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Reflections on My Italian Concert Tour: A Journey Through Southern Sicily 2024

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Just over a week ago, I embarked on an unforgettable musical journey through the enchanting region of southern Sicily. From the historic beauty of Syracuse to the warm, inviting towns of Avola and Portopalo, this tour was an adventure of a lifetime. I’m thrilled to share my experiences from this incredible tour, which included three concerts and a masterclass, each brimming with its own unique charm and challenges.

Avola: The Beginning of a Memorable Tour

The tour kicked off with a solo concert on Saturday, August 24, as part of the Claudio Monteverdi Accademia Musicale 10th Guitar Summer Festival. Performing just over 24 hours after my arrival was a whirlwind experience, but the opportunity to play at Sala Frantantonio in Avola was worth every bit of jet lag. The concert was a success, and at the end of the evening, I was honored to be made an honorary member of the Claudio Monteverdi Accademia Musicale. My heartfelt thanks go to Maurizio Agrò, Paola Caldarella, and Turi Calvo for their invaluable help and support in making this event a reality.

Syracuse: A Night Under the Stars

The following day, Sunday, August 25, I had the privilege of performing at the Chriostro Die Cappuccini in Syracuse. This lovely outdoor courtyard, with its surprisingly good acoustics, was a perfect setting for an evening concert. Despite a few mishaps—including the heat causing my artificial nails to fall off and an unexpected encounter with Vaseline on my guitar strings—this performance was an exhilarating experiences. The enthusiastic audience was kind enough to request four encores, which was a testament to the vibrant energy of the night. I’m grateful to Luca Ambrosio, President of the Orchestra Barocca Siciliana, for hosting me, and to Nello Alessi for connecting me with Luca.

A Masterclass in Siracusa: Nurturing Future Talents

On Monday, August 26, I had the joy of presenting a masterclass in Syracuse in association with the Accademia Chitarristica Siciliana and the Claudio Monteverdi Accademia Musicale 10th Guitar Summer Festival. Teaching six talented students, who performed works by J.S. Bach, Villa-Lobos, Fernando Sor, and Joaquin Rodrigo, was a rewarding experience. Seeing such dedication and skill from young players was truly inspiring and reminded me of why I love teaching and sharing my passion for music.

Portopalo: A Serene Finale

The tour concluded with a solo concert on Friday, August 30, also in association with the Claudio Monteverdi Accademia Musicale 10th Guitar Summer Festival. This final performance took place at the Oasi di San Corrado a mare in Portopalo, set against a stunning natural backdrop with views of the Mediterranean Sea. The intimate, serene setting was the perfect way to end the tour. The audience’s warmth and the opportunity to converse with them afterwards made the evening even more special. A big thank you to Maurizio Agrò for organizing these memorable events.

A Special Stay in Syracuse

During my stay in Syracuse, from August 23 to September 1, I had the pleasure of lodging at Apartment Casa Francesca. Francesca was a wonderful host, and her daughter, an exceptionally talented young classical guitarist, made my stay even more memorable. If you ever find yourself in Syracuse, I highly recommend staying at Apartment Casa Francesca.

This tour through southern Sicily was a blend of incredible music, unexpected challenges, and unforgettable experiences. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who made this journey so special and look forward to sharing more musical adventures with you in the future.

Arrivederci, and until next time!

— Luther Enloe

YouTube & the Rebirth of My Entrepreneurial Sprite

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It’s March 2024 and my YouTube Channel has been resting idle for years. I’ve decided to change this and start posting videos with greater constancy with the goal of providing meaningful content for classical guitar enthusiasts, and music lovers, with both performance and instruction videos.

Why am I doing this?

Here are a few reasons:

  1. It’s hard to have career in music if no one knows who you are or what you are doing. Staying relevant with consistent videos will only serve to help connect me with others in meaningful and productive ways. 
  2. YouTube provides an excellent opportunity to connect with, benefit, and recruit students for my Georgia State University,  Emory University, and private guitar studios.
  3. YouTube provides an excellent opportunity to promote oneself as a concert artist.
  4. Regarding my plan to start producing instructional videos: over the years I have had numerous students suggest, and  encourage, me to do this. While I would never dissuade my students from watching and learning from  others’ instructional videos, I have come to the conclusion that I should have my own videos for them, and others, to access too.  

What are my Goals?

  1. To create meaningful and substantive content that benefits others. If I succeed in this regard, I will be happy and feel that the time I put into this endeavor will be worth  it. Focusing on an altruistic goal will help keep me stay grounded and make the process fun and healthy. 
  2. Recruit  students for my guitar studios.
  3. Maintain relevant and up-to-date marketing materials for concert promotion.
  4. Channel monetization?  Every revenue stream is important, especially as an adjunct music instructor, which I am at both GSU and Emory.  As an Adjunct (the fancy school of music title part-time instructors  is “Artist Affiliate”) the work load is often heavy while the pay is always light. Consequently, it would be foolish not to include monetization as a goal.

Now that I’ve posted this, I had better follow through with my plans. I hope that you will come along for the ride. I’m performing the Concierto de Aranjuez in Atlanta on 03/19/2024 with the Delkalb Symphony orchestra.  Following this performance, I’m  hosting an international guest artist for a week at both GSU and Emory.  When my schedule clears in April, I will start shooting original content for instruction videos and short performances of student level etudes and repertoire.  Until then, I’ll be posting student performances from my GSU Guitar Studio that have been sitting idle on my hard drive for years.

I have no idea if anyone will read this, but, if you do, feel free to give thoughts and suggestions. I’d love to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Luther