Music Through the Ages for Flute and Guitar

Some music reaches out towards us with its power and exuberance. Some music draws us in with its delicacy and intimacy. The guitar has a prominent presence in our musical culture, often in those powerful and strong settings, amplified to bring its sound out to us. In classical music, the familiar sound of the guitar plays a very different role, one that’s “fresh and exciting” in this less-familiar setting according to Paul of Paul & Kate. The combination of flute and guitar invites us to listen deeply to its intimate sound, to downshift from the loudness of our daily lives to hear a different kind of expressive musical story.

Paul & Kate have primarily performed more contemporary classical music. In this concert, they present works by celebrated composers from 18th- and 19th-century Europe. The program includes music adapted from its original version for the combination of flute and guitar. An important consideration when adapting music for guitar in its standard tuning is how well the key sits on the instrument. G minor is not a favorable key for guitar players; the transcription of the Bach sonata eliminates this problem by using a capo on the third fret, allowing the piece to remain in its original key.

Program:
Sonate in G minor, BWV 1020 – Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Andante in C, KV 315 – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) arr. Dr. John Ross
Sonata in A minor, D 821 “Arpeggione” – Franz Schubert (1797-1828) arr. Allen Krantz

Paul Kneller holds a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Southern Maine. He studied classical guitar with two teachers in the Portland, Maine area, John Johnstone and Keith Crook. While studying at the university, he participated in a Master Class with Lily Afshar and performed in the 41st Honors Recital. Apart from solo performances, he has had the opportunity to play with a variety of different instrumentalists. He has performed and recorded with groups outside the classical realm. Since 2017, Paul has been teaching guitar in southern Maine. Paul joined the faculty of the Portland Conservatory in 2021.

Kate Bernier graduated from the University of Southern Maine and holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Performance. She trained for five years under the direction of Krysia Tripp. In the past Kate has played principal flute for University of Southern Maine Wind Ensemble, USM Concert band, Southern Maine Symphony Orchestra and Bowdoin College Orchestra. She currently studies with Dr. John Ross through the Portland Conservatory of Music. Kate enjoys exploring her musical options, working on chamber music, and teaching flute.