Austin Weyand Acoustic Quartet

April 30: Austin Weyand Acoustic Quartet
Acoustic guitar virtuoso & friends
Gallivan Center
Free

Austin Weyand: acoustic guitars
Kelin Gibbons – mandolin and banjo.
Josh Skinner – upright bass
Jason Nicholson – drum set and percussion

Imagine some of the most influential acoustic guitarists of our time spending an evening together:  Andres’ Segovia, Chet Atkins, Michael Hedges, Tommy Emmanuel, Paco Pena, and more.   Drawing from these heroes of acoustic guitar and the styles they’ve played, “The Austin Weyand Band” creates an enriching and awe-inspiring show with the arrangements and compositions they perform.

 Austin Weyand is sought after as a performer, composer, arranger, and educator of fingerstyle guitar. He has run the gamut of performing situations, including playing guitar concertos with symphony orchestras, jazz jam sessions in Chicago, bluegrass and Celtic music on a tour through Europe, a pop/rock band throughout the inter-mountain west, and Spanish Flamenco for an 8 week run of the U.S. Premiere of Zorro the Musical.  He is the 2014 champion of the state of Wyoming fingerstyle guitar competition and holds the same title in Utah for 2012.   
 
Austin’s pianistic approach to the guitar displays melody, harmony, bass lines, even percussion in stellar arrangements where he is joined by seasoned musicians who add to the fun.
 
He has recorded 2 solo CDs, “Too Much Information” and “They Call Me Dad: Songs for My Daughters.”  Family, friends and various life situations have played an important part in the inspiration that has led to Austin’s style. Composing pieces about his daughters, wife, and mom for example, give his pieces a lot of meaning.  Austin’s style is all his own, because in his guitar performances he expresses pieces of his life story.
 
He holds a masters degree in Guitar from Northern Illinois University where he studied intensively with eclectic classical, jazz, and world music recording artist Fareed Haque.  He is also a graduate from USU where he studied with Michael Christiansen.
 
Austin has performed with various jazz and acoustic bands and recording projects.  Along with performing solo and with his band, he also performs with many other fine musicians in various projects.  He is an Adjunct Professor of guitar at Utah State University in Logan Utah.  Austin endorses guitars by Ryan Thorell (www.thorellguitars.com), and acoustic guitar pickups by K&K Sound (www.kksound.com).
 
www.austinweyand.com