About the Artist
Founded in 2010, the Atlantic Guitar Quartet is a contemporary music ensemble dedicated to promoting the music of living composers. Through virtuosic performances, innovative programming and collaborations with other visual and performing artists, AGQ has broadened the repertoire for – and the definition of – the classical guitar quartet. Each of the four members, Mark Edwards, James Keretses, Matthew Slotkin and Zoë Johnstone Stewart have enjoyed extensive solo and chamber performing careers prior to joining the ensemble. As a group AGQ has performed as part of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society concert series, Ulster Chamber Series, Evolution Contemporary Music series, and at Bloomsburg University, York College of Pennsylvania, Loyola University, Marshall University and the Peabody Institute. They have been artists-in-residence at the Engineers Club of the Garret-Jacobs Mansion in Baltimore since 2010 In addition to their performances, the quartet has also been invited to teach master classes and workshops at the Peabody Summer Guitar Intensive, Salisbury University, Bloomsburg University and the Mid Atlantic Guitar Ensemble Festival. AGQ has been proactive in expanding the repertoire of the classical guitar quartet by commissioning new works. With major institutional support by the Presser Foundation and the Peabody Conservatory, AGQ has premiered pieces by American composers Vid Smooke, Christopher Gainey and Ronald Pearl. Several of these works, along with music by composer Olivier Bensa and Arvo Pärt, are featured on the quartet’s debut CD (released in November of 2013). The quartet’s other world premieres include performances of works by Joshua Bornfield (written for AGQ and commissioned by the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society), Judah Adashi, Olga Amelkina-Vera, Lewis Krauthamer (in performance with Gene Young and the Peabody Camerata), Julien Xuereb, Alan Thomas, Aaron Silverstein and Jerry Tabor (in a premiere recording).Featured Work
Photos
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Featured Work: Photos
AGQ • CD Release Posters
Videos
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Seaglass by Olga Amelkina-Vera
Atlantic Guitar Quartet: Mark Edwards, James Keretses, Matthew Slotkin, Zoë Johnstone Stewart.
Seaglass was commissioned by the Lazaretto Guitar Quartet
Video editing by Jeff Francis. Special thanks to Tom Chandler, Brigid Guertin and the Danbury Museum.
Notes from the composer:
"The title was meant to invoke the colorful and delicate pieces of glass smoothed and frosted by the ocean over decades and centuries, turned by nature into gems. The more dissonant sections are reminiscent of the sharp-edged pieces of glass before the ocean polishes them; you might also hear glints of reflected sunlight in the harmonics used throughout the piece. The comforting roll of the waves inspired the ostinato patterns that return again and again" -
I. Gnossienne 3 from "Gnossiennes after Erik Satie" by Stephen Goss
The first movement of Gnossienes after Erik Satie by Stephen Goss.Year: 2024
Music/Audio
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See more information about La Grande Terre: Eclosion
Eclosion: movement II of Olivier Bensa's La Grande Terre
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See more information about Meltwater
Metlwater by Christopher Gainey
* Commissioned by Jonathan Zwi for the Atlantic Guitar Quartet with support from the Presser Foundation and the Peabody Conservatory. -
See more information about Be Not Afeard: Music From Prospero’s Island : Sometime a Thousand Twangling Instruments
Sometime a Thousand Twangling Instruments: movement I of Ronald Pearl's Be Not Afeard: Music From Prospero’s Island
* Written for and premiered by the Atlantic Guitar Quartet
Booking
Booking Price: $2,001-$5,000
Please contact atlanticgq@gmail.com or call 410.419.9260 for booking.
Asgerdur Sigurdardottir
President, Baltimore Classical Guitar Society (BCGS)
president@bcgs.org
J Austin Bitner
Executive Director, Engineers Club at the Garrett-Jacobs Mansion
410.539.6914
j@esb.org