Performing Arts Spotlight

Known worldwide for their technical wizardry, breathtaking intensity and extensively diverse repertoire, the California Guitar Trio will perform an innovative evening of classical and contemporary works this Friday, Nov. 6, at 8 p.m. in the Mahaney Center for the Arts (MCA).
With a set list that spans from unique originals to dazzling, cleverly arranged interpretations of jazz, classical, rock and world music, the group is uniquely suited to the breadth of musical interest on campus. That is one of the beauties of guitar: these guys are playing the same instrument we hear all over campus, whether during WOMP or emanating from your neighbor’s room, but at an awe-inspiring level.

While it often requires specialized knowledge to fully appreciate other performances, everyone has heard enough guitar to recognize the unparalleled talented of this group. The Middlebury program will have something for everyone, with a showcase spanning from Bach fugues to an inventive rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.

In addition to exciting musicianship and interplay, the California Guitar Trio’s shows are full of captivating stories and humor that enable concertgoers to feel as if they are a  part of the music, not just spectators. In fact, the group’s goal is to transcend their instruments so that the music becomes people’s first focus, and its considerable technical prowess a distant second.

The Trio — comprised of Paul Richards of Salt Lake City, Utah; Bert Lams of Affligem, Belgium; and Hideyo Moriya of Tokyo, Japan — has been fearlessly crisscrossing genres together since 1991. Richards was kind enough to take a few minutes out of their current tour to speak to me about the group and their music.

You have been playing together as a group for over 25 years, and you have each been playing separately for even longer. Why do you stay at it?

Paul Richards: That’s a good question. The great thing about this group is that we’re always open to new ideas and trying new things. We’ve never come to a point where we feel like we’re getting tired; the music and the excitement we get from the music keeps me going. There’s some new music we’re working on right now that I feel is the best music we’ve written yet. I think a lot of that excitement transfers over to the audience.

History has shown that the audience agrees. The trio’s output has made a major global impact as the soundtrack for Olympics coverage and programs on CNN, CBS, NBC and ESPN. Their music was even used by NASA to wake the crew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. Their music is literally out of this world.

The California Guitar Trio’s 14 albums, streamed over 47 million times on Pandora, offer diverse snapshots of the group’s mercurial muse. The trio’s most recent release, Masterworks, showcases its classical side, with expansive takes on Bach, Beethoven, Arvo Pärt and Schubert. Speaking with Richards, my trepidations as to how this genre would mesh with Middlebury’s acoustic vibe were quickly assuaged.

PR: I’m sure we’ll play a bunch of music they’ve never heard before, but maybe in a context with guitar and in a way of doing it that might be more appealing. When we’ve done shows at colleges in the past, I’ve always got kids coming up to me and saying ‘Wow, I’ve never heard something like that but I’m way into it.’ So, for example, you have the classical music; maybe those kids do not want to go see an entire concert of classical music, but in our concert, where we mix it up, maybe it makes listening to a piece from Bach or Beethoven more approachable because we’re going to play with some pieces that are more approachable or accessible.

There’s a cover tune that we play that’s some music from the 60’s; it’s a tune called “Sleepwalk.” It’s originally by Santo and Johnny, but it’s one of those tunes that everybody knows but not a lot of people know where it came from. We’ll include that and we’ll do some other covers like Bohemian Rhapsody; that’s another of our favorites that gets a lot of airplay and that people enjoy hearing live. And we’ll always include a little bit of classical.

For guitarists of all ages and skill levels, the trio will give a public workshop from 5- p.m. in the MCA Concert Hall. It is unlikely that you will have many opportunities to work with a group this gifted.

Tickets are $6 for students. Visit go/boxoffice or stop by either of the offices in McCullough or the MCA.