Whether pushing the boundaries of the guitar ensemble, dazzling audiences with their virtuosity, or playing a captivating program, the Athens Guitar Trio is rapidly establishing itself as one of today’s premier chamber ensembles. The Trio—Dusty Woodruff, Rylan Smith, and Matthew Anderson—hails from Athens, Georgia, a city renowned for its music. They have rapidly found their stride, undoubtedly becoming one of the most diverse and expressive ensembles of their generation. The AGT brings an eclecticism to their programming by including styles as far apart as Classical and Klezmer, Americana and Spanish, or Renaissance and Contemporary. The addition of a rare eleven-string guitar extends their range and ensemble capabilities as well as adds to the sheer size of their sound, which is just another element that sets the Athens Guitar Trio apart from other guitar ensembles. To put it simply, the Athens Guitar Trio represents a new direction and sound in the world of classical guitar virtuosity.
Standing ovations and rave reviews have become the norm at Athens Guitar Trio concerts. This holds true whether they are entertaining heads of state such as President Jimmy Carter, performing for award-winning musicians like William Bolcom and Christopher Parkening, or charming audiences in major cities like St. Louis or Dallas. The Trio has been featured on radio throughout the country, including the nationally syndicated Classical Guitar Alive!, and they have been invited to give interviews to several NPR affiliates. The AGT was also recently asked to record a program for the premier episode of a new Georgia Public Broadcasting show, UGA Performs, as well as the accompanying CD for FJH Publications’ Everybody’s Classical Guitar, Volume 1. Their debut CD, Emergence, was received by Soundboard Magazine as “an excellent debut from this young ensemble.” The Athens Guitar Trio currently has a new CD in the works, which will be an all-American album including the music of composers such as Louis Gottschalk, William Bolcom, Scott Joplin, and Edward MacDowell. Much of this music will be programmed on their upcoming tours.
The trio embraces yet transcends the traditions of the classical guitar, while at the same time rejecting the rigid definition of what a classical concert should be. Shattering the notion that music of the past should be performed in a dry, academic way, the Athens Guitar Trio is always striving to perfect its artistry in order to create the most sublime experience for any concertgoer.
