photo © Curt Frook
JOHN WUNSCH
Guitarist ~ Composer
John Wunsch has performed in Europe, Japan, and the USA. His diverse programs bring together classical guitar technique and repertoire, developed under the tutelage of such masters as Andres Segovia, with blues, hymns, jazz, and his own compositions which exude the influence of appearances with contemporary artists such as B.B. King, Dave Brubeck, Kilimanjaro, and Special EFX. John's concerts have the kind of broad appeal which earned him three New York Music Awards nominations and have led to his music being featured on NPR's All Things Considered, network television's Entertainment Tonight, and in European films.
Audiences and workshop participants will appreciate the maturity and rapport of an artist who has appeared not only on the concert stage but at popular venues such as the Newport Jazz festival. John has released seven recordings which have charted as high as No. 13 for national air play. His solos cds are "Timeless Beauty", and "Looking Toward Leelanau."
"Extraordinarily original"
Boston Globe
"Pure enjoyment"
Baltimore Evening Sun
"subtle and elegant ... especially sensitive"
Frets Magazine
"First Rate"
Guitar Player Magazi
EDUCATION & TRAINING
North Carolina School of the Arts (NCSA) - Bachelor of Music Performance
Guitar - Jesus Silvas, NCSA; Fred Hand, Mannes School of Music; Nicholas Goluses, Manhattan School of Music
Composition & Theory - Sherwood Shaffer, NCSA
Pedagogy - Nicholas Goluses, Manhattan School of Music
Master Class Studies - Andres Segovia, Janos Starker, Alirio Diaz, David Russell, Oscar Ghiglia
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Faculty (1995-present) - Guitar Studio, Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen Center for the Arts (Michigan)
Faculty (1990-99) - Classical, Jazz and Contemporary Guitar Studio; Jazz Improvisation/Small Ensemble; Director of Guitar Studies
Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City)
Music Theory Faculty (1976-77), College Division, North Carolina School for the Arts
Guest Instructor
Jazz Guitar (1991): Western Michigan University (Kalamazoo)
Arranging Jazz Standards for Solo Guitar (1990): Interlochen National Music Camp (Michigan)
Career Development (1988): North Carolina School for the Arts
Guitar Pedagogy, 2007, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
Guitar technique, 2007, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee
MASTER CLASSES / LECTURE DEMONSTRATIONS / SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS
Artist/educator: Watershed Suite Project (1997-present)
Approximately 45 presentations at 35 Michigan schools, reaching over 4,000 students to date
Oct 1999: Presentation at WI Educators Association Council's annual convention (6500+ attendees), Milwaukee
Guitar Master Class (1996) Delta College (Michigan)
Artist/educator: "Artistic Life and Creativity: A Motivational Presentation For All Students (1995-present)
Presentations at many MI schools, including Traverse City HS (1992-96) and Battle Creek area schools (1995)
Lecture Demonstrations (1983-84) Friends of the Mountain (Woodstock, NY)
Guitar Master Class, 2003, Creighton University, Omaha Nebraska
October 2000 (?), environmental musician presenter Michigan Council of Foundations
OTHER RELATED PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
Fundraising Consultant (1996-present, various clients) NMC Music Department, Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy (Traverse City)
Concert Series Director (1994-present) Guitar at the Museum (3-5 concerts per season, by internationally renowned soloists and ensembles) Dennos Museum Center, Northwestern Michigan College and Interlochen Center for the Arts (Michigan)
Outreach Coordinator: master classes and community services/presentations (1994-present)
NMC Presents! Worldclass-es / Guitar at the Museum, Dennos Museum Center, NMC (Traverse City)
Resident Musician: NMC Music Department Presents! / Faculty in Concert (1995-98) Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City)
Resident Musician: Dancing Bear Music Series (1995-98) Dennos Museum Center, Northwestern Michigan College (Traverse City)
Volunteer Land Use Consultant, Peninsula Township PDR Program (1993-95)
Old Mission Peninsula Conservancy / Peninsula Township (Traverse City)
Founder/Leader: contemporary/popular music ensemble C'est What?! (1983-88] New York City
Dormitory Supervisor or Resident Assistant (1973-1976) High School and College Divisions, North Carolina School for the Arts
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Guitar Foundation of America
Michigan Touring Arts Agency Roster
GRANTS, AWARDS & RECOGNITION
Michigan Touring Arts Agency: juried directory listing for concert grant eligibility (1990-92; 1996-present)
Michigan Council on Arts and Cultural Affairs: Watershed Suite Project (1999)
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy: Timeless Beauty CD release benefit concert (1998)
Grand Traverse County Community Foundation Land Use and Planning Grant: Watershed Suite Project (1998)
MichCon Foundation Grant: Watershed Suite Project (1997, 1998)
Creative Artist Grant: ArtServe Michigan, formerly Arts Foundation of Michigan (1996, 1999)
Environmentalist of the Year, Northern Michigan Environmental Action Committee (1994)
New York Music Awards Nomination: Best Instrumental (1988, 1989, 1990)
NYCSA Performance Grant (1985)
Meet the Composer Grant (1983, 1984
PERFORMANCE COLLABORATIONS
Rashied Ali, Dom Um Romeo, Guillermo Franco, David Amram, Kisha St. John, C'est What?!, Dancing Bear Music Resident Musicians, NMC Music Department Presents! Faculty Roster, Interlochen Arts Academy Faculty, Battle Creek Boys Choir (MI)
APPEARED WITH:
Branford Marsalis, Spyro Gyra, B. B. King, Special Effects, Virgil Thompson, Meredith Monk, Dave Brubeck Quartet, Richie Cole, Ben Vereen, Alex De Grassi, and Kilimajaro
Home ~ Booking Information ~ Album Info