John Anthony Lennon – Player’s Fair

Born in Mill Valley, California, John Anthony Lennon earned a liberal arts degree at the University of San Francisco, as well as a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Michigan where he studied with Leslie Bassett and William Bolcom. He shares with those two composers a strong sense of unusual instrumental color as well as a strong grounding in traditional American forms. Lennon studied guitar early in life so it is not surprising that he has devoted a substantial portion of his career to this instrument, including his popular Zingari Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra (The Play of the Sixes is an independent part of that work). The works contained on this CD constitute one of the most significant contributions to the guitar literature in recent times. They are beautifully and idiomatically written for the instrument and have been played by such renowned guitarists as David Starobin and David Tanenbaum as well as Daniel Stanislawek who began his studies while growing up in Chicago, and has performed to critical and audience acclaim throughout the United States and abroad. He is a specialist in contemporary music.