Skender Sefa - guitar Prelude and Fugue in Eb Major BWV 998 by J.S.

Bach (1685-1750) Introduction, Theme and Variations Op. 9 by Fernando Sor (1778-1839) Trois Saudades No.3 by R. Dyens (b.1955) I. Rituel II. Danse III. Fete et Final - intermission Michael Daher - guitar Prelude #1, Prelude #2 and Etude #1 by Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) Recuerdos de la Alhambra by Francisco Tarrega (1852-1909) Afro-Cuban Lullaby by Leo Brouwer (b. 1939) Torre Bermeja by Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909) - intermission Ryszard Tyborowski - guitar Choro de Saudade and El Ultimo Canto by Agustin Barrios Mangore (1885-1944) Tres Piezas Rioplatenses by Maximo Diego Pujol (b.1957) I. Don Julian II. Septiembre III. Rojo y Negro Chlop & Baba by Ryszard Tyborowski


Skender Sefa teaches classical guitar performance and music theory at the Manitoba Conservatory of Music and Arts and is a Director of the Winnipeg Music Festival and the President of the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society. He has recorded four classical guitar CDs on the GFI Masterworks, Uncontrollable Records and Marquis Classics labels: one solo CD, two duet CDs, and one chamber music CD. The CD Sefarad The Music of Sid Robinovitch, on which Skender performs on four tracks in trio with Ryszard Tyborowski and Michael Daher, was nominated for two Western Canadian Music Awards and a Juno. Performance highlights include two performances with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in October of 2006 as a featured soloist in the WSOs prestigious Masterworks series performing Osvaldo Golijovs Oceana and three performances with the WSO and the Manitoba Opera Association performing Verdis Otello in April 2007, a performance with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in April 2008 at the MTS Center, two concerts with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 2012 performing Mahlers 7th Symphony and several full length recitals for the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society. Skender completed the Bachelor of Music (Performance) and Master of Music (Performance) degree programs at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Music under professor Ryszard Tyborowski. He also completed a Bachelor of Arts (Advanced) degree and was a scholarship student at the prestigious Domaine Forget Music and Dance Academy in Quebec, where he studied under renowned classical guitar pedagogues Bruce Holzman (USA), Jean Vallieres (Quebec) and Patrick Roux (Ottawa). Michael Daher is a well known local classical guitarist and member of the Manitoba Classical Guitar Duo. Michael regularly performs both as a soloist and in ensemble including performances with the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra and the Manitoba Opera Association. Michael has performed in Masterclasses with world renowned artists including Leo Brouwer, and Christopher Parkening. Recent highlights include adjudicating the classical guitar portion of the Brandon Music Festival and performing as a featured performer at the annual guitar festival headed by virtuoso guitarist Christopher Parkening in Montana. Michael owns Goodfellas Productions where he engineers and produces CDs ranging from rock to classical genres. Michael is also the president of GFI Masterworks, a classical music label responsible for the production of many Winnipeg artists albums. Michael is the Vice-President of the Winnipeg Classical Guitar Society and is a Past President. He is also a featured performer on a recently released Juno nominated chamber music CD which he engineered and produced, titled Sefarad on the Marquis Record Label and consists of chamber music written by Winnipeg composer Sid Robinovitch. As a successful guitar motivator/teacher for over 25 years, Michael has taught many hundreds of students; many have won competitions, were awarded scholarships, attained university music degrees and many have gone on to careers in performing and music education. Primarily self taught up to 1980 with some lessons by local guitarists Sam Newman, Duane Burden and Larry Roy, Michael studied with Paul Hammer at the University of Manitoba from 1984 1990. Since then he has studied privately and in Masterclasses with some of Canada and the worlds greatest guitarists such as Harold Micay, Norbert Kraft, Christopher Parkening, Leo Bouwer and David Russell. Ryszard Tyborowski Originally from Poland, Ryszard now lives and works in Winnipeg where he teaches classical guitar at the Marcel A. Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba, and at the Manitoba Conservatory of Music & Arts. He has performed classical guitar on numerous occasions in North America and Europe where he has received numerous grants and scholarships in recognition of his talents. Ryszard released his first CD, Romantico through GFI Masterworks in 1996 earning him a Western Music Award nomination for the video Hora produced by BRAVO TV. His second CD, Hommage a Chopin, released in 1999, included a world premier recording of the suite Hommage a Chopin by Polish composer Stanislaw Mronski. Mel Bay used Ryszards recording of the suite in their publication Master Anthology of New Classic Guitar Solos. Pearls and Yarn by The Milan Milosevic Trio, released by Summit Records in 2001, featured the music of the Serbian clarinetist and composer Boki Milosevic rearranged by the Trio. The CD received great reviews including 5 out of 5 stars in the Winnipeg Free Press. Juno and Western Music Award nominated, Sefarad, Richards fourth CD, released by Marquis Records in 2008, contains compositions by Winnipegs composer Sid Robinovitch. Ryszards latest effort Memories by the Synergy Duo features original compositions based on Balkan and Slavic music. Some of the pieces from this CD were featured in the movie The Healing OF Heather Garden for which Ryszard also wrote three original songs. Ryszard has also published a method book for teaching guitar in schools titled Classroom Guitar - Walking in Harmony.

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