Dustin Dawson and West Lentz combine their guitar styles along with Blake Guidry and
Amon Straughter as part of the Southeastern Guitar Quartet.
The Lion's Roar / Megan Ferrando
 

Four guitars joined forces to create a soft, melodic sound that filled Pottle Auditorium. The Department of Fine and Performing Arts hosted a guitar quartet as part of the FANFARE events on Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m.

Guitar players Dustin Dawson, Blake Guidry, West Lentz and Amon Straughter began preparing for the quartet concert during the summer. The four students have worked together on multiple occasions, as well as being a part of the guitar ensemble. 

“This is actually our third time working together. We’re in a quartet situation right now, but usually we’re in a guitar ensemble where there’s a lot more than four guitars,” said Guidry, senior music major. “In the quartet, as opposed to ensemble, you have to rely a lot more on people for ques. You can’t hide behind somebody because you’re the only one playing your part and that’s what makes it difficult. You just have to be there for each other.”

The concert consisted of seven pieces, only one of which was actually written for a guitar quartet. All other pieces were originally written for other instruments, but were arranged by the university’s staff and alumnus to fit the quartet.

Patrick Kerber, instructor of guitar and coordinator of guitar events, arranged works including “Concerto in D RV 93” by Antonio Vivaldi. Alums Thomas Holley and Shane Zeringue also arranged some works performed including “Danzas Espanolas Op. 5” by Enrique Granados and “Dolly Suite Op. 56” by Gabriel Faure.

“I think it’s an incredible experience. It’s neat to see a lot of arranged music by common composers because there’s not a lot of guitar music out there,” said Rachel Davis, sophomore music major. “It’s cool to see what people can do with already composed music and change it for different instruments.”

Pottle Auditorium was packed for the concert, with attendees who were there for personal enjoyment and others for class requirement.

“It was kind of not my thing,” said sophomore history major Shelby Houeye, who went for class. “I thought the cool thing was it sounded like something you’d hear in a old movie like around a campfire.”

The guitar quartet was one of the last music events of FANFARE. The next music event will take place on Halloween, Oct. 31 at 7:30 p.m. at the Columbia Theatre.