Los Angeles Guitar Quartet

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The Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ) consists of John Dearman, William Kanengiser, Scott Tennant and Matthew Greif (who replaced Andrew York towards the end of 2006). These four musicians, playing nothing more than standard nylon-string classical guitars have given the world a fresh look at what the guitar is capable of. They have played in nearly every style; Baroque, Bluegrass, Flamenco, Rock and New Age are among the menagerie of their highly eclectic repertoire. The quartet received a Grammy Award in 2005 for its multi-genre CD, Guitar Heroes, a musically entertaining mix of guitar legends ranging from Chet Atkins to Jimi Hendrix. Recent projects include their latest CD, Spin, a tour of new arrangements by the quartet as well as other modern composers. Their ability to imitate a variety of instruments and effects has earned them an important place in guitar history.

1 The Quartet
2 John Dearman
3 William Kanengiser
4 Matthew Greif
5 Scott Tennant
6 Previous Members
7 Discography
8 External link

[edit] The Quartet

Formed at USC in 1980 by Anisa Angarola under the oversight of Pepe Romero of the famed The Romeros guitar quartet, the LAGQ has garnered fame among guitardom with its blend of classical, new age and unique arrangements. Among pieces in their eclectic repertoire are the works of quartet member Andrew York. His Pacific Coast highway, Quiccan and Bantu are among his more popular compositions for the quartet. The talented musicians of the LAGQ have redefined the classical guitar by coaxing new sounds from the old instrument. Indonesian gongs, African mbiras and Japanese kotos are among the myriad of sounds this stunning ensemble has brought to their profession.

[edit] John Dearman

Mr. Dearman is the quartet's seven-string guitar master. He had a special guitar made for him with an added bass string and extended fretboard allowing for greater range, both higher and lower. He currently teaches at El Camino College as well as being on faculty at University of California, Santa Barbara.

[edit] William Kanengiser

Kanengiser, another of the founding members of the quartet has arranged numerous works for the quartet including the Hungarian Rhapsody #2 by Franz Liszt and the group's Gamalean piece, Gongan. He is currently on the guitar faculty off the University of Southern California.

[edit] Matthew Greif

Greif replaced Andrew York in 2006, and was a former student of Kanengiser and Tennant.

[edit] Scott Tennant

Aside from being one of the founding members of the LAGQ, Tennant is also a renowned solo artist in the world of classical guitar. He has recordeded two albums of the guitar works of Joaquin Rodrigo as well as another recording featuring celtic music of England, Ireland and Scotland as well as several modern compositions. He is also a guitar instructor at the University of Southern California.

Scott Tennant website

[edit] Previous Members

Andrew York. Left in late 2006 and was replaced by Matthew Greif; he played with the quartet for 16 years. He posted an open letter about his departure on the quartet's site. [1]