Concerts are free.
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Wednesday, February 20
12:15 -12:45 PM

Russel Brazzel

classical guitar


Classical guitarist Russel Brazzel is a graduate of Loyola University of New Orleans, where he studied guitar with Richard Greene and received a Bachelor of Music degree in 1976. He completed his Master of Fine Arts degree at Tulane University in 1978. While at Tulane, he took advanced guitar studies with Elias Barreiro. He has also studied guitar with Paul Henry at the American Conservatory of Music, in Chicago.

Mr. Brazzel has performed numerous critically-acclaimed recitals throughout the United States, including two performances in New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall. Following his 1983 solo debut recital in the Carnegie Recital Hall, the New York Times wrote “in music by Brindle, Segovia, Castelnuovo-Tedesco. Moreno-Torroba, Giuliani, Brouwer and Ponce, Brazzel was a .....fluid player and showed a warm musical personality.” Following a 1988 concert in Milwaukee, the Milwaukee Sentinal wrote: “the guitarist displayed artistry, finesse, and a special affinity for music by Cuban and South American composers....He delivered the fluid lines (In Bach’s Lute Suite No. 1) with grace and polish. The devilishly difficult pyrotechnics of Niccolo Paganani’s “Grand Sonata” proved to be no stumbling block - Brazzel played the work smoothly and effortlessly.” Following a September, 2000 concert, critic Ann Ker wrote in the Illinois Times: “I am in awe of the many layers of sound at different levels, and the musicality that Brazzel exhibits. He does with eight fingers and six strings what pianists do with 88 keys!” He has appeared on public radio and television stations on both coasts as well as in the South and the Midwest.

Russel Brazzel has worked to expand the guitar repertoire by commissioning compositions from the composers Richard Greene, Natalio Galàn, and by his transcriptions and original compositions. His debut CD, 20th Century Cuban Music (Centaur #CRC2155) was released by Centaur Records in 1993. The critic for Guitar Review wrote about this CD: “he finds a very human warmth to balance the angularity of the writing and the composer’s (Brouwer’s) dry wit. .....never have I heard such attention to the music as human expression. ......Brazzel’s touch is so warm and assured that you cannot help but attend.” Musical Heritage Society also added this recording to their catalogue in 1994. He has published two books, The Music of Rudolf Straube, and Music from Wickhambrook, with Mel Bay Publications.

Mr. Brazzel has lived in the Central Illinois area since 1990. In 1997 he became the classical guitar instructor at Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, where he now makes his home. He is a co-founder and music director of the Springfield Classical Guitar Society, which is looking forward to presenting its tenth (2007-2008) season of concerts. Through his activities in the Springfield Classical Guitar Society, Russel Brazzel has been instrumental in sponsoring concerts by such concert artists as Javier Calderon, Paul Henry, Fareed Haque, Elena Papandreou, Antigoni Goni, Lily Afshar, The Ferrara-Leisek Duo, the Cavatina Duo, Johan Fostier, Martha Masters and many others.