A Conversation with Frank Longay

Christopher Mallett is gaining recognition as one of America’s promising up and coming classical guitarists. He has been described by Soundboard Magazine as “Virtuosic,” and by Classical Guitar Magazine as “Superb.”

Mallett earned his Bachelor’s Degree from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music where he studied with Stephen Aron and a Master’s Degree from the Yale University School of Music where he studied with Benjamin Verdery on a full-tuition scholarship.

Mallett has played in some of America’s finest concert halls including, the 92nd St. Y in New York, Raitt Recital Hall at Pepperdine, Sprague Recital Hall, and Kulas Hall. He has also performed in throughout Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and China. Mallett has performed as a soloist with the American Wind Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Robert Boudreau, the Grossmont Symphony Orchestra the New Britain Symphony under the baton of Maestro Jesse Levine.

In 2015 Mallett and Thomas Flippin (Duo Noire) began their “Women of Guitar Commissioning Project,” to remedy the lack of gender diversity in classical guitar repertoire. Made possible through funding from the Diller-Quaile School of Music, Duo Noire has commissioned several of the most talented female composers of their generation to write for two guitars, including Clarice Assad, Courtney Bryan, Gabrielle Herbst (GABI), Golfam Khayam, Mary Kouyoumdjian, Gity Razaz, and Gabriella Smith. The project will culminate in a full-length album and tour in 2017-2018.

Mallet is currently on the faculty at the University of California, Santa Cruz where he is lecturer in classical guitar studies. He is also co-owner and co-director of the California Conservatory of Music with locations in Santa Clara and Redwood City, CA. In addition to teaching, Mallett is co-artistic director of the Peninsula Guitar Series, a non-profit guitar society which focuses on outreach in schools and bringing international concert artists to the Bay Area.

Mallett was featured on the cover of Soundboard magazine as part of Duo Noire and has written and been featured in Classical Guitar Magazine, the American Suzuki Journal, and Acoustic Guitar Magazine.

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