A New Look at Segovia, His Life, His Music, Volume 1

Graham Wade, General Editor of the Mel Bay 'All About Music' Series, is Tutor in Classic Guitar for the Universities of Leeds and York and was formerly Head of Strings at the Leeds College of Music, England. A contributor for The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, he has written for various periodicals including Soundboard, Guitar Review, Classical Guitar, Guitar International, Il Fronimo, The Strad, Musical Times, The Times, etc. His previous books include: A Concise History of the Classic Guitar, A New Look at Segovia, His Life, His Music, Vols 1 & 2 (with Gerard Garno), Segovia-A Celebration of the Man and His Music, Maestro Segovia, Traditions of the Classical Guitar, Joaquin Rodrigo-Concierto de Aranjuez, Distant Sarabandes-The Solo Guitar Music of Joaquin Rodrigo, A Guitarist's Guide to Bach, and Gina Bachauer- A Pianist's Odyssey.

Gerard Garno began serious study of the acoustic guitar at age 11. Shortly thereafter, he heard the recordings of Andres Segovia and was inspired to pursue the study of classical guitar. He was tutored by guitar instructor Ken Hummer until he began his university training at the age of 18. Gerard received his college education at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music with Professor Clare Callahan, a student of Segovia. He graduated from that institution Magna Cum Laude in 1988. During his college years, Garno continued to develop his appreciation of the Segovia heritage as he studied with Oscar Ghiglia and Eliot Fisk, also students of Segovia, during summer courses at the Aspen Music School. In 1983 Gerard was accepted to study with one of America's most successful guitarists, Christopher Parkening, at a three-day master class held at Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania. This was to be the first of several master classes that Garno participated in with Parkening over the next few years. He was selected to be a part of a group of students from that class who performed a special recital. Garno is the first-prize winner of the 1981 Society of American Musicians National Competition, a prize winner in the 1983 Music Teachers National Association Competition, first-prize winner of the 1984 Society of American Musicians National Competition, first-prize winner of the 1986 American String Teachers Association National Competition and was a finalist in the 1987 Toronto International Guitar Competition. After he graduated from the Cincinnati Conservatory in 1988, he made his living as a full-time concert artist, touring extensively in the United States and Canada. Garno resides in Michigan, with his wife and children.