Athens, Ga. – “UGA Performs,” a new music series produced on the University of Georgia campus, will premiere on WUGA-TV Feb. 1 at 9 p.m.
The first program will feature the Athens Guitar Trio comprised of local musicians Dusty Woodruff, Rylan Smith and Matthew Anderson. Recording in Ramsey Hall of the UGA Performing Arts Center, the trio will perform selections from Dvorak, Rodrigo, Scott Joplin, Gottschalk and Manuel de Falla. Encore broadcasts will be aired Feb. 4 at 8 p.m., Feb. 6 at 1 p.m., Feb. 8 at 11:30 p.m. and Feb 10 at 5 p.m.
“Whether pushing the boundaries of the guitar ensemble, dazzling audiences with their virtuosity or playing a captivating program, the Athens Guitar Trio is rapidly establishing itself as one of today’s premier chamber ensembles,” said Jimmy Sanders, director of TV and radio at UGA. “The addition of a rare 11-string guitar extends their range and ensemble capabilities as well as adds to the sheer size of their sound, which is just another element that sets the Athens Guitar Trio apart from other guitar ensembles.
“We are thrilled they will help debut our new program, and we are confident our viewers will not be disappointed with their performance.”
UGA Performs is a showcase series featuring professional musicians as well as UGA faculty, staff and students. Upcoming broadcasts will include performances from David Starkweather, Matthew Anderson and others. UGA Performs is a joint presentation of UGA’s Hugh Hodgson School of Music and WUGA-TV.
“We are thrilled with the opportunity in UGA Performs for the prolific talent from the hallways of the UGA Hugh Hodgson School of Music to be seen and heard by the WUGA-TV audience,” said Dale Monson, director of the Hugh Hodgson School of Music. “We will no longer be the best-kept secret in Athens. Our faculty and students regularly perform on the world’s finest stages-at national conferences, professional halls and of course on our own campus. We are proud that we will now share the talents of our students and faculty through WUGA-TV.”
WUGA-TV is operated by UGA in partnership with Georgia Public Broadcasting. Funding for WUGA-TV is provided, in part, through sponsorships and underwriting. Future programming for the stations will include documentaries, live performances, sporting events and news/public affairs shows.
“By using local programming focused on life in northeast Georgia, WUGA-TV is growing into a leading, viable communication alternative for our consumers,” Sanders said.
For more information on WUGA-TV, see wugatv.org.
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