Guests Join USU Guitar Faculty for Concert

Jack Petersen, one of the country’s finest guitar performers and educators, joins the faculty members of Utah State University’s guitar program for a special concert that brings the three guitarists together in concert for the first time.

The concert, to be held Wednesday, March 18, features Petersen, Mike Christiansen and Corey Christiansen. The trio of guitarists is joined by Lars Yorgeson on bass for the concert that begins at 7:30 p.m. in the USU Performance Hall.

 

Advance tickets are $5 and free for USU students with valid ID and are available by calling the Caine School of the Arts Box Office at (435) 797-8022 or visiting the box office online. Tickets will also be available the night of the concert at the door.

 

Corey Christiansen, who joined the guitar faculty in the department of music at USU, studied with Petersen at the University of Southern Florida while earning a master’s degree. Earlier, he studied with his father, Mike, who heads the guitar program at USU. Since returning to USU, Corey has maintained a busy academic schedule while he continues to tour and record. And while this is the first time all three guitarists have performed together, it is the fourth time Mike Christiansen has joined him on stage, including a performance in Las Vegas for the Las Vegas Jazz Society.

 

The program for the concert features a variety of music, including swing, Latin and blues and works by guitar masters that include Wes Montgomery and Charlie Christian.

 

“Jack is considered one of the finest jazz guitar performers and educators around,” Mike Christiansen said. “He’s been a guest on campus at USU before, working with our guitar majors. He’s a popular teacher because he not only ‘talks the talk,’ he ‘walks the walk.’ His approach to jazz is systematic, fun and user-friendly.”

 

Additionally, Petersen has a great rapport with audiences, Christiansen said.

 

“His sense of humor and ability on the instrument make him a delight to watch,” he said. “We’re going to have a wonderful time performing that night. The audience will immediately sense our friendship and the pleasure we take in performing together.”

 

Petersen taught at North Texas State University in Denton, Texas, for 12 years and at the University of Northern Florida School of Music, teaching guitar, improvisation and directing combos. He taught at the Berklee College of Music for three years. He’s served on the faculty at a number of clinics, including the Stan Kenton clinics, the National Stage Band clinics, the Jamey Aebersold Combo camps, the Clark Terry Summer Jazz camps and was a member of the Summer Music Camps of Sweden for three years.

 

Petersen has performed with a long list of jazz legends, including Stan Kenton, Doc Severson, Art Van Damme, Joe Morello, Johnny Smith, Nancy Wilson, Clark Terry and many others.

 

 

Writer: Patrick Williams (435) 797-1354
Contact: Mike Christiansen (435) 797-3011, mike.christiansen@usu.edu