LAGQ with Andrew YorkRecognized as one of America's premier instrumental ensembles, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet is one of the most charismatic groups performing today. Popularly known as the LAGQ, these four virtuosi bring a new energy to the concert stage with their eclectic programs and dynamic musical interplay. Their critically acclaimed transcriptions of concert masterworks provide a fresh look at the music of the past, while their interpretations of works from the contemporary and world-music realms continually break new ground. The LAGQ has set new standards for the guitar quartet medium.

Recent highlights include a featured performance at the first-ever World Guitar Congress in Baltimore and successful tours of Japan, Korea and Europe in Summer 2004.

The LAGQ's newest CD, "Guitar Heroes," released on Telarc in June 2004 is a heartfelt salute to the great players who inspired the quartet, as individuals and as a group. It has received raves for its unique ability capture the feeling and fervor of diverse musical styles such as jazz, bluegrass, rock and flamenco. Their first Telarc CD, "LAGQ - Latin," features their popular transcription of Bizet's Carmen, along with works from Chile, Cuba and some new original works by members of the quartet. This CD, which has received raves from listeners and critics alike, received a 2003 Grammy nomination and the Super Audio CD (SACD) version won the award for "Best Made for Surround" at the 1st Annual Surround Music Awards. The LAGQ plans to record their third album for Telarc this spring planned for release in the 05-06 season.

The LAGQ has recorded for SONY Classical. Their first SONY release, entitled "L.A.G.Q.," debuted in the top 15 on the Billboard Classical-Crossover charts and remained there for six months. Their second SONY album enjoyed similar success, enjoying a four-month stay in the top 25.

In recent seasons, the LAGQ has been heard on National Public Radio's "Performance Today" and Minnesota Public Radio's "St. Paul Sunday Morning," and been seen as soloist in a nationally broadcast performance with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops on PBS's "Evening at Pops". The LAGQ has also been featured on CNN's "Show Biz Today," CBS's "Saturday Morning," and A&E Network's "Breakfast with the Arts."

Each member of the group is a seasoned soloist and gives the Quartet the unique capability of rotating the "first chair" from piece to piece:

John Dearman

Originally from Minneapolis, John Dearman is a versatile guitarist whose repertoire ranges from samba to bluegrass, and from flamenco to classical. He enriches the sound of the LAGQ by performing on a unique seven-string guitar with extended upper and lower registers. John is currently the Director of Guitar Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

William Kanengiser

Acclaimed soloist, recording artist and professor at the USC Thornton School of Music, William Kanengiser is one of the few guitarists to have won the Concert Artists Guild New York Competition. His solo recordings on the GSP label display his unique approach to programming, ranging from the music of the Old World to the Caribbean to his latest disc Classical Cool, an exploration of jazz currents for classical guitar. He has earned critical acclaim for his imaginative arrangements for solo guitar and guitar quartet, and for producing two instructional videos for Hot Licks. Kanengiser may be best known as the classical guitarist in the 1986 film Crossroads.

Scott Tennant

Celebrated as a world-class performer, author and teacher, Detroit-born Scott Tennant has been concertizing since the age of twelve. Much in demand as a solo artist, Scott has recorded for Delos International and is currently completing a recording project of the complete solo guitar works of Joaquin Rodrigo for GHA, Belgium. He is the author of the best-selling book and video Pumping Nylon, a technical handbook for the classical guitarist, and the five-part series Scott Tennant's Basic Classical Guitar Method. He has taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and is now on the faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music.

Andrew York

Voted "Best Classical Album" of 1994 by Guitar Player Magazine readers' poll, York's solo CD Denouement illustrates his groundbreaking style as a composer and guitarist. York is featured on Rhino Records Legends of Guitar, the Windham Hill Guitar Sampler, and guitar luminaries John Williams and Christopher Parkening have recorded his works as well. A published composer worldwide through Alfred Publications, Hal Leonard, Guitar Solo, Ricordi in London, and Gendai in Japan, York also recently filmed a video for the Mel Bay Artist Series.