highSCORE 2012 Special Week with Don Ross

As a center for music research, the highSCORE New Music Center is a proponent of new music from many various musical genres, including pop/rock. In the magnificent surroundings of the hills outside of Pavia (in a valley that Hemingway called the most beautiful in the world), the Center will host its 2012 Special Week, dedicated to exploring the pop/rock genre through seminars, private lessons, jam sessions, and concerts.

The highly successful 2011 edition of the Special Week featured the amazing Kaki King. Joining the 2012 edition of the highSCORE Special Week is distinguished guitarist Don Ross. Mr. Ross has had an active career as a soloist, recording an extensive collection of albums (for labels such as Duke Street Records, Columbia/Sony, Narada Records, and CandyRat Records), as well as twice winning the U.S. National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship (1988 and 1996). Over the last few decades, Mr. Ross as also been actively touring across Canada, the USA, a dozen European countries, Japan, Taiwan, China, Australia, Russia, and India. As well as performing as a soloist, he has performed in many various groups and with symphony orchestras in Germany and Canada. Mr. Ross also has an active career as a composer for television, radio, and film.\

Tucked away in the secluded hills outside of Pavia (at the confluence of the Lombardy, Emilia Romagna, Piedmont, and Liguria regions), the exclusive one-week workshop will consist of lessons and seminars led by Mr. Ross. The event provides the opportunity to present yourself and your music to Mr. Ross and the other participants, as well as gain valuable instruction through lessons with Flavio Virzì and Giovanni Albini in composition, songwriting, and guitar techniques. While at the event there will be opportunities for excursions and guided tours of the historical nearby areas such as the medieval town of Bobbio or Mount Penice, all while indulging in the traditional cuisine of the area.

The highSCORE Special Week will be held 7-14 July 2012, and applications are currently available. The deadline to apply is June 15.