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Bill Kanengiser<\/p><\/div>\n\n
William \u201cBill\u201d Kanengiser is best known as a founding member of the celebrated Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. The group has released 14 CDs since its founding, receiving two Grammy nominations and winning one. The LAGQ\u2019s recording of the title work on Pat Metheny\u2019s Road to the Sun hit #1 on the Apple Music Classical chart.<\/p>\n\n
He has also recorded four CDs for the GSP label. A member of the guitar faculty at the USC Thornton School of Music since 1983, he has given master classes around the world and produced two instructional videos. On his own and as a member of the LAGQ, Kanengiser has explored genres ranging from classical, Caribbean and Latin to jazz, African, far east, Irish, folk and Americana.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cOne of the hallmarks of our approach is (it\u2019s) eclectic, all possible styles. That hasn\u2019t changed,\u201d says Kanengiser. <\/p>\n\n
The group\u2019s most recent recording is Opalescent, released in 2022. The Grammy-winning album is the last to feature co-founder Scott Tenant, who was succeeded by Douglas Lora. That leaves Kanengiser and John Dearman as the sole founding members. Anisa Angarola assembled the group in 1980 at the University of Southern California. She left a decade later, while her replacement, Andrew York, lasted until 2006, when Matthew Greif stepped in.<\/p>\n\n
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Opalescent<\/p><\/div>\n\n
Which is not really a lot of personnel changes, considering the group was formed nearly a half century ago. \u201cWe\u2019re coming up on our 45th year,\u201d says Kanengiser wonderingly.<\/p>\n\n
When he\u2019s not performing, you can find him passing along his knowledge. \u201cI\u2019ve been teaching at USC for 41 years,\u201d Kanengiser says. He also studied there, meaning he\u2019s been at USC in total for 47 years. \u201cTeaching is a really important part of what I do. I love it. I\u2019m excited to work with students \u2013 I learn from them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n
He\u2019s not the only one. Tenant is also on staff at USC. \u201cIn 2022 Scott decided to retire from touring. He\u2019s my boss at USC. John and I thought about closing up shop, but I wasn\u2019t ready. I\u2019m still excited about playing.\u201d<\/p> \n\n
Instead, they went about bringing in a new voice, albeit one with a connection to the past. \u201cWe\u2019ve had a wonderful transition to Scott\u2019s student Douglas Lora. He\u2019s half of Brasil Guitar Duo. It\u2019s a new feeling. You\u2019re never going to replace Scott Tenant, he\u2019s a legend.\u201d The group introduced Lora to its online audience via a Youtube video, \u201cLAGQ introduces Douglas Lora.\u201d<\/p>\n
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