When he was a child, Peter Griggs wanted to play rock 'n' roll. At the age of 12, Griggs started playing guitar. Now, 40 years later, he is taking audiences from Germany to upstate New York on a 500-year tour of the history of guitar.
Griggs will be performing a set of 15 songs this weekend at the Westminster Presbyterian Church.
“The classical guitar is not as well-known as it should be,” he said.
Griggs, who studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, started his tours in Germany in 2002, where he often played in churches. There, they frequently function as community cultural resources and not just as places of worship, he said. Griggs has always felt that his program is nice for the historical settings where he often plays, he said.
Friday's concert will include music from the early Renaissance and baroque time periods, flamenco, Spanish and Brazilian music, jazz and some original songs.
“It gives a whole range of all the types of music you can play on the guitar,” Griggs said.
While Griggs wants to give people a thorough history of guitar music, his tour has another purpose. Griggs was invited to visit Southeast Asia in January 2009, he said.
“There is sort of a deeper purpose, which is to try to promote an international understanding through the arts,” Griggs said of his upcoming trip.
Though the concert is free, there is a suggested donation of $10 to help Griggs with the expenses for his upcoming undertaking. Still, Griggs recognizes that having a concert in a church is not like having one at a music hall.
“Churches typically are not in the business of presenting music,” he said. “ Doing the concert as a free-will donation allows for the church to present something that they probably wouldn't do normally ...And it's a good thing for the churches because it expands their cultural offerings. In our busy, hectic daily lives, we could all use a little bit of opportunity for quiet contemplation.”
Gitana Mirochnik
253-5311 ext. 237
gitana.mirochnik@lee.net
If you go.
What: “500 Years of Music for Guitar”
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19
Where: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 17 William St., Auburn
Cost: $10 suggested donation
Info: Call 253-3331
“The classical guitar is not as well-known as it should be,” he said.
Griggs, who studied at the Juilliard School of Music in New York City, started his tours in Germany in 2002, where he often played in churches. There, they frequently function as community cultural resources and not just as places of worship, he said. Griggs has always felt that his program is nice for the historical settings where he often plays, he said.
Friday's concert will include music from the early Renaissance and baroque time periods, flamenco, Spanish and Brazilian music, jazz and some original songs.
“It gives a whole range of all the types of music you can play on the guitar,” Griggs said.
While Griggs wants to give people a thorough history of guitar music, his tour has another purpose. Griggs was invited to visit Southeast Asia in January 2009, he said.
“There is sort of a deeper purpose, which is to try to promote an international understanding through the arts,” Griggs said of his upcoming trip.
Though the concert is free, there is a suggested donation of $10 to help Griggs with the expenses for his upcoming undertaking. Still, Griggs recognizes that having a concert in a church is not like having one at a music hall.
“Churches typically are not in the business of presenting music,” he said. “ Doing the concert as a free-will donation allows for the church to present something that they probably wouldn't do normally ...And it's a good thing for the churches because it expands their cultural offerings. In our busy, hectic daily lives, we could all use a little bit of opportunity for quiet contemplation.”
Gitana Mirochnik
253-5311 ext. 237
gitana.mirochnik@lee.net
If you go.
What: “500 Years of Music for Guitar”
When: 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19
Where: Westminster Presbyterian Church, 17 William St., Auburn
Cost: $10 suggested donation
Info: Call 253-3331
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