between 2006-13 he composed, toured & recorded in the US with acclaimed singer Arooj Aftab.

In 2008 he recorded & toured with the award winning Banda Eclectics based in Boston, MA.

Stelios is also an active music educator. After being a faculty member of the South Shore Conservatory in Boston he has joined the faculty at Ezra Guitar based in Brooklyn, NY. Since 2014 he also is running his own distinguished music studio at Prospect Park, Brooklyn.

After completing studies on Musicology and Classical Guitar in Athens, he moved to Boston, MA to study Contemporary Guitar at Berklee College of Music with jazz greats such as Mick Goodrick, Ed Tomassi, Hal Crook & Dave Santoro.

steliosmihas.com

https://soundcloud.com/steliosmihas

Adam Bilchik: Classical Guitarist, Singer-Songwriter and Percussionist

A Cleveland, Ohio native, Adam started his classical guitar training at the age of 8 with teacher Erik Wagner. He attended Baldwin-Wallace Conservatory of Music, where he received his Bachelor of Music degree, studying with composer and guitarist Dr. Loris Chobanian. His studies took him to New York City and the Manhattan School of Music where he began his graduate studies with world-renowned composer and guitarist, David Leisner.

Adam has given solo and chamber music recitals in NYC at the Manhattan School of Music, in Cleveland at Baldwin Wallace and the Cleveland Classical Guitar Society, as well as competing in the Fuchs Chamber Music Competition. As a member of the Baldwin Wallace Guitar Trio, he premiered works by Armenian-American composer, Loris Chobanian and performed them in honor of the victims of the Armenian Genocide. He was also featured performing on the classical FM radio station, WCLV.

Unlike most guitarists, Adam started on the classical guitar and branched out later to other styles, including songwriting. Adam has performed with singer-songwriter and violinist, Adrianna Mateo and other contemporary ensembles at venues across NYC including: Symphony Space, Spectrum, Arlene’s Grocery, Cornelia St. Café, The Firehouse Space, and more. You can listen to his music on social media outlets like Instagram and YouTube.

Adam is an experienced teacher with over 11 years teaching all ages and levels from “twinkle twinkle” to preparing for NYSSMA. In addition to teaching guitar, he also teaches percussion. Adam is passionate about making a difference in the lives of kids through music. He currently is a teaching artist at the EzraGuitar Conservatory, as well as teaching at iSchool Music and art and privately in NYC.

“One of the top young guitarists of his generation” (Performance Today), Jordan Dodson is an active soloist and chamber musician based in New York and Philadelphia. He has received prizes in numerous competitions, including the 2013 Astral Artists National Auditions, 2011 Lillian Fuchs Chamber Music Competition, 2010 Indiana International Guitar Competition, and 2008 American String Teachers Association Competition.  In 2013, he was a Young Artist in Residence on American Public Media’s Performance Today.

An advocate for contemporary music, Jordan has commissioned and premiered dozens of pieces internationally. He is a performer in several New York City ensembles, including Ensemble Moto Perpetuo, Ensemble sans maître, and Tempus Continuum.

Originally from Columbus, Ohio, Jordan started playing music at a young age. His past teachers were Clare Callahan, David Starobin, and Jason Vieaux. He has received degrees from the University of Cincinnati and the Manhattan School of Music. In the Fall of 2011, Jordan was one of two guitarists selected to inaugurate a new program in classical guitar at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music.

http://www.jordandodson.net/

Nancy Goudinaki: Greek Classical Guitarist and Jazz Vocalist 

At the age of 8 years old, Nancy knew she wanted to pursue music, and learned how to play the classical guitar.  Nine years later, she continued her studies with master classical guitarist, Costas Cotsiolis, and received her degree and diploma with honors in classical guitar. Her career as a vocalist began when Lakis Tzimkas, an accomplished Greek bassist, discovered her tantalizingly unique voice and chose her as a feature vocalist in his new band. While in Greece, Nancy performed as a vocalist in various jazz venues, restaurants, hotels and private functions, both in Athens and in her hometown, Thessaloniki.After receiving her B.A. in Music/Fine Arts in 2007 from Aristotle University in Thessaloniki, Greece, Nancy moved to New York City to pursue her career as a guitarist, jazz vocalist and composer.Her debut album entitled, “I Wanna Be Your Star” with pianist Orrin Evans, bassist Dwayne Burno, saxophonist JD Allen, and drummer Rudy Royston, featuring special guests, vocalist Miles Griffith, bassist Richie Goods and percussionist Daniel Sadownick, was released on January 6, 2014. Record arrangements by Orrin Evans spice up this album produced by Richie Goods. Nancy currently performs with her trio in the New York City and Philadelphia area.  She has performed at the legendary Birdland and The Zinc Bar. She also teaches classical guitar with the EzraGuitar Conservatory and voice throughout NYC. www.jazzynancyg.com