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Greater Houston Guitar Guild Concert: Valerie Hartzell with Jonathan Dotson

Presented by Greater Houston Guitar Guild at University of Houston - Dudley Recital Hall

May 7, 2010

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The Greater Houston Guitar Guild presents a Greater Houston Guitar Guild Concert: Valerie Hartzell with Jonathan Dotson. Friday, May 7, 7:30pm, in the Fine Arts Bldg, Dudley Recital Hall at University of Houston, main campus (entrance 16 off of Cullen Blvd) .

Houston’s own, Valerie Hartzell will be performing works by Barrios, Villa-Lobos, Lennon, and Mitchell in order to raise funds for the 2010 ‘Classical Minds’ Guitar Competition prizes. Jonathan Dotson, 2009 'Classical Minds' faculty, has volunteered to perform a program in the first half of the concert. All proceeds from the concert will go toward the 2010 'Classical Minds' Guitar Competition prizes.

Ms. Hartzell (pictured) has performed in Europe and the States, is the director of the ‘Classical Minds’ Guitar Institute and Competition and is a professor at the Houston Community College. Jonathan Dotson is currently a doctoral candidate at University of Texas, under the tutelage of Adam Holzman, and has won numerous competitions such as the 2007 'Classical Minds' Guitar Festival and Competition and Appalachian International Solo Guitar Competition.

Valerie Hartzell - Biography
Valerie Hartzell began her classical guitar studies on a half-size Ramirez at the age of three. At the age of six, she studied with maestro Alexandre Lagoya at the Académie Internationale d’Eté in Nice, France.

She has performed in Europe, Canada, the U.S. and has appeared on television in Nice, FR. From September 29-October 5, 2002 she toured the Carolinas which promoted her first cd, Fuoco! She has performed in many festivals, including the Eastfield College Guitar Festival and Competition in Mesquite, the Tennessee Festival at MTSU, the ECU Competition and Festival in Greenville, NC, the MANC Guitar Competition Festival in Greensboro, NC and the Pennsylvania Academy of Music Festival (where she shared the stage with Eliot Fisk). In March of 2007, Ms. Hartzell performed with studio members of the Houston Grand Opera at the Rienzi Recital Series.

Ms. Hartzell has also performed as a guest soloist for the NYCCGS, the Troubadour Series at Wofford College, The Charlotte Guitar Society, Arizona State University, Appalachian University, Texas State University, the Elon Guitar Society, at Auburn University in Alabama, and at Picksville College in Kentucky.

She was a prizewinner at the Portland Guitar Competition, the ECU Competition and Festival, and the Appalachian Guitar Festival and Competition. Was has won 1st prizes at the 10th International Guitar Competition “Simone Salmaso” in Italy and at the Concours de Guitare Classique Heitor Villa-Lobos in France.

At the Peabody Conservatory, Ms. Hartzell studied with Manuel Barrueco on scholarship earning her Bachelor’s Degree in 1997. She was awarded a GTF at Radford University and was placed as Adjunct Faculty while studying for her Master’s Degree in Music, receiving her performance degree in May of 1999. Currently, she is Adjunct Faculty at the Houston Community College and a private instructor.

Valerie Hartzell is the creator and Director of the "Classical Minds" Guitar Festival and Competition at Moores School of Music, University of Houston and is the director of the Greater Houston Guitar Guild. Ms. Hartzell plays a Greg Byers Guitar.

Jonathan Dotson – Biography
Jonathan Dotson was born in the coastal town of St. Augustine, FL. He was raised around guitars and began performing professionally at the age of 13. While still in high school, Jonathan was featured on Jacksonville's public radio (89.9) and television (WJXT).

Since leaving his hometown, Jonathan has studied with some of the nation's most esteemed pedagogues and performers, including Bruce Holzman, Adam Holzman, Andrew Zohn, and Mary Akerman. Jonathan is an avid supporter of new music for the guitar, and has performed several world premiers of brand new works by up and coming composers such as Daniel Nass, Justin Sharp, Brian Chamberlain, Marc Anthony Cruz, Joseph Eidson, and Andrew Dickenson.

Effectively bringing the classical guitar to a new and increasingly diverse audience, Jonathan has been a regular guest on Houston's KUHF public radio station's 'The Front Row' program, as well as Austin's 'Fox 7' morning television program 'Good Day Austin'. He has also been featured on Austin radio station KUT 90.5's 'Austin Music Minute' with Theresa Ferguson, promoting his 'Classical Afternoon' at the hip outdoor Austin Cafe, 'The Spider House', a weekly informal classical guitar concert he gave every Sunday for eight months, to critical acclaim and a loyal following.

In addition, he has been an invited guest performer at many Universities throughout the state of Texas, including performances at Texas A&M university, The University of Houston, Mary Hardin Baylor University, Concordia University, and Sam Houston State University, among others. In 2009, Jonathan served on the faculty of the prestigious 'Immanuel and Helen Ohlsan Texas Music Festival' at the University of Houston's Moore School of Music by way of the 'Classical Minds' Institute.

Jonathan has become active in the international solo guitar competition circuit, and has claimed several top prizes:
First Prize, 2008 'Classical Minds' Guitar Festival and Competition
First prize, 2005 Appalachian International Solo Guitar Competition
Second Prize, 2009 Texas International Guitar Competition,
Third Prize, 2007 St. Joseph International Guitar Competition
Fourth Prize, 2008 Boston GuitarFest; and
Fourth Prize, 2005 East Carolina Solo Guitar Competition.

Jonathan currently holds two degrees in music, A Bachelor of Music in Performance from Kennesaw State University in Georgia, and a Master of Music in Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. Jonathan is currently engaged in doctoral studies (all but dissertation) at the University of Texas at Austin, where he has received numerous scholarships and awards.