Stories and Interviews
Andrew Clark
Director of Guitar, McCallum High School
Austin, Texas, USA
I am thoroughly impressed with ACGS’s caliber of teaching as well as its innovative classical guitar curriculum, and I’m unaware of any other curriculum as thoroughly and sequentially developed that has produced such remarkable results.
Some of these remarkable results include distinguished performances of our students at the University Inter scholastic League State Competition, Best in Class performances at the Austin Independent School District Solo and Ensemble competition, and three consecutive 1st places awarded to McCallum High School at the University of Texas in Brownsville National Classical guitar ensemble competition. This latter accomplishment not only recognizes the McCallum Chamber Ensemble as the most outstanding High School Classical Guitar Ensemble in the United States, but as a teacher from Canada, I can confidently say they are perhaps the most outstanding in North America as well.
As an individual educated in both Canada and the United States, but new to Texas, I feel that Austin is without a doubt the leader in an important movement in music education. Classical guitar programs here in Austin attract students that would otherwise not feel compelled to participate in another artistic strand. ACGS is responsible for attracting students of all backgrounds to a discipline that not only develops outstanding musicianship, but fosters critical thinking, emotional expression, and a life long appreciation of the arts. I feel very grateful to the Austin Classical Guitar Society for so successfully realizing its mission, as well as the organizations supporters, whose advocacy allows the ACGS&rsqou;s mission to flourish and inspire on a regional, state, national, and international level.
