Churchville/Riga area residents were treated to a special concert the evening of Thursday, April 14. Classical guitarist Dr. Kenneth Meyer performed as part of the Newman Riga Library’s celebration of National Library Week.
Dr. Meyer, who lives in Geneva, New York, currently directs the guitar studies program at Syracuse University’s Setnor School of Music. He holds degrees in Music Composition and Performance from the State University of New York at Fredonia and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Eastman School of Music. He has served on the faculties of East Carolina University, SUNY at Fredonia and the Eastman School of Music.
Described as, “A thinking man’s guitarist,” Dr. Meyer is a national first-prize winner at the Music Teacher’s National Association Collegiate Artist Competition.
He delighted the audience at Newman Riga with a program, which included five short pieces by Renaissance composer John Dowland (1563-1626), a Prelude, Fuga and Allegro, by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) and Quatro Valses Venezolanos by Antonio Lauro (1917-1986).
Additionally, Dr. Meyer performed a piece written especially for him in 2012 by Jesse Jones called Ricordanza. Dr. Meyer said the piece, which includes a number of different musical characters coming in and out of focus, is a reflection on the nature of musical memory. Following its performance, Dr. Meyer told the audience he had been nervous performing the piece as it was the first time he had played it, “from memory.”
Dr. Meyer has performed at the Newman Riga Library on several other occasions, he told the audience he was happy to be back in Churchville on such a beautiful spring evening.
The theme for National Library Week 2016, which was observed from April 10 through 16, was “Libraries Transform.” According to the American Library Association, the observance is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support.
All libraries – school, public, academic and special – participate in the observance.
