Classical music enthusiasts find home in guitar society

Classical guitar isn’t only defined as classical music or as rock music, but as a genre that has created a home for itself. \nThe art form has a home here in Bloomington with the Bloomington Classical Guitar Society.\nThe Bloomington Classical Guitar Society promotes this unique genre of music through bringing in big names for concerts and hosting music recitals and guitar seminars. \nMark Bisesi, president of the Bloomington Classical Guitar Society, said the society was founded in 2002 by a group of amateur guitarists in the community and other local professionals who wanted to create a home for classical guitarists. \nThe society will also perform in nursing homes and other various background settings, Bisesi said. \n“Many classical guitarists spend hours practicing by themselves, and opportunities to perform are limited, and the society gives people a chance,” Bisesi said, also adding, “most of our concerts offer a masters class to people in the community and for anybody who wants to join.”\nWith nylon strings and a complete devotion to every note, classical guitar performances can be just as inspiring as any rock or orchestra concert. \n“The classical guitar’s repertoire is very influenced by classical music historically,” Bisesi said. \nClassical guitar also can have a niche in rock music as well. Finger-style songs (playing without a pick) such as “Ocean” by John Butler Trio and “#3” by Ben Harper can be considered to have classical guitar roots. \nThe softer nylon strings and the wider neck of the classical guitar allow for more fluid movement along the neck. \n“The classical guitar is more suitable for finger style while acoustic guitar is more of an instrument suitable for strumming,” said Petar Jankovic, guitar professor and coordinator of IU’s Guitar Department. \nJankovic also compared playing classical guitar to being similar to playing a classical piano. Jankovic said classical guitar is seen as a popular instrument used in popular, traditional and classical music in South America and Spain. \nGrowing up in Serbia, Jankovic had formal music training at a very early age. \n“If you go to music school and you want to be cool, you study guitar,” he said. “They teach you instrumentals just like any other instrument, and all these methods are based on classical music.” \nJankovic is currently touring the United States playing classical guitar. His tour schedule is booked up to March 2009. \nThe IU Guitar Department attracts 250 to 300 students per semester, and 20 to 25 of them are in the classical guitar program as opposed to the general guitar class, Jankovic said. \nFreshman Steve Green has played acoustic guitar for five years and in the past year has picked up the classical technique. \n“Lately, I have preferred classical guitar over acoustic,” he said. “It focuses more on the guitar itself, whereas acoustic brings in other instruments to the scene.”\nFor more info on classical guitar and upcoming concerts, log on to www.bloomingtonclassicalguitarsociety.org.