Magellan's Playlist, Vol. 1: On Tour in China Athens Guitar Duo

• Fazil Say (1970)
• 1Princess of Lykia10:19
• John W. Duarte (1919-2004): Greek Suite Op. 39
• 2I. Zagoresios04:05
• 3II. In the Valleys04:57
• 4III. Tsirigotikos01:23
• 5IV. Karagouna04:08
• 6V. Kalamatianos05:11
• Lowell Liebermann (1961)
• 7Nocturne-Fantasy, Op. 6913:10
• Jean Francaix (1912-1997): Divertissement
• 8I. Entree01:31
• 9II. Elegie02:15
• 10III. Madrigal02:01
• 11IV. Rondeaux03:18
• Ren Guang (1900-1941)
• 12Silver Clouds Chasing the Moon04:04
• Roland Dyens (1955): Comme des grands
• 13I. Gloomy Light03:40
• 14II. Il funghetto03:53
• 15III. Clown blanc03:14
• Andrew York (1958)
• 16Evening Dance04:12
• Total Runtime01:11:21

Info for Magellan's Playlist, Vol. 1: On Tour in China

The Athens Guitar Duo: Dusty Woodruff & Matthew Anderson. A child of the Renaissance, Ferdinand Magellan was the first explorer to cross the Pacific Ocean. This Album features composers of a myriad of nationalities with widely divergent musical styles that realize his voyage in a musical context.

The Athens Guitar Duo have opened up the world of the guitar to new audiences, offering them exquisitely crafted performances from composers both traditional and modern.

Magellan's Playlist, evokes the exotic and adventurous nature of its repertoire. It is a repertoire that could well have accompanied the explorer on his journeys had he lived in our digital age, his 'playlist' as it were, a cornucopia of musical delights full of intercultural variety and musical pleasure. Beginning with the music of Fazil Say, the selections on this recording cover a wide span of cultural differences and eras ranging from Say's easily accessible but revolutionary ideas through the British dryness of John Duarte and the sarcastic wit of Jean Francaix to the guitar virtuosity of Andrew York. Included as well is a bit of Chinese traditional music, a tribute to the country that hosts the Athens Guitar Duo on its tour of the People's Republic.

Dusty Woodruff, guitar
Matthew Anderson, guitar

Dusty Woodruff & Matthew Anderson
First constituted at the Athens Guitar Trio, the Athens Guitar Duo from the USA has been consistently entertaining audiences for the past eight years, offering them exquisitely crafted performances, each presented with a delicacy and creativity only to be found among the finest of chamber ensembles. They have opened up the world of the guitar to new audiences and have promoted the works of both modern and traditional composers with a youthfulness and freshness that makes the music of those composers come alive. Of this ensemble, Jim Montavalli of radio station WPKN in New Haven, CT has said: “[Their] interpretations of music from both classical and contemporary composers are seamlessly blended into an organic whole.” Similarly, the Clearwater Tribune wrote: “Individually they play with passion for the music and … their sounds blend to produce one harmonic tone that is pleasing to the ear and tends to soothe the soul.”

Through their performances as a trio and their past and upcoming recordings, AG² is constantly extending the boundaries of the guitar ensemble. They explore the expressive capabilities of their instruments through unique repertoire selections and creative and entertaining arrangements. Each member plays a guitar built by the master luthier, Kenny Hill. These include an extremely rare 11-string guitar which extends the range of the ensemble‘s capability and awakes interest from both fellow musicians and from audiences alike.

AG² is an active partner in the creation of a musical legacy. Since 2005, first appearing as a trio, they have premiered many works composed specifically for their ensemble. They have also been invited to perform for an impressive list of distinguished guests. These include former President of the United States, Jimmy Carter; the Pulitzer-Prize winning Composer, William Bolcom; Simone Fontanelli of the Mozarteum in Salzburg; and the world-renowned guitarist, Christopher Parkening.

As an ensemble, both Dusty Woodruff and Matthew Anderson, the members of AG², have performed throughout the United States. As the ensemble, AG², their explorations into the depth and wealth of the guitar repertoire along with their increased flexibility and dedication to producing great performances, will open to new audiences the joys to be found in this music.

As a trio, their performances have included master classes at major universities and they were the featured ensemble at the first annual North Georgia Guitar Summit. AG² will continue this tradition adding concerts and appearances in Europe and Asia to an increasingly long list of musical triumphs. The ensemble‘s recordings have been a regular feature on radio stations throughout the USA and they have been featured on America‘s National Public Radio.

AG² has recently recorded their debut album in Brighton, England with Claudio Records. The album will be distributed internationally by Naxos. This album comes in preparation for their debut international tour through the People’s Republic of China in October 2013.

This album contains no booklet.