Director of Archives:
Stephen Aron performs regularly throughout the US, Canada and recently completed a tour of Italy. An avid arranger, his work is published by Tuscany Editions and Mel Bay Publications Clear Note Publications. Stephen has adjudicated, given performances, lectures and masterclasses at numerous national and international festivals. In addition to his post as Professor of Music and Chairman of Guitar Studies at the University of Akron, Stephen Aron is Teacher of Guitar and founder of the classical guitar studies program at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Stephen has served as the Director of Archives for the GFA since 2008.
Artistic Director, GFA International Youth Competition:
Risa Carlson received her Graduate Performance Diploma, Master's Degree, and Bachelor's Degree from the Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Manuel Barrueco. In addition to her many competition successes, she was a top prizewinner at the 2000 Guitar Foundation of America International Competition. Risa has performed in solo and chamber ensemble across the United States, and currently performs regularly as a member of the acclaimed Duo Erato with guitarist Martha Masters. Risa teaches at the Levine School of Music in Washington D.C., where she is also Chair of the Guitar Department. Risa became Artistic Director of the GFA International Youth Competition in Fall 2009.
Advertising Manager:
Kim Horlick Kanoy received her Bachelor’s degree in Art History from Salem College, Winston-Salem, NC, and holds an Associates Degree in Commercial Art and Advertising Design. Her role as graphic designer has encompassed many areas in the field of graphic arts – design, production, sales, writing, and publishing – including the design and production of the GFA Convention Programs from 2005 to present. Kim’s connection to the classical guitar world came about through the attendance of youth competitions with her talented son, William. In fall 2009, William will be attending Appalachian State University and Hayes School of Music to study with Dr. Douglas James. Kim joined the GFA staff as Advertising Manager in 2005.
Soundboard Editor:
Richard Long has a Ph.D. in European History from Florida State University. He has written many articles on the period of the French Revolution and Napoleon and on the history of the guitar during that era, and has also published dozens of transcriptions, arrangements, and critical editions of music for the guitar, solo and in various ensembles. He is the owner of Tuscany Publications, specializing in music for the classical guitar. He performs with Camerata (a quartet consisting of violin, viola, cello, and guitar), and has recently played a series of concerts of rare music for machete and guitar in California and Portugal in duo with John King.
Executive Director:
Galen Wixson holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in cello performance from Wichita State University, and a second Master's degree in Arts Management from Carnegie Mellon University. His music career includes performing as a cellist in many different ensembles, including the Wichita Symphony, the North Carolina Symphony, the Fairfax Symphony, and the Reno Chamber Orchestra. His non-profit management career includes Executive Director positions at the American String Teachers Association, the Reno Philharmonic, the Symphony of Southeast Texas, the Arkansas Symphony, and the Austin Symphony. He assumed the Executive Director position at the GFA in June 2010.
Outgoing Executive Director:
Martha Masters studied at the Peabody Conservatory with Manuel Barrueco, and at the University of Southern California, where she completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree with Scott Tennant. Martha's international performing career began after winning the GFA International Competition in 2000; she now teaches at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, in addition to being Assistant Director of the National Guitar Workshop Classical Summit in Connecticut. Martha joined the Board of Directors in January 2004, was elected Executive Vice-President in June 2004, and currently serves as Executive Director of the GFA.
Tour Director:
Lynn McGrath is a member of the guitar faculty at the Crane School of Music, State University of New York at Potsdam. She received her Doctor of Musical Arts degree in 2006 from the University of Southern California, where she studied with William Kanengiser, Pepe Romero, and James Smith. Lynn has performed as a soloist and ensemble member in the United States, Mexico, and Italy with upcoming performances in Spain and Montenegro. In July of 2005 Lynn became the Tour Director of the GFA.
Director of Communications:
Connie Sheu earned her Bachelor of Arts in U.S. History and Music from Columbia University with Antigoni Goni and her Master of Music from The Juilliard School with Sharon Isbin. Connie is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of Southern California under Bill Kanengiser. Her playing has been hailed by the New York Sun as “excellent, ruminative... scholarly." Past performances and teaching engagements have taken her from Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, to Florida, Oklahoma, Moldova, Hungary, and throughout California. Her debut solo album was released in 2008. Connie teaches privately and at the Pasadena Conservatory of Music. She joined the GFA staff in 2009.
Webmaster:
Hayden Porter began developing web sites in 1995 and was employed by the University of Akron Bierce library to develop web sites for special collections at the library, including the GFA Archive. In 1998 he formed his web site development company, AVIarts Ltd. He hold a masters degree in music composition from the University of Akron, where he studied classical guitar with Stephen Aron, and a bachelor degree in music composition from the University of South Carolina, where he studied classical guitar with Christopher Berg.
