Instrumental Influences - Reflections on the Classical Guitar from the Instrument's Most Influential Performers and Pedagogues (Paperback)

It's often been said that the experience of music isn't the playing of the black notes printed on the page; it's understanding the time relationships between them. We learn how to read and create music from books, teachers, DVDs, and the internet. We are taught how to properly position our fingers, arms, hands, and body as well as the guitar itself so that we can comfortably and efficiently perform music. But if we perform all the mechanics correctly, practice diligently for many years, study with passion, and push beyond our self-imposed limitations, why aren't we all on our own world tours or competing in world-class competitions? What are the inner qualities, characteristics, and beliefs that differentiate the good performer from the artist? What are those individual perceptions, impressions, and even presuppositions that make for an accomplished classical guitarist's transition to "artist"? If we are fortunate enough, we may absorb a gem of wisdom from a master class, or perhaps overhear an artist in backstage conversation with someone that propels us to the next level of our own ability. Such circumstances so often involve being in the right place at the right time.But INSTRUMENTAL INFLUENCES has changed all that. For the first time, we now have many of classical guitar's most influential artists and teachers together providing their thoughts on the psychological, emotional, and even physical approach to performing and teaching the classical guitar. Donn LeVie Jr. has assembled nearly sixty original essays from his own experiences with the instrument as well as those of 25 Grammy Award winners, Grammy Award nominees, Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) First Prize winners, and respected teachers and performers. These fresh essays reveal the individual paradigms out of which are forged the qualities that create a caliber of musician that can perform on any world stage, or a teacher with the gift of imparting practical knowledge to some students, and removing the blinders from others. Donn LeVie's role in this unique contribution has been that of "everyman guitarist," where his essays present the perspective of anyone and everyone who has taken up the classical guitar, or for that matter, any other musical instrument. As "the ordinary individual" with whom the reader can easily identify-and who at times faces extraordinary circumstances-Donn reveals the same struggles, victories, and rewards from the study and performance of the classical guitar that readers and audiences can relate to with head-nodding agreement. After reading the essays in INSTRUMENTAL INFLUENCES, don't be surprised if you now listen to music with a more discerning ear, approach your study with a renewed vigor, or just see positive changes in other areas of your life, as many of the essay themes reveal.In the words of the great contemporary classical guitar virtuoso, Pepe Romero: "If you are touched by music, you are touched by love in a very pure way."------------------------------------------------------------------------------"A 'must read' for all guitarists INSTRUMENTAL INFLUENCES is filled with insights and wisdom shared by some of the world's greatest classical guitarists. Each contributing author writes as if having a personal conversation with the reader. Author Donn LeVie has filled a void by bringing together some of the world's greatest classical guitarists to share gems of life-long lessons of success. This book should be on the 'required reading list' for all students of music considering a performance career "My hat is off to Mr. LeVie. You knocked this one out of the park "Bill SwickMusic Department Chair, Las Vegas Academy of Performing ArtsGuitar Task Force Chair, Clark County School District