Evento

Dente/Robertson Guitar/Percussion Duo

This concert offers a space-time journey between the old continent of Europe and today's poly-cultural world. Based on compositions by French guitarist and composer Arthur DENTE, this duo is developing a repertoire of original pieces inspired by the Iberian world, ranging from Andalusian music to Portuguese Fado and classical music. The music is both spiritual and contemplative, but wrapped in an invigorating rhythmic pulse.

This concert will open with several guitar solos performed by Dente, composed by luminaries of the classical guitar field such as Heitor Villa-Lobos, Isaac Albeniz, Francisco Tarrega, and J. S. Bach's famous "Chaconne," written for violin and here adapted for guitar.

Arthur Dente is a Franco-Portuguese guitarist who has both studied music through institutions (conservatory of music and university), as well as through long stays in Spain over many years (frequenting the flamenco music scene in Sevilla, Cadiz, Córdoba and Jerez de la Frontera). In addition, his interest in contemporary music has led him to enter several composition competitions presenting the fruits of his research into musical language. Dente is artistic director in France of ENSEMBLE MAGELLAN, an orchestral, choreographic and choral ensemble that enables him to write and organize major composition projects each year, thus broadening the musical universe of the classical guitar.

"In my work as a composer, I seek to invent a contemporary musical language that brings together the world's cultural diversity. My desire is to bring to the so-called classical guitar all the richness of play and aesthetics that come from oral music. For this reason, all of my compositions presented in this program are written on sheet music, in order to transcribe all the technical procedures employed. This necessary search for a new coherent and reasoned language with a universal aim has occupied the essence of my life, and it is with renewed pleasure that I invite you to attend this concert organized by Piedmont Center for the Arts."

Arthur DENTE works regularly with percussionist Steve Robertson during his stays in California.
His activities in France are divided between recitals, duets, groups, and the organization of projects based on his compositions for orchestra, choir and guitar. For more details visit his website at : https://arthurdente.com.

STEVE ROBERTSON BIO: Steve has been actively performing, recording, producing and teaching in the Bay Area for more than 25 years. A graduate of San Jose State University with a BA in Music Performance and Education, he has performed and recorded in a variety of musical styles with artists including Bobby Hutcherson, Airto and Flora Purim, Laurindo Almeida, Claudia Villela, Othello Molineaux, Giovanni Hidalgo, Omar Sosa, John Calloway, Arthur Dente and many others. His musical focus is primarily in Jazz and World Music styles including Brazilian, Afro-Cuban and North Indian Classical music (on tabla). He studied orchestral percussion with Anthony Cirone at SJSU and is a tabla student of Ustad Zakir Hussain. He has also performed on percussion with the Monterey and Santa Cruz County Symphonies.

PIEDMONT CENTER FOR THE ARTS STRONGLY ENCOURAGES PROPER MASKING INSIDE THE MAIN HALL AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDS THAT ATTENDEES HAVE ALL UP TO DATE VACCINATIONS.