Culture
OU-Lancaster Guitar Orchestra to Present Debut Concert
By: Cheri Russo
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The Ohio University Lancaster Guitar Orchestra is about to hold its first concert.
The guitar orchestra, a group made up different kinds of guitars, stems from Music Instructor Paul Young’s Music 1651 class, Classic Folk Guitar for Non-Majors.
“We are preparing for our concert next week,” said Young. “The concert is the final project for the class.”
The class is a studio class, which means it has a hands-on course design where students learn the guitar by playing it.
Young said students in the class picked some of the songs they are going to perform, including Pachelbel’s “Canon.” Young could not find an arrangement written for the guitar only, so he had to put something together himself.
“Music written only for guitars is not common,” he said. “So I had to write something that would work.”
Most of the 17 students had never played an instrument before this class. Young said he is proud of how far they have come.
“These students are wonderful, but they still have some practicing to do before next week’s concert,” he joked.
Young has his Ph.D. in Educational Administration and his Master’s Degree in Music Performance. The former elementary school principal, fourth grade teacher and band director has been teaching courses on the Lancaster Campus since 1982.
Young teaches courses in music history, music theory and teacher education.
The concert will be held Wednesday, April 23 at 2 p.m. in the Raymond S. Wilkes Gallery for the Visual Arts. The show is free and open to the public.