Guitarist, mandolinist, composer

Guitarist Keith Calmes has performed as a soloist in halls such as Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the St. Louis Art Museum, Musician's Institute, American Institute of Guitar, and California Institute of Technology. He has performed at the Guitar Foundation of America Festival, Fresno Classical Guitar Festival, Philadelphia Classical Guitar Festival, Lincoln Center Mozart Bicentennial, and the Philly Fringe Festival; and has performed with groups such as LA Camerata, Monmouth Symphony, Juilliard Symphony, Downey Symphony, and LA Musica Viva. Keith is a graduate of The Juilliard School, California State University at Northridge, and the University of Southern California; and also graduated from summer courses at Berklee College of Music, and Musica en Compostela (Spain). Recent performances include concerts in Florida, California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. His latest CD, Still Life and Simple Dreams, was produced in collaboration with Steve Jankowski of Blood, Sweat, and Tears and is receiving rave reviews. Mel Bay Publications has released numerous books and recordings of his, including Gospel Classical Guitar and Guitar Music of the 16th Century. As a member of Sun Guitar Quartet in the late 1980's, Keith played in Japan and gave premieres of works by Frank Campo, Stepan Rak, and Carlos Barbosa-Lima. As a composer, his recent activity includes a suite written for the California State University Bakersfield Guitar Ensemble, funded by a grant from Meet the Composer. He is dedicated to diverse genres of music; in recent years he has opened for surf guitar innovator Dick Dale, and played at clubs such as Trumpet's (NJ) and the art gallery of legendary rock club CBGB. Keith is currently on the Board of Directors of the NJ American String Teachers Association, where he directs the state string competition and regularly contributes to their journal NJ Strings. Godin Guitars recently gave Keith an artist endorsement.

PRESS
?What a terrific CD...the variety that you've presented is pretty amazing. I especially like your original compositions and Steve Jankowski sounds terrific. Keep up the good work!?- Jazz guitar maestro Jim Hall
?wow, great playing...great CD!?- Eddie Angel of Los Straitjackets (America's Rock 'n' Roll Combo)

?You wouldn't think that acoustic guitar would rock, but here ya go!? Surf guitar guru Phil Dirt

?...a master musician.? Guitar for the Practicing Musician Magazine

?diverse performing skills...the playing and programme were very listenable.? Classical Guitar Magazine (England)

?(his composition) carried the evening's strongest emotional punch.? Philadelphia Inquirer

?daring dynamics and intense energy added an appealing, explosive quality to the recital?
Guitar Player Magazine

compositions for guitar and guitar ensemble

-The Hidden River Project written for Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Company
-The Tintin Suite for Guitar Quartet, written for Jim Scully and the California State Unviersity Guitar Ensemble
-The Hans Project (with video artist Stan Sadowski and choreographer Anne-Marie Mulgrew; based on The Dances of Death by Hans Holbein the Younger; 8 movements)
-Storyland Suite (Guitar Solo: 5-movement work based on children's stories, Written for Newark Public Library (DE) and dedicated to the memory of outsider artist Lucia Pamela)
-Celtic Suite (Guitar duo or Mandolin and Guitar. Written for Christopher Braddock and Delaware Classical Showcase)
-Emancipation (Guitar solo, written in memory of Jaroy Weber, M.D.)
-Homage to Stepan Rak (mixed sextet)
-Why Did You Go? (two guitars tuned quarter-step apart and soprano, written in homage to the Elgart/Yates Guitar Duo)
-(Pedagogical guitar solos) To Belarus and Beyond; Homage to Mel Bay/Moto Perpetuo; Tastar de Corde; Minuet and Trio, Pendulum, Whirling Dervish.