Tony D'Addono
Classical Guitarist: Composer, Arranger, Transcriptions
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Tony D'Addono on solo classical guitar.
Bio: Anthony (Tony) D'Addono
Anthony D'Addono was born in 1950 in Philadelphia, PA. His first guitar lessons were with his older brother Claude in 1960 at the young age of ten. He immediately showed talent and a deep interest in the instrument and was soon playing with other musicians much older than himself. Tony listened to many of the popular 45's of the day and began learning songs and guitar licks by ear. Soon he was performing in bands and became known as one of the premier guitarists in the area.
Widely known for his unique ability to play any style of music, whether it be rock, jazz, or classical, led Tony to be in high demand as a guitarist in bands, as a soloist, and a studio musician in the Philadelphia area. He has been playing lead guitar and saxophone with the award winning Philadelphia wedding band, the Vincent James Band, for the past 30 years.
Anthony D'Addono was born in 1950 in Philadelphia, PA. His first guitar lessons were with his older brother Claude in 1960 at the young age of ten. He immediately showed talent and a deep interest in the instrument and was soon playing with other musicians much older than himself. Tony listened to many of the popular 45's of the day and began learning songs and guitar licks by ear. Soon he was performing in bands and became known as one of the premier guitarists in the area.
Widely known for his unique ability to play any style of music, whether it be rock, jazz, or classical, led Tony to be in high demand as a guitarist in bands, as a soloist, and a studio musician in the Philadelphia area. He has been playing lead guitar and saxophone with the award winning Philadelphia wedding band, the Vincent James Band, for the past 30 years.
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Formal Musical Training
After graduating high school he attended Granoff School of Music, where such jazz greats as *John Coltrane, Dizzy Gillespie, and Sonny Fortune had studied. Besides continuing his study of the guitar, he studied the saxophone, music theory, composition , and orchestration as his interests broadened into jazz and classical music. As Tony's studies progressed †Isadore Granoff asked him to be a guitar teacher at the school. This launched his successful teaching career which is on going today at several different music establishments in the Philadelphia suburban area, including private lessons for advanced students at this home in Glenolden, PA. |
Tony D'Addono on Electric Guitar with The Vincent James Band
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Classical Guitar Training
While teaching at the Granoff School of Music he fortuitously came upon The Classical Guitar Store located in Philadelphia. His growing interest in the classical guitar led him to study there with two of the major classical guitar teachers in Philadelphia, William Viola and Peter Segal. Later he would become part of the staff, teaching guitar there for over twelve years.
While teaching at the Granoff School of Music he fortuitously came upon The Classical Guitar Store located in Philadelphia. His growing interest in the classical guitar led him to study there with two of the major classical guitar teachers in Philadelphia, William Viola and Peter Segal. Later he would become part of the staff, teaching guitar there for over twelve years.
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It was here that Tony developed a deep personal interest in the classical guitar, and began studying, composing and arranging for the instrument. This led to several memorable performances of his original material and pieces from the classical guitar repertoire at The Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society and other venues in Philadelphia area. Later he took master classes with such classical guitar luminaries as Christopher Parkening, Oscar Ghiglia, John Duarte, and Carlos Barosa-Lima (all students of Segovia). |
Classical Guitar Compositions and Transcriptions
Since 1970, Tony D'Addono has composed an ever growing body of original music for solo classical guitar, including three pieces for flute and guitar (Three Pieces on the Song of Solomon) and a setting of a poem by William Blake (¶Prelude to the Songs of Innocence) for voice and guitar.
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He has has also completed transcriptions and arrangements of both jazz standards and major classical works for the classical guitar (see below).
His latest accomplishments include:
*John Coltrane studied at The Granoff School of Music under the legendary jazz teacher and performer, Dennis Sandole.
†Isadore Granoff (1902 - 2000) was a Ukranian immigrant and violinist who played in the premier version of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in 1913 and founded the legendary Philadelphia music school, The Granoff School of Music in the early 1920s.
‡ William Viola also taught Eliot Fisk. Dr. Peter Segal was a founding member of The Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society in 1967. He was director of guitar studies at Temple University from 1973 to 1993.
¶ The premier performance occurred in March of 1973 by guitarist, Rian McGonigle and vocalist, Elaine Snyder for the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society.
His latest accomplishments include:
- the complete transcription of the Nutcracker Suite (Tchaikovsky) for solo classical guitar. The Nutcracker Suite has been published by Hal Leonard and is available at Amazon.com.
- Classical Guitar Christmas CD, available at cdbaby.com. It includes the Nutcracker, three arrangements of traditional Christmas songs, plus three original compositions.
- the complete transcription of George Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue in it's entirety for solo classical guitar. Rhapsody in Blue has been published by Hal Leonard and is available at Amazon.com.
- his new CD, String Theory, soon to be available at cdbaby.com. It features ten new original pieces (portraits), along with Rhapsody in Blue, and the Bach Cello Suite #3.
*John Coltrane studied at The Granoff School of Music under the legendary jazz teacher and performer, Dennis Sandole.
†Isadore Granoff (1902 - 2000) was a Ukranian immigrant and violinist who played in the premier version of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring in 1913 and founded the legendary Philadelphia music school, The Granoff School of Music in the early 1920s.
‡ William Viola also taught Eliot Fisk. Dr. Peter Segal was a founding member of The Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society in 1967. He was director of guitar studies at Temple University from 1973 to 1993.
¶ The premier performance occurred in March of 1973 by guitarist, Rian McGonigle and vocalist, Elaine Snyder for the Philadelphia Classical Guitar Society.