In 2008 the guitar world celebrated the 75th birthday of British guitarist Julian Bream, one of the greatest classical guitarists of the 20th century. On March 1, 2008, seven American guitarists held their own Bream birthday bash with a concert of music that, as Verdery said, “reflected varying aspects of his interpretive artistry.”
Before the concert the artists—on stage from left, Scott Tennant, Benjamin Verdery, David Leisner, David Tanenbaum, William Kanengiser, Frederic Hand—gather around a photo of Bream that was hanging in the 92Y dressing room to share their impressions of the man and the immense influence Bream has had on the guitar. The artists comment on his pioneering spirit and discuss their favorite Bream recordings.
This talk is part of our Guitar Talks with Benjamin Verdery series.