HOME       MEMBERS       EVENTS       PHOTOS       NEWSLETTER       LINKS       CONTACT US      
Here's a chance to meet some of the members of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Some of us are full-time professional players, and some are hobbyists. Some are true "amateurs" in the traditional sense (those who are motivated by a love and passion for tplaying...which may actually describe all of us to some extent.

If you would like to have your name and a short bio added to this page, click here, and send a "jpg" photo along with your information to Gail. Please limit your text to around 100 words or less; thanks!

Dennis Turechek - President, and founder of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Familiar to many in the area as one third of the jazz improvisation trio From the Bridge, Dennis Turechek is an accomplished classical and jazz guitarist with an extensive solo and ensemble career. In addition to his current position on the staffs of Hartwick College and SUNY Oneonta, Dennis has taught music and guitar at the Catskill Conservatory, the Brooklyn Music School and the Metropolitan Music School. He has performed for the Glimmerglass Opera productions of The Barber of Seville, Don Pasquale and Falstaff. He has also performed with the Catskill Symphony Orchestra and the Catskill Chamber Players.
Gail Hamilton - Vice-President, and a founder of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Ms. Hamilton has 6 years experience playing classical guitar, studying under Dennis Turechek. Currently Ms. Hamilton plays duets with Carolyn Rifenbark ,is a member of the SUCO Guitar Ensemble, the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York ensemble and she also performs as a soloist. Ms. Hamilton is also the coordinator for the Musical Moments Concert Series.
Bruce Walker - Treasurer, and a founder of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Mr. Walker is a retired Guitar Builder. He now resides in East Branch, NY where he spends his time building custom-commissioned guitars, studying classical guitar and enjoying the beauty of life in the Catskills.
Carolyn Rifenbark - Secretary, and a founder of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Ms Rifenbark has 15 years experience playing the guitar and electric bass with 11 years experience playing the classical guitar. Ms. Rifenbark has performed with the Oneonta SUCO Guitar Ensemble and The Back Street Student Jazz Band . Ms.Rifenbark is currently a guitar instructor at Back Street Music in Cobleskill NY, plays duets with Gail Hamilton and performs as a soloist.
Christine Liggio - director of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York.
Jim Adams - founder of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Mr. Adams is the proprietor of The Guitar Clinic in Oneonta, where he repairs guitars and gives private lessons in addition to retail sales.Mr. Adams has over 30 years experience performing professionally as a soloist, and as a member of several groups and ensembles including the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York.
Mark Pawkett - A founder former Vice President of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York. Mr. Pawkett is an Adjunct Professor at SUNY Oneonta with guitar and electric bass and director of Rock Combos.Mr. Pawkett studied Classical guitar under Dennis Turechek from 1994-1998. Mr. Pawkett also teaches at the Eight Note in Oneonta and is the musical director of the Midstatesmen Barbershop Chorus in Oneonta, NY.
Dave Raphaelson - Performs regularly on the parlor guitar and the concert guitar. He has studied privately with Jerry Willard and Dennis Koster. Dave has been a featured performer at museums and historical sites throughout the northeastand has been awarded grants from the New York Council on the Arts, and the New York Foundation For The Humanities for his work with the parlor guitar. Dave holds a graduate degree in guitar performances from Northern Arizona University and has released three Compact Discs to his credit. He is currently on the faculties of Oneonta City Schools, The Hartwick College Summer Music Festival, Hartwick College and an active member of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York.
Tom Rasely - began playing the guitar in 1964. Mr. Rasely comes from a musical family, and studied music at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, NY and received a Bachelor of Music Education from SUNY Fredonia ('73). He is a performer, teacher and arranger, and has appeared on over 45 recording projects. Tom has also performed as guest artist with several upstate New York symphony orchestras and twice at The White House. He is the founder/director of the Norwich Guitar School, and is a moderator on the Guitarnotes.com discussion forum.
Salvatore Salvaggio - Mr. Salvaggio has performed recitals for concert associations as a soloist, accompanist and continuo player for the past 30 years. He has played with early music consorts, chamber ensembles and as an orchestral musician. Notable performances have included recitals at the 1999 and 2001 Boston Early Music Festivals,the Long Island,Philadelphia,Upstate New York and New Jersey Guitar and Mandolin Societies, Dreamcatcher Guitars, Georgia, Cafe Lena,Saratoga, NY and the Stamford Performing Arts Center. In April of 2002 Mr.Salvaggio recorded an hour long program of Renaissance lute music for NPR station WSKG. In addition, he has taught at the college and secondary school level and has served as the Director of Music/Fine Arts at the Cooperstown Central School District since 1989.
William Simcoe - founder of the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York, began his classical guitar studies with Anthony Sano, and continues his guitar education by attending summer workshops and festivals. He has had master classes with Nicholas Goluses, Ricrdo Cobo, Lily Afshar and Fabio Zanon. Mr. Simcoe is an artist member of the Monday Musical Club of Albany. He regularly performs solo recitals in the Albany area. Mr. Simcoe is active in the Classical Guitar Society of Upstate New York, and is a member of their guitar ensemble. In the 2000-2001 season Mr. Simcoe performed in joint recital with guitarist Townsend Plant, and performed David…Three Moons with cellist Lisa Nielson.
Lou Romao - A native of Connecticut, Louis Romao has been an active performer and teacher of classical, jazz, and popular styles of guitar. He has performed in the northeast United States and Europe, and was considered by the New Haven Advocate as one of Connecticut's ten most recognized guitar soloists two years in a row. Louis received his Master of Music degree in classical guitar performance from the Hartt School in 1990, and studied in masterclasses with such outstanding artists as David Tanenbaum and Eliot Fisk. He is currently on faculty at Naugatuck Valley Community College in Waterbury where he teaches guitar, music theory, and computer multimedia.
Albert Muir - Albert's formal training on the classical guitar has been in private lessons from excellent teachers in the area, in Syracuse and in NYC. He also attended the National Guitar Summer Workshop in Connecticut, and seminars of the Guitar Foundation of America. Albert is a member of CGSUNY and the Monday Musical Club in Albany. The recipient of a doctoral degree in economics, he recently retired from a career in technology transfer, a field in which he authored a book and a number of journal articles. Albert now spends more tyime on his music. He has performed at CGSUNY events, at open mics, and as a volunteer for senior citizens.
Paul Quigley - Born in Albany, New York, Paul Quigley began guitar studies with Joel Brown and Tony Sano before continuing his studies at Manhattan School of Music where he earned both BM and MM degrees under the tutelage of Norbert Kraft, Mark Delpriora, and David Starobin. Paul has performed in master classes for David Russell, Eliot Fisk, David Tanenbaum, Magnus Anderson, and Luis Zea.

Paul has performed, as soloist, at Troy Music Hall, and in New York City at The Spanish Institute, Myers recital Hall, Pforzheimer Hall, and The Riverside Church. Chamber music concerts include, Lang Concert Hall at Hunter College, the Interfaith Concert Series in New York with Mark Delpriora, SUNY Cobleskill Chamber Music Series, the Kresgke Theatre at Bowdoin College, and most recently with the flute and guitar duo, Manhattan Ensemble at the Saratoga Arts Center Theatre, and the "Music at Noon" Concert Series at Troy Music Hall. Paul has also been a guest performer at the " Saint Rose Camerata Musicale" series in Albany, NY

Paul was a finalist in the Artists International Auditions in 2001 and recently attended the Bowdoin Summer Chamber Music Festival where he studied with Nicholas Goluses. Currently, Paul performs as soloist and is co-founder of the flute and guitar duo, "Manhattan Ensemble" with flutist Renee Brodwin-Koch.

CGSUNY       8 Banta Place       Stamford, NY 12167                   Phone: 607-865-8775