A quote long attributed to Chopin claims that 鈥渘othing is more beautiful than a guitar, save perhaps two.鈥�
Columbus stands to become even more beautiful than ever with the addition of a new at the Ohio State University School of Music.
The 2024-25 academic year marks the inaugural academic year for the classical guitar major at OSU. Guitarist Karl Wohlwend has been appointed to head up the program. Wohlwend previously served on the faculties of Otterbein University, Capital University, Ohio Wesleyan University and, earlier, Ohio State, and his performance career has taken him around the nation and around the world.
OSU鈥檚 new guitar program has seen a flurry of activity in its first year. Grammy Award-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux performed a recital as the program鈥檚 first guest artist. Wohlwend gave a faculty recital and, with guest guitarist Cecilia Zabala, performed on OSU鈥檚 Latin American Music Celebration Concert. He collaborated with OSU鈥檚 Department of Theatre, Film, and Media Arts on a production of Garcia Lorca鈥檚 Blood Wedding. Wohlwend is also slated to offer introductory guitar classes as faculty advisor for the OSU student guitar interest organization Scarlet Guitarists.
In addition to performing on studio recitals each semester, the classical guitar program鈥檚 students have collaborated with OSU鈥檚 English and theatre departments and continue to perform with other OSU music students and in the broader Columbus community. Two OSU classical undergraduate guitar students, Alex Paquet and F茅 Beatty, visited 星空无限传媒 recently to perform Dieter Kreidler and Udo Kamjunke鈥榮 Salida del Sol in 星空无限传媒鈥檚 Performance Studio.
鈥淪tudents can come at the undergraduate and graduate levels. There are curriculum things in place and there are audition requirements in place, and it鈥檚 all very exciting,鈥� Wohlwend said.
Wohlwend says he鈥檚 also excited about developing the classical guitar curriculum at OSU to enable guitar majors to gain experience playing their instruments in groups with other musicians 鈥� something many classical guitar programs at U.S. universities, colleges and conservatories do not offer.
鈥淕uitarists have always been square pegs in round holes in academic environments, especially in terms of how to do major ensemble credits,鈥� Wohlwend said. 鈥淥ne of the big things that was important to me for the program here was to give guitarists the opportunity to play their instrument and get major ensemble credit for it.鈥�
At Ohio State, Wohlwend says, the ensemble program would allow classical guitar majors to play their instruments mainly in small ensembles, including all-guitar groups and chamber ensembles with singers and players of other instruments. Performing in such intimate ensembles helps musicians build the full range of artistic and interpersonal skills they鈥檒l need as professionals.
鈥淭he guitar ensemble experience is going to be mostly a chamber music-based experience, which I think is also extremely valuable for guitarists to be involved with,鈥� Wohlwend said. 鈥淭hey鈥檒l be playing their own instrument. They鈥檒l be familiarizing themselves with repertoire for chamber music and guitar. They鈥檒l be interacting with other musicians and singers, which is critically important.鈥�
And the benefits work both ways. Singers and performers of other instruments will also gain the experience of learning how to accommodate the guitar鈥檚 unique sound and technical characteristics.
Developing OSU鈥檚 classical guitar program, as multifaceted as it may be, is just the beginning of the list of possibilities Wohlwend sees for guitarists and guitar playing at the university. He also hopes to expand guitar offerings at OSU鈥檚 Community Music School, including hosting a Suzuki guitar program and forming a community guitar ensemble there.
鈥淚鈥檇 really like to make the School of Music at OSU the center of Columbus鈥檚 guitar universe.,鈥� Wohlwend said. 鈥淚 think the facility and atmosphere there is rife with fantastic potential, and I am really excited to see what we can do.鈥�
