Kalamazoo Mandolin & Guitar Orchestra in Concert wsg Chris Acquavella

World renowned mandolinist and composer, Chris Acquavella will perform a free concert with the Kalamazoo Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra on November 13th at the First Congregational Church in downtown Kalamazoo at 3 pm. Mr. Acquavella will be performing his original composition, Look Into My Soul, a concerto for mandolin and orchestra. The concert will also include the KMGO playing Mr. Acquavella’s seminal work,
Yutuma. In addition to performing, Mr. Acquavella will be giving a workshop for all those interested on November 12th at Crescendo Academy of Music in the Epic Center in downtown Kalamazoo. For more information about this unique opportunity and to register for this event please contact the Crescendo Academy of Music at 269.345.6664. Chris Acquavella is a classical mandolinist, composer and educator from San Diego, California who currently lives in Mainz, Germany. He graduated First Class Honors from Trinity Laban Conservatorie of Music and Dance in London, England. Chris studied under Alison Stephens, as well as composition with Andrew Poppy. In 2004, he won the Wolfsan Foundation Music Award and was awarded the TCM Trust Silver Medal for String Studies in 2006. He continues to perform around the world in both a solo and chamber music capacity. As the director of the San Diego Classical Mandolin Camp, he has created a program that explores both the depth and breadth of the classical mandolin from baroque to modern times. The Kalamazoo Mandolin and Guitar Orchestra is a plucked string ensemble consisting of mandolins, mandolas, mandocellos, guitars, and bass. The KMGO was founded in 2003 to revive the mandolin orchestra tradition in Kalamazoo. Under the direction of conductor Philip Rugel, the orchestra enjoys performing a wide variety of music including classical, ethnic, and “golden era” mandolin orchestra music. The orchestra has premiered original music composed for the orchestra and have sponsored workshops with international mandolin virtuosi. The KMGO is sponsored by Crescendo Academy of Music.