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Sunday, October 19, 2025
— a “hybrid” event —
Benjamin Gascon
Classical Guitar
An Evening of Classical Guitar
Come enjoy an evening of terrific classical guitar music spanning three centuries. On the program is a selection from Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in G minor, the fugue of which Bach himself arranged for lute. Hear also works by two master guitarist-composers from Italy and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which reveal the beauty and diversity of guitar music in 18th century Europe. Closing the program is the stunning—but rarely heard—Sonata No. 1 for guitar by Argentinian composer Carlos Guastavino, famous for his songs for voice and piano.
PROGRAM
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 – 1750)
Sonata No. 1 in G minor
I. Adagio
II. Fuga
Mauro Giuliani (1781 – 1829)
Six variations sur un thème original
Johann Kaspar Mertz (1806 – 1856)
Fantaisie Hongroise
Carlos Guastavino (1912 – 2000)
Sonata No. 1 para guitarra
I. Allegro deciso e molto ritmico
II. Andante
III. Allegro spiritoso
BIOGRAPHY
Distinguished as a finalist in multiple national competitions, Benjamin Gascon is a dedicated and accomplished classical guitarist. His performances have garnered top placements in prestigious events, including second place at the 2025 Boston Guitar Festival and third place at the 2022 Southern Guitar Festival. He was also a finalist in the 2025 Philadelphia Guitar Festival and the 2025 Appalachian State University Guitar Festival, as well as a semi-finalist in the 2025 San Antonio Guitar Festival and 2025 Louisville Guitar Festival.
Deeply dedicated to musical craftsmanship, Gascon shares a repertoire that seamlessly intertwines Classical- and Romantic-era masterpieces with contemporary compositions. He has been invited to perform for the Estrella Classical Guitar and Honey Acres Music Center concert series, and is scheduled to perform this season at the Arts Club of Washington, Emerson Avenue Salons, and The Church of the Epiphany Concert Series. Additionally, he performs regularly in the Guitar Department concerts at the esteemed Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University.
Benjamin Gascon has performed in masterclasses for Jason Vieaux, David Russell, Eliot Fisk, Xuefei Yang, David Leisner, Allan Neave, Berta Rojas, Zoran Dukić, and Sergio Assad. He has studied and performed at many festivals including Indiana University Guitar Festival, Chicago Guitar Festival, and Denver Guitar Festival.
Gascon is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the Peabody Conservatory, where he previously earned both a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Classical Guitar Performance under the mentorship of Julian Gray. His foundational training began with pre-college studies at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music with Jonathan Leathwood. His academic and musical excellence has been further highlighted by numerous awards, including the Harry Randolph Prize in Performance (2022) and the James Winship Lewis Memorial Prize in Performance (2020). He was also a Presser Undergraduate Scholar and received the Peabody Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Award.
Beyond performance, Benjamin Gascon is a passionate and dedicated educator. He has served as a Guitar Department Graduate Assistant at Peabody since 2020 and actively engages with the Baltimore-D.C. community, fostering a love for classical guitar.
Benjamin Gascon performs on a Daniel Friederich guitar from 1973.
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