Buffalo State Guitar Instructor Makes Carnegie Hall Debut

Classical guitarist and Buffalo State music lecturer Evan Drummond (pictured at left) no doubt has heard the old joke: "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"

Now the determined musician has proven the punch line: “Practice, practice, practice.”

Multiple hours of practice while still maintaining a full slate of teaching responsibilities has landed Drummond on the stage of the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall.

The 32-year-old guitarist will perform Cuban and Spanish pieces, Wednesday, November 14, alongside longtime friend and pianist Orlay Alonso (pictured right), whom he met in the graduate music program at Yale University. The Cuban Cultural Center of New York is presenting the concert in the approximately 200-seat hall. In the 90-minute performance, the duo will feature works by composers such as Leo Brouwer, Manuel De Falla, and Joaquin Rodrigo.

"We’ve rearranged the music into a ballet (music) format showcasing what each instrument does well," Drummond said. "Some are more authentic to piano, some more to guitar."

Already, the pair has performed the arrangements more than 20 times in venues ranging from the Eastman School of Music to private homes in New York City. They’ve sought audience feedback and refined the show for the Weill Recital Hall debut.

"I’m excited about the performance. I just have to hit 99.9 percent of the right notes," Drummond said with a wry smile.

Five years ago, Drummond joined the Buffalo State Music Department as an adjunct instructor where he teaches private guitar lessons, guitar chamber music, music theory for non-majors, and aural perceptions. He also teaches in SUNY’s Fredonia School of Music and has taught at the Eastman Community Music School and other institutions.

Despite a hectic schedule, Drummond said it's crucial for instructors to perform.

"I’ve taught at other places and not every faculty member maintains a performing career," he said. “(Buffalo State Music Department chair) Brad Fuster is a great example of maintaining a career alongside his teaching and chair duties. He is out there performing often while building this department. I believe performing changes the information you are giving in class because there’s a renewed sense of responsibility to the art."

Currently, Drummond has eight guitar majors studying with him. Already, he’s seen some of his students pursue graduate work at major music conservatories.

"I have high expectations," he said. "I tell my students I don't accept anything less than three hours a day of practice. If students can learn these skills at an early age, it's so crucial to the future. You have to make time to practice, always building upon who you are."