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2004 was an incredible year at the Guitar Center on Sheridan Blvd and 88th
in Arvada, Colorado. We had a few students performing at the other
Guitar Centers in the Denver area like Antonio Maldonado who has always
done well at the Colorado Blvd. store and I may be missing a few but, at
the Arvada store we had Craig Bennington, Joe Mott and Melisa Osterman.
A few old friends from CHODOSH GUITAR were on hand, as you can see in the
pictures, not to mention a few of the younger students who plan to enter
in the future and of course all of the family members who were there to
back up their favorite contestant or, even more importantly, to support
their child's interests. I would like to applaud each and every one
who was there. It was a tremendous 4 week display of
sportsmanship by all.
I am only going to mention three of the players who were there as
CHODOSH GUITAR students. If I have missed anyone please email me and
I will amend this page.
To start: Melissa Osterman played a tremendous blues solo.
She has gotten better each year at sounding and looking smooth and
comfortable while on stage. Melisa, you are proof that
determination, met with desire creates results, great results. Great
work!
Next: Craig won his week's title with a tremendous display of speed and
melodic sense that would impress even the most diehard rock fan or 30 year
guitar playing veteran. He has shown even more improvement this year
with his sound and his stage presence and is rapidly becoming one of the
best on the scene. No one could look away while he was
playing. Who would want to?
The next week: Joe Mott got up and played great blues, careful
but loose and timed beautifully with that type of teasing expressions that
every great blues player hopes he'll remember to use. Then he added
a jazz solo ("Night and Day") onto his performance
afterwards. It was magical and got him a standing ovation. He
too, won his week's title and would later face the other winners including
Craig at the store final.
Keep in mind, this is the first time that two CHODOSH GUITAR students
would face each other in the store final.
The week of the store final: Craig played incredibly well.
Sweeps, tapping, blistering runs, screaming dives, the whole bit. He
looked and sounded incredible. Joe showed more improvement going
into the final than I could ever imagine. He must have been practicing
non stop as his routine had been reinvented completely and sounded like he
was a new player. Even smoother than before.
The winner was not a CHODOSH GUITAR student or teacher. His name
is Chance Gallager and (in my opinion) it's about time he won one of
these. He is one of the most creative players I've ever heard in my
life and a great guy.
I would like to offer my Congratulations to Chance for winning the
store final and to Craig and Joe for making it to the store finals.
I cannot express how impressed I am with all of the students who
competed and with all of the students and family members who showed up and
took part in this event. Without every one of you this event could
never have meant so much to all of us involved. I thank you all. -
Michael Chodosh
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