Southwest Guitar Symposium

Symposium Schedule

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

10:00 AM – Registration Check-in (ART Bldg.)

11:00 AM – 4:00PM – Preliminary Round - Open and Highschool Divisions (Recital Hall)

(Judges: Cicchillitti/Cowan/Zohn)

5:00 PM – Recital - Rubio-Reece Duo

7:30PM – Concert - Duo Fortis with Dr. Rachel Woolf, Flute and Dr. Jourdan Howell, voice (Recital Hall)

SATURDAY MARCH 15

10:00 AM – 1:00PM – Open and Highschool Divisions - Semi-Finals (Recital Hall)

(Zohn/Li/Montiel)

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Masterclasses – Bustos (AR 2.03.18A)

1:00 PM – 3:00PM – Masterclasses – Zohn (AR. 2.03.08)

5:00 PM – Winners Concert – Allen Liu and David Manzanares (Recital Hall)

7:30PM – Evening Concert – Cicchillitti/Cowan Duo (Recital Hall)

SUNDAY MARCH 16

11:00 AM – Highschool and Professional Competitions Final Round.

(Judges: Montiel, Cowan, Cicchillitti)

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Cicchillitti/Cowan Duo Masterclass – (AR 2.03.18A)

4:00 PM – Marco Corrales Recital (Recital Hall)

6:00PM – Closing Concert – Li – Zohn Duo

Symposium Artists

Dr. Isaac Bustos, Artistic Director (Nicaragua)

“Soulful and virtually flawless,” hails the Portland Oregonian and the Boston Globe writes, “In warm, round tones, the notes of Bach cascaded from the guitar, every note correct and played without hesitation.” Classical guitarist, pedagogue and educator Dr. Isaac Bustos, enjoys an extensive performing career that has taken him to Canada, Central America, Europe, China, and all over the US. Bustos has made several Radio and Television appearances and is in demand as clinician and master class teacher invited to perform in some of the most prestigious festivals around the globe. Dr. Bustos has acquired an impressive number of top prizes in over 12 major international competitions, 7 of which are first prizes. Isaac has premiered new guitar works by composers Nico Muhly, Blas Atehortúa, Samuel Zyman, Frank Wallace, Mark Cruz, Peter Lieuwen, and Joe Williams II. In the Spring of 2019, he premiered a new concerto for guitar and orchestra, commissioned and dedicated to him, by American composer Peter Lieuwen under the baton of maestro Franz Anton Krager and the University of Houston Symphony Orchestra. Isaac has recorded for the Delos, MSR and Vgo Recordings labels. Chamber music collaborations have included performances with the Grammy award-winning ensembles Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and Conspirare Choir, the Turtle Creek Chorale and legendary Mexican cellist Carlos Prieto. Bustos is also a founding member of the award-winning Texas Guitar Quartet and has released two critically acclaimed discs with the group. Highlights of the 2023-24 season included performances with the Chattanooga Symphony, Austin Classical Guitar, and Southwest Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonica de Cusco, and Camerata de Queretaro. Isaac holds a Bachelor of Music degree in guitar performance from the University of New Hampshire, a Master of Music degree and Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where he worked under the guidance of renowned American guitarist Adam Holzman. As an educator, his commitment to teaching is reflected in the success of his students whose prize-winning performances have included victories in numerous competitions around the Us. Dr. Bustos serves on the faculty at the University of Texas – San Antonio School of Music, where he is head of guitar studies and artistic director of the Southwest Guitar Symposium.

Alejandro Montiel (USA)

Described by Soundboard Magazine as a "flawless musician, filled to the brim with polished technique,” GRAMMY™ nominated guitarist & arranger Alejandro Montiel enjoys a performing career that has taken him throughout the United States, Mexico, China, Central America, and Europe. He holds graduate degrees from the Peabody Conservatory and the University of Texas at Austin, and is a founding member of the Texas Guitar Quartet. A champion of new works for guitar, Alejandro has premiered pieces by Joseph V. Williams, Mark Cruz, John Truitt, Brian Herrington, and Samuel Zyman. He was part of the instrumental ensemble for the US premiere of Andy Pape's opera "Houdini The Great", collaborated with cellist Bion Tsang on a new score by Joseph Williams for the Alfred Hitchcock silent film "The Lodger", and was part of the 2015 world-premiere of Nico Muhly's new work for chamber choir and guitar ensemble titled “How Little You Are.” More recently, he gave the Houston premiere of Clarice Assad’s “Three Sketches” for two guitars and violin. Besides being a regularly invited artist, adjudicator, and clinician for guitar festivals around the US, Dr. Montiel is the Guitar Ensemble director at UTSA School of Music and also directs the guitar studio at Lone Star College - Montgomery. Alejandro is also a sought-after chamber musician throughout Texas - notable collaborations include Grammy-winning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Grammy-winning choir Conspirare, soprano Estelí Gómez, Line Upon Line percussion group, violinist Jennifer Choi, flutist Julee Kim-Walker, clarinetist Håkan Rosengren, and cellist Louis-Marie Fardet. Additionally, Dr. Montiel has been featured on multiple recordings, including the Texas Guitar Quartet's critically acclaimed debut album "RED" and its follow up, “ICON.”  Alejandro resides in the San Antonio area with his family.

Li – Zohn Guitar Duo (CHINA/USA)

The musical relationship between guitarists Erdong Li and Andrew Zohn began in 2013
as student and teacher.  Li left his native China to pursue graduate studies under Zohn’s direction at the Schwob School of Music (Columbus State University). Upon Li’s joining the faculty of the Schwob School in 2018, the two have toured extensively throughout the United States and China including performances in such major events as Guangzhou and Liaoning International Guitar Festivals, Solstice Guitar Symposium (Connecticut), and the ECU Summer Guitar Workshop (North Carolina).  Andrew Zohn has enjoyed a decades-long career as a performer, composer, and much
sought-after teacher. He has performed concerts on five continents including venues in China, Malaysia, Egypt, Argentina, as well as throughout North America and Europe.
Students of Andrew Zohn have won prizes in over 100 international competitions and
have been featured on National Public Radio. Original compositions and transcriptions by Andrew Zohn are published through Les Productions d’Oz, Canada, Tuscany publications (Theodore Presser), and FJH Publications. His recordings for Clear Note and Centaur Records have received wide acclaim from American Record Guide, Classical Guitar Magazine, GuitArt Magazine, Soundboard, Guitarra Magazine, and Rosewood Review. Zohn’s latest solo recording Eterna Saudade was released in 2019 through Contrastes Records (Spain). Erdong Li has performed on the guitar throughout China and the United States, with the mission of promoting cultural exchange through musical celebration. Currently serving on the faculty of the Schwob School of Music (Columbus State University), Li also is vice-chairman of the Wenzhou Guitar Association (China) and tours throughout China annually as a part of W.E. Duo with violinist Weiru Sheng. Li received his Master’s Degree at the Schwob School of Music and holds a Bachelor’s Degree in classical guitar performance from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. During his time in Beijing, he was also actively performing on electric guitar in a rock band throughout the region. This rich combination of influences from two cultures results in a truly special approach to music, one which includes a variety of styles ranging from acoustic folk to electric guitar, and which allows students to develop brilliant sound, solid musical skills, and abundant creativity.

Erdong Li and Andrew Zohn play exclusively on Augustine Strings

Cicchillitti – Cowan Guitar Duo (CANADA)

Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan have established themselves as a leading duo in the world of classical guitar through their award-winning recordings, international tours, and commissions of major works. Winners of second prize (2023) and third prize (2021) at the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America competition, they also received the Classical Recording of the Year award at the East Coast Music Awards in 2021 for their album Focus. Their second album, Impressions intimes, was nominated in the same category in 2022, and their upcoming album, Lyrique, is set to be released on Analekta in 2025. The duo is renowned for their contributions to contemporary music. At the “21st Century Guitar” conference in Ottawa, they premiered nine electroacoustic works commissioned from the New York-based ICEBERG collective. With support from the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, they commissioned six new works for two guitars and orchestra, which will be featured on their album Re/String, scheduled for release in February 2025 with Leaf Music. The duo has performed on multiple national and international tours with prestigious organizations such as Début Atlantic and Prairie Debut. In 2025, they have additional tours planned in Texas, Rhode Island, New York, New Hampshire, and Connecticut. Adam and Steve are proud to be sponsored by Augustine Strings and play guitars crafted by Sergei de Jonge and Bruno Boutin.

Dr. Rachel Woolf, Flute (USA)

Dr. Rachel Woolf serves as Assistant Professor of Flute at the University of Texas at San Antonio School of Music. Accomplished as a multidimensional artist, Rachel is co-founder of the flute and marimba duo, Duo 彩 Aya, principal flute with the Victoria Bach Festival and flutist in the Dallas based symphonic pop rock band, The Polyphonic Spree. She regularly performs with the San Antonio Philharmonic, United States Air Force Band of the West, and served one year as Principal Flute with Symphony of the Hills. Additionally, Rachel has performed and recorded with indie singer Jośe González, Il Divo, Darren Criss, and Swans. An Advocate for new music, Duo 彩 Aya commissioned four new works for performances across the United States in the 2023-2024 season and their debut album Cycles is set to be released in Spring 2025 on Neuma Records. Her performances have taken her across the globe, including notable appearances in Argentina, Chile, Canada, and throughout Europe. Rachel has been featured prominently at the National Flue Association Convention (NFA), including playing three consecutive years on the NFA Gala Concerts (2022-2024) and serving as the Local Arrangements Chair for the 2024 convention in San Antonio, Texas. Additionally, she has been a featured Gala artist at the 2023 Biennial North American Saxophone Alliance Conference, as well as a performer at the 2024 World Flutes Festival in Mendoza, Argentina, the 2023 College Music Society’s National Conference, and the 2023 International Clarinet Association ClarinetFest. Furthermore, she has been a featured soloist with the UTSA Orchestra and UTSA Wind Ensemble.  Rachel is committed to performing and teaching music from diverse composers and artists that expand beyond the western classical cannon. She has commissioned five works by underrepresented composers for the UTSA Flute Ensemble, including three by UTSA alumni composers, and supported three new arrangements, which have been featured at NFA and other festivals across the country. In 2024 she established the San Antonio Youth Flute Choir with UTSA alum Dominic Valadez, which was featured on the final concert of the NFA Youth Flute Day, celebrating music from prominent female Chicana artists with roots in San Antonio.  Rachel can be heard on The Polyphonic Spree’s 2023 album, Salvage Enterprise, as well as on Swans 2016 record, The Glowing Man. She recorded as second flute on the upcoming album by the United States Air Force Band of the West, Beyond the Blue. Additionally, she can be heard playing principal and bass flute on the GIA Windworks label, Canvases and Offerings with the UNT Wind Symphony, as well as on the widely released Classical Structures with the University of Michigan Symphony Band on Equilibrium Records. She has been a founding member of multiple new music groups in Ann Arbor and Los Angeles and has premiered numerous new works for flute and piccolo, including Paul Schoenfield’s Psychobird (A Sonatina for Piccolo and Piano) with the composer himself. Additionally, Rachel’s performing interests include Hindustani Classical Music exploration and composing for flute looping with effects. Rachel is a sought-after clinician and performer and has been an invited Guest Artist for the 2024 Western Massachusetts Flute Festival and the 2022 Northeastern State University Instrumental Day. She has conducted masterclasses and recitals throughout Argentina and Chile, and at The University of Michigan, The University of Alabama, The University of Texas at Austin, The University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of North Texas, University of North Carolina Greensboro, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, Bowling Green State University, Texas Christian University, University of Oregon, SUNY Potsdam, Baylor University, Oklahoma State University, and many others. She has given clinics and recitals at the Austin Flute Society’s Festival, Texas Flute Society’s Festival, Texas Summer Flute Symposium, and Floot Fire camps. She has served on the judging panels for major flute competitions including the NFA Young Artist Competition, Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA) All-State Convention, Texas Flute Society’s Myrna Brown Competition, and VOCE Competition (San Diego) Rachel received her Bachelor of Music at the University of Michigan, Master of Music at Bowling Green State University, and Doctor of Musical Arts at the University of North Texas with a related field in Ethnomusicology. Her mentors include Amy Porter, Dr. Conor Nelson, Terri Sundberg, Dr. James Scott, Marianne Gedigian, and Karen Reynolds

Dr. Jourdan Laine Howell, Soprano (USA)

Soprano Jourdan Laine Howell is an active soloist and recitalist. In November 2022, Jourdan Laine was the soprano soloist in a rare performance of Vaughn Williams' Sinfonia Antarctica with the San Antonio Philharmonic and San Antonio Mastersingers. She recently performed Mozart's Requiem under the baton of Yoojin Muhn and was thrilled to return to the FBC First Fine Arts Series to present Rorem's Cycle of Holy Songs. Since joining the UTSA Lyric Theatre faculty in 2020, she has directed ten productions including Massenet's Cinderella, Mozart's Die zauberflöte, Granados' Goyescas, and Bowles' A Picnic Cantata. Jourdan Laine is committed to staging new works and underrepresented works; of the ten productions she has staged at UTSA, one was a U.S. premiere, five were Texas premieres, and six were penned by composers living today. She spearheaded s six-show season in Spring 2021 that featured three shows with all-female casts, and three Spanish language productions, two of which were rare généro chicos. She completed an exciting 19|20 season beginning with the U.S. premiere of Douglas Hedwig's Rowing in Eden: Three Dickinson Songs, written for her voice, alongside pianist Tracy Cowden (October 2019). She performed selections from Kirsten Broberg's The Waters of Time at the 2019 Festival of New Music (San Antonio, TX), Finzi's In terra pax with the Symphony of the Hills (Kerrville, TX), and was invited to present a solo recital for ​First Baptist Church's First Fine Arts Series (San Antonio, TX). Jourdan Laine was pleased to work with Douglas Hedwig in Spring 2020 to give the Tennessee premiere of Rowing in Eden: Three Dickinson Songs at the Hunter Museum of American Art. Jourdan Laine was a Guest Artist at the 2018 Frontwave New Music Festival premiering works by composers Douglas Hedwig (We can find no scar) and Joshua Lubben (Old woman's ghost story; Rosemary's Waltz). She has been a guest soloist for Mendelssohn's Elijah with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra, Handel's Messiah with the symphony orchestra at the University of Texas at San Antonio, for Haydn's Creation, and Vivaldi's Gloria with the SOSU Symphonic Choir (Durant, Oklahoma), and has performed with the AIMS Festival Orchestra (Graz, Austria). Jourdan Laine was a featured artist in Greensboro Opera's inaugural Gala Concert and has performed comprimario roles with Palm Beach Opera, San Antonio Opera, and Amarillo Opera. Lead roles include Donna Elvira (Don Giovanni), Susanna (The Marriage of Figaro), and Despina (Così fan tutte) as well as roles in Suor Angelica, Gallantry, La serva padrona, City of Angels, and Beauty and the Beast. Jourdan Laine originated the role of Florinda in Seymour Barab's opera Gods of Mischief. Jourdan Laine currently serves on the faculty of The University of Texas at San Antonio in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts Department of Music. Dr. Howell earned a DMA (vocal performance; opera direction and production) from The University of North Carolina Greensboro where she performed lead roles with the award-winning Opera Theatre (Mozart's Don Giovanni and Moore's Gallantry), and directed Jeremy Beck’s Review (2014), Gary Belshaw’s The Worst One Ever (2014), and co-directed the 2012 scenes program Love, Letters, and Lies. She completed both her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in vocal performance at The University of Texas at San Antonio where she performed in numerous productions and participated in the acclaimed outreach program Opera on the Run, which introduced elementary students throughout the greater San Antonio area to opera. Jourdan Laine served as an invited panelist at the Opera America conference in Montreal, Canada, and has presented at the National Opera Conference (2020), and Southeastern Theatre Conference (2018) and has delivered numerous masterclasses and lectures in Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. In addition to her previous university appointments (Instructor of Voice, Southeastern Oklahoma State University & Adjunct Instructor, West Texas A&M University School of Music), Jourdan Laine proudly served as the Education & Community Engagement Manager for Palm Beach Opera where she oversaw existing education programs for learners of all ages and was responsible for the direction and development of future programming. During her tenure at Palm Beach Opera, Jourdan created several successful engagement programs including the nationally recognized Opera Out Loud program, OPERA: Our Story, and Story Time Series for which she authored two children's books. With a firm belief in opera for all, Jourdan Laine focused on accessibility initiatives, creating the ANIMA program to reach adults who are unable to experience live theatre in the opera house, as well as enhancing the annual Children's Performance with a Touch Tour for audience members with visual impairments and the development of sensory-friendly components to serve persons on the Spectrum. In 2016, Jourdan was nominated & received Honorable Mention for Artshacker's Most Creative People in Arts Administration which highlights professionals throughout the US and Canada and whose inspired projects further the arts in their community and beyond. She was also awarded a grant to attend the annual Kennedy Center Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability in Washington, D.C. As an arts administrator, Jourdan Laine worked to implement Do Something Different: Discover Opera, a marketing & engagement campaign to increase participation in all of the Opera's offerings. The campaign inspired several successful events including Crossings: Two Traditions. One Musical Heritage, a narrated concert experience that brought together musicians from both Opera and the Spiritual genres. In 2018, Jourdan Laine presented a case study at the Southeastern Theatre Conference on the Do Something Different: Discover Opera campaign alongside her campaign partners. While at Palm Beach Opera, Jourdan Laine greatly enriched and grew Palm Beach Opera Studio, a rigorous seven-month training program for select high school voices, and the third tier of the company's celebrated artist training system. Outside of the Opera, she served as the vocal technician for Dreyfoos School of the Arts, a nationally acclaimed institution where she trained voice students, worked with collaborative piano students, and taught private lessons through the DSOA Foundation's Ray of Light program.

Jourdan Laine Howell is a student of Dr. Diana Allan and Dr. Robert Wells.

David Manzanares-Salguero (USA)

Having been described as “technically flawless,” David Manzanares-Salguero is a multi-award winning classical guitarist from Houston, Texas. David has been a finalist and has won first prize in many competitions, including but not limited to the Philadelphia Guitar Competition, Southwest Guitar Symposium, Florida Guitar Festival, Columbus Guitar Symposium, and the Houston Classical Guitar Festival. Some of his most recent notable performances include performing Vivaldi’s Concerto in A Major with the Peabody Concert Orchestra in Baltimore, MD and having been invited to perform at the Home of the Spanish Ambassador in Washington D.C.  One of David’s passions is sharing his music with the community through outreach concerts. From 2021-2022, David was a performer for the Music for a While program at Peabody, aiming to bring music to the Johns Hopkins Hospital. David now has gone on to become the Musician in Residence at the Edenwald Senior Living Community where he performs and curates concert programs on a weekly basis for the independent and assisted living communities. David is also passionate about finding ways to make higher education more accessible for low-income students. He recently won the competitive Launch Grant from the Peabody Institute to fund the creation of “For the Future,” a college readiness program that guides high school classical guitarists facing financial barriers through the college application process.  As a supporter and performer of new music, David has collaborated with a variety of composers, particularly those from underrepresented communities, to create new works for solo guitar and guitar ensemble. Recently, David received a Peabody Launchpad Grant to commission underrepresented composers to write guitar duets for the Mina Duo, a guitar duo he started with Gwenyth Aggeler. They will also be recording these commissions for an upcoming album, aiming to “give a voice to communities that are unheard.” As well, David has been awarded several scholarships to study and perform at many summer music programs like the Brevard Music Center, Boston Guitar Festival and most recently having received a full scholarship to attend the Aspen Music Festival.  An avid teacher, David has taught many students whose ages range from 6 to 60. Since 2021, David has been faculty at the Summer Guitar Conservatory in Houston, Texas where he conducted and coached beginner to advanced level guitar ensembles. David also was invited to teach for the P.A.L.S. Program at the Aspen Music Festival in 2022. David has performed in masterclasses for Manuel Barrueco, Zoran Dukic, Grisha Goryachev, Adam Holzman, Sharon Isbin, Lorenzo Micheli, David Russell, Benjamin Verdery, and Jason Vieux. David received his Bachelor’s of Music at the Peabody Institute of Music studying with Dr. Thomas Viloteau. In the Fall of 2024, David will continue his studies at Peabody pursuing a Master’s of Music studying with Professor Manuel Barrueco.

Marco Corrales (Costa Rica)

Marco Corrales is one of the most prominent guitarists in Central America. He began his studies at Conservatorio de Castella with Nuria Zúñiga. Later, he continued his higher studies in guitar at the University of Costa Rica with maestro Jorge Luis Zamora. Currently, he is studying for a Master's degree in guitar at the University of Texas at San Antonio with maestro Isaac Bustos. Dedicated mainly to the performance of Latin-American music and to showcasing the work of living composers of the region, he has recorded four album productions, two of them including original works for guitar by Costa Rican composers: "Un Siglo de Guitarra Costarricense" and "Guitarra Viva Costa Rica", and two others in co-production with composers, "Leyendas Costarricenses" with original music for solo guitar by Costa Rican composer José Arias, and "Sueños y sones", with the complete works for guitar by Panamanian composer Emiliano Pardo-Tristán. This desire to show the music of Latin America has led him to play at festivals and different musical spaces in Costa Rica, USA, Mexico, Argentina, Panama, Colombia, El Salvador and Brazil. He has been awarded in national and international competitions, among them: First Prize at the International Guitar Competition Panama City (2018), Second Prize at the International Guitar Competition "Guitarra Sin Fronteras" (Mexico, 2015), Honorable Mention at the Havana International Guitar Competition (Cuba, 2016), Honorable Mention Southwest Guitar Competition (Texas, 2024) First Prize at the National Guitar Competition (Costa Rica, 2013), Second Prize at the International Guitar Competition "Promesas de la Guitarra" (Costa Rica, 2011), among others. He also has experience in chamber music and playing as a soloist with orchestras in his country such as Heredia Symphony Orchestra, Cartago Municipal Symphony Orchestra and UCR Symphony Orchestra.

Allen Liu (USA) (photo and bio coming soon)

Rubio-Reece Guitar Duo (photo and bio coming soon)

The UTSA Guitar Studio and Ensemble

Travel Accommodations

Aloft San Antonio | UTSA Area

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Doubletree by Hilton | San Antonio NW

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SureStay Plus by Best Western  | San Antonio Fiesta Inn

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