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AN ACOUSTIC GUITAR SUMMIT FOR BRUNCH, FEATURING 3 STRONG GUITARISTS FROM THE MIDWEST, HOSTED BY ELGIN FOSTER.

 ELGIN FOSTER:

Over the years, Elgin has performed in local coffee houses; restaurants; Mall of America, Minneapolis - Saint Paul Airport, wine tastings; Bed and Breakfasts; weddings; house concerts; church services and open-mic nights with the Minnesota Guitar Society. Elgin also was awarded a certificate of special congressional recognition from congressman John Kline for his service to the community through benefit concerts to help the homeless, cancer victims and programs for single moms. Elgin has shared the stage with some of the artists who continue to inspire him including: Dean Magraw, Dan Schwartz, Ben Woolman, Dylan Mckinstry, Dan Neale, Tim Sparks, Greg Herriges, Steve Lehto and John Wright.

Ben Abrahamson

Ben Abrahamson is an active guitarist and composer based in the Twin Cities. His passion for flamenco guitar drove him to Taller de Músics School of Music in Barcelona, Spain, where he studied under Juan Ramón Caro.

Ben has composed extensively for live dance and theater. In 2014, the Minneapolis Guitar Quartet commissioned Ben to compose "Iberian Quartet", which the MGQ premiered featuring flamenco dancer Colette Illarde. In May 2015, Ben composed a one-of-a-kind flamenco score for big band as guest artist with the Macalester College Big Band. In 2016, South West High School commissioned Ben to compose "Reel for Guitar" for a hundred-piece youth guitar orchestra, which premiered at "Strut Fest". Ben also collaborated with choreographer Susana di Palma on an original score for Zorongo Flamenco's "Los Caprichios", a contemporary flamenco ballet inspired by the etchings of Goya. Ben has served as guest composer with the Muhlenberg College Theatre & Dance Dept. in Allentown, PA, and the Macalester College Dance Dept.

He has shared the stage with such mentors as flamenco guitarists Michael Hauser and Pedro Cortés, Jr., dance veterans La Conja and Susana di Palma,  jazz educator Joan Griffith, and music iconoclast Gary Lee Joyner. Ben performs with groups like Zorongo Flamenco Dance Theatre, Lulu's Playground, the Thomas Nordlund Quintet, and the guitar trio Orchestra for Ants.

Ryan Picone:

Ryan Picone is a guitarist who earned his Master’s degree in music from Arizona State University. Shortly after, he studied at CSI Conservatory in Lugano, Switzerland where received his Certificate of Completion in Music within a year. Ryan has been a music teacher for several years and strongly believes in music education. Throughout his musical career, he has given music-based lectures, performances, master classes, and demonstrations to help communicate the importance of music to his students.