Cuban-born guitarist, composer, educator, and folklorist Jose Manuel Lezcano has captivated audiences on four continents. His programs of traditional and South American guitar repertory, and his own solo, concerto, and chamber works, have taken him from Carnegie Recital Hall in New York City to major venues and festivals in the US, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, China, Spain, Greece, Germany, and the Czech Republic, appearing as recitalist, collaborative musician, concerto soloist, and composer.
Described by Fanfare Magazine as "an excellent guitarist as well as an imaginative composer," Dr. José Manuel Lezcano is Professor of Music at Keene State College where he teaches and coordinates guitar, directs the Guitar Orchestra and Latin Ensemble, and teaches ISP courses in Latin American Music and Culture. Dr. Lezcano’s guitar students have been frequent winners of the Department’s and College’s highest awards and scholarships.
He is a twice Grammy-nominated composer and guitarist, twice New Hampshire Music Educators’ Commissioned Composer, Fulbright scholar to Ecuador, recipient of KSC’s Distinguished Research Award, and critically acclaimed guitarist with solo, chamber, and concerto performances at venues and festivals in China, Brazil, Ecuador, Czech Republic, Germany, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Catalunya, Crete, Colombia, and New York, where he premiered two Guitar Concerti of his authorship with the North South Consonance in 2005 and 2013. His first guitar concerto, which he recorded on the North-South CD “Remembrances-Recuerdos,” was a Grammy semi-finalist in two categories: Best Contemporary Composition, and Best Soloist with Orchestra. As a composer, Jose explores the connections between Latin American and Cuban popular and folk musics, and the techniques, genres, and instrumentation of the Western classical tradition. Also active as a scholar, Jose has published research in Latin American Music Review, the Latino Encyclopedia, and Soundboard, and is a popular lecturer for the NH Humanities Council To-Go Series.
Gap Mountain Group consists of Chaz Beaulieu (flute), Eric Blackmer (guitar), Diane Ammons (piano) and David Duhon (cello). Chaz and Eric have been playing together since before the turn of the century. They joined up with Diane about 5 years ago bringing an expansion into Jazz and Classical material. Diane often performs solo or with her husband as Rick and the Redhead. David Duhon found us after he mentioned loving of one of our favorite composers (Febonio) to Diane at a party. His years of experience with cello rounds out the bottom end of our sound. Each of these players is a master of their instrument. The interplay between them makes for a powerful music experience.
Gap Mountain's repertoire is an eclectic mix of music from a wide range of traditions and genres- Celtic, Classical, American Folk, Jazz standards as well as original music. Our favorite composers include Turlough O'Carolan, Bob McQuillen and TG Febonio, among others. Gap Mountain Group offers seriously beautiful music from across the ages, for all generations of music lovers.