The Fall 2005 West Chester University School of Music Guitar Ensemble was filled with difficult songs played by nine different guitar majors. Prof. Glenn Lyons spoke to the audience in Swope Hall Auditorium before the 43rd consecutive guitar concert at the school. He mentioned the injuries sustained by students which caused a change in the group. The stage was on risers on the floor, bringing the performers closer to the audience. Four family room lamps were on stage to assist the students, who played from sheet music. Bradley Rau played “Campanas del Alba” by Eduardo S. De la Maza. The Latino song was the most challenging and emotionally moving of the evening. Rau played without sheet music. Matthew Loukota played two of his own songs. He has played classical guitar at Open Mic Nights at Fennario Coffee & Tobacco located at 111 N. Church St. in West Chester. “Autumn Wind,” a song with many chords with the left hand and quick picking with the right, expressed the recent Pennsylvania foliage. “Cosmic Gal” moved swiftly, starting with muted fret picks down the neck of the guitar near the body. Loukota played without sheet music. He used a foot pedal turned backwards. Barry Goslin took the stage next playing both the music and vocal parts of “Imagine” by John Lennon. The song was nostalgic, though Goslin mis-timed a couple string plucks signifying Lennon’s voice. Goslin then played “Night Sky” which was an instrumental of his own. He played without sheet music.
“Trio Concertant fr 3 Gitarren Op. 29” by Antoine L’Hoyer(circa 1800) was played next by Bradley Granberry, David Kosa, and Rau. The tempo was allegro moderato, or moderately fast. David Poli, Kinsey Sullivan and Zachary Holiday continued the ensemble with “Sonata Op. 1, No. 8” by Johann Matheson. “Orchestral Suite No. 2” by Igor Stravinsky finished the evening with Goslin, Loukota, Rau and Christopher Scavello. Movements in the song were Marche, Vals, Polka and Gallop. The polka was rousing to the audience.
Most of the students used the traditional foot pedal to prop up the leg under their neck playing hand. Some had new devices never seen before by this writer. All guitarists performed in the right hand position.