I had a wonderful time speaking with guitarist and podcaster extraordinaire Rosie Bennet for ‘Fret Not’. For close to 2hrs(!) we discuss definitions of success and by token my definitions of mistakes, Segovia’s influence and whether or not he would be able to make a career in the current industry climate, and what it truly means to make a difference as a musician. Don’t worry, she edited it down to 43min. If you’d like the complete ramble, just shoot her an email. It’s given at the beginning of the podcast.

For the record, I love much of what Segovia did. Do check out the rest of her shows! Her interview with Brian May, yes Brian May of Queen, is fantastic!

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/fret-not/id1554353545?i=1000554002182

2021 was many things, boring wasn’t one of them!

I’m not great at reflecting on the year, so I made a little list of some accomplishments as this year felt extra special:

• 13 premieres
• 2 albums issued
• 2 anthologies published
• 12 radio and podcast appearances
• 6 concerts
• 4 festivals
• 3 awards
• 1 article
• 450K+ streams!

Not bad for barely leaving home 🙂

May 2022 be all that you wish for and need. I’m preparing for some recordings, concerts (fingers crossed), and a surprise or two.

Thank you for being safe and sharing in my music.

Aaron Larget-Caplan

Year In Review

Premieres

Lainie Fefferman – Carousel – guitar + electronics
Tom Flaherty – Steps and Leaps – guitar + electronics
Alejandro Rutty – Down with those guitars
David Warrin Solomons – Passacaglia
UNC Greensboro Students: Joshua Weitz, Noah Marney, A.J. Lyon – 3 Pieces

New Lullaby Project Premieres

Curtis Hughes – lullibule
John Johnstone – Blue Lullaby
Tom Nazziola – Lull-a-by-the-sea
Ronald Pearl – Berceuse Inquiète
Štěpán Rak – Lullaby
Brian Schober – A Winter Lullaby

L->R top: Johnston, Pearl, Schober
L->R bottom: Nazziola, Rak, Hughes

RECORDINGS ISSUED

A Guitar Holiday – Tiger Turn Records (450K streams!)
Drifting, Volume 3 of the New Lullaby Project – Stone Records
Passacaglia by David Warin Solomons, digital single
Discography of 6 Albums from 2006-2021 issued online by Stone Records

PUBLICATIONS

Nights Transfigured, Volume 1 of the New Lullaby Project, Pub. American Composers Alliance
Hushed, Volume 2 of the New Lullaby Project, Pub. American Composers Alliance 

RADIO & PODCASTS (click–>Podcast)

All Things Cage with Laura Kuhn (3x!)
Café Classicale with Felice Coral
Conducting Conversations with Mike Maino
Exploring Music with Tigran Arakelyan
Classical Guitar Around the World with Kevin Collins (2x)
Guitaromanie! with Karl Wohlwend
All Things Six Strings with Rick Cox
Is That Really Legal with Eric Ruben
Jay Talking with Bradley Jay

FESTIVALS

New Music Gathering, Portland, Oregon
21^st Century Guitar Festival – Portugal
Guitar Foundation of America – Denver, Colorado
‘Institute for Effective Training International Conference’ – Russia

AWARDS

Three Revere Awards from the Music Publishers Associations – Nights Transfigured
Grant Southbridge Cultural Council
Small Business Association Grants

CONCERTS

Tew Recital Hall, UNC Greensboro, North Carolina
First Congregation Church Camden, Maine
Robbins Library, Arlington, MA
Zalon, Philadelphia, PA
Jacob Edwards Library, Southbridge, MA
Windhover, Rockport, MA w/ amazing Dancers: Michael Trusnovec, Xin Ying, Annmaria Mazzini,, Thryn Saxon

ARTICLES (click–>articles)

Dorchester Reporter – Larget-Caplan’s new album explores Christmas classics

 

 

To celebrate Bandcamp Friday (8/6) we are having a sale on all items: downloads, CDs, scores, and stickers.

Use code: 10offalc for 10% off.

The code will be good for 1 week. Please share with your music loving friends!

Go to: https://alcguitar.bandcamp.com/

 

On June 1st I did a 30min interview-performance with Bradley Jay (WBZ & CBS) for his online show Jay Talking!

I played:

• Dyens: Tango en Skai 
• Bach: Gottes zeit ist die allerbeste zeit (my arrangement)
• Pure Imagination (my arrangement)

https://youtu.be/ivohnXsDyDs

We Talked about practicing, current events, meeting my guitar (true love), and more. We had 10K+ views in one week on FB!
I’ll be back on the show on June 28 at 7pm EST. It will live stream on the Jay Talking FB page: https://www.facebook.com/realbradleyjay/

The June 1st show is still up so tune in before the 28th! You can watch it on FB HERE or on Youtube HERE

It’s a stressful time. It is.
Dealing with the unknown and needing to react quickly to the latest cancelation or news is not easy. Here are 5 ways to relax by yours truly!

1 – MUSIC

Of course!
I released ‘New Lullaby’ in 2010 knowing our culture doesn’t sleep well enough or listen to much music by living composers. The result is 14 New Lullabies from 13 American composers, from the warm and sightly dark to the lullaby you shouldn’t hear the end of because you’re asleep. It has continued with over 55 premieres!
Check out the album on BandCamp: alcguitar.bandcamp.com/ (best for Artists)
Physical CDs from: Amazon
Autographed CDs from my Store: alcguitar.com/store (great for Artists!)
Join the New Lullaby Project FB Group!!
Youtube Playlist of New Lullaby Videos

2 – Neu-Becalm’d

After a major house fire in 2007 and finding I couldn’t sleep more than 4 hours or quiet my mind, my wife discovered Neu-Becalm’d™. It is a nutritional supplement that gives the brain-targeted nutrients to aid in the balancing of neurotransmitters. Problems such as mental and emotional focus, or substance abuse may be caused by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. Very helpful for performance anxiety and quieting the mind. This was life changing!
I do not recommend drugs of any kind (beta blockers, weed, etc), but this is only amino acids. I do believe in it enough to be a distributer.
• You can find it at my Website Store: alcguitar.com/store (we will match prices)

3 – Food

During my Banff Music Residency in January (remember January!?) we held a New Lullaby concert with performance art and visuals called ‘The Oscillating Dream Space’. Artist Jasmine Yeh (NY) served up “chill food” and Laura Sofia Perez did visuals. It was amazing!!

I can’t recommend enough finding the right food to compliment your body and assist your mind. It is not comfort food. Chill food is food that helps you relax by its chemical makeup, ie. melatonin (amino acids!).
• A few include: Fruits and vegetables (tart cherries, corn, asparagus, tomatoes, pomegranate, olives, grapes, broccoli, cucumber)
• Grains (rice, barley, rolled oats)
• Nuts and Seeds (walnuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds, mustard seeds, flaxseed)
In other words: Cook!

4 – Garden

‘Tis the season. Go work in your garden. There is not much that compares with digging in the dirt. Don’t forget to wear gloves if you’re a musician. Our Dwarf Iris’ came out and they bring smiles. We need smiles!
That’s it.
Go dig and start planting!

5 – Walk

Go.

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Sometimes the universe throws a curve ball that upends our well organized short and longterm plans. In the case of Covid 19, I have a total of 18 events (concerts, classes, radio) on the chopping block for a 3-week period and seven of them have already been canceled/postponed. This has serious immediate financial repercussions for me and my family of over $5K lost, and substantially more if it goes into April.
Since Artists rarely speak about finances amongst each other, I thought I would give a few words of advice regarding credit cards and how one can navigate a precarious situation. Remember: In the US we are judged on our teeth and credit rating.

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I should state I am a touring classical musician (solo and chamber) who teaches at a university (adjunct) and privately, have multiple recordings and arrangements available, lecture on Creating Commissioning Projects and Being an Artist Entrepreneur, AND lost a house and studio due to a major fire. This is not my first rodeo fugue.

CREDIT CARDS

1 – Call your credit card company(s) and ask if they are offering any kind of relief for those out of work due to Covid 19. If they are unsure then speak with someone who knows; they work for you. Depending on the company and card level, they may offer:
– No interest or late payments
– Wave late fees and interest at a later time
– Small business loans
– Horrible hold music (promise!)

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• American Express is actually a wonderful card (no spending limit) and is flexible in making things works during hardship, especially if you are a long time card member. I don’t like large corporations, but if you have to have one, I would go with AMEX. The call took 8min.
• Chase did not have Massachusetts listed as State of Emergency as of today even though our governor stated such yesterday!! I spent 30min on the phone with an advisor and they did agree to wave late fees and interest, but I would have to follow up after the fact. Also I should check in again to see if things have changed.
• I have not yet called BOA…

2 – Make your minimum payments when possible.
Unless they have marked your account specifically, it is always a good idea. Get the name of the customer service person at ALL times.

Balance Transfers
American Express Everyday Card is a no yearly fee card that offers free balance transfers from non-AMEX cards. Chase Slate card as well, and Bank of America also has one. As most credit cards charge a 3-4% fee automatically on all transfers I highly recommend finding a card(s) that works. You WILL still need to pay the balance amounts, but hopefully this shit-show will have passed, we’ll have a new set of leaders, and our lottery numbers will come in. Link for Best No-Fee Cards:

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/top-credit-cards/no-balance-transfer-fee-credit-cards/

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SAVINGS ACCOUNT – OR CASH
YOU STILL OWE THE MONEY!

If you are able to get some relief from immediate payments and if you are able to move the money out of your checking account. Put it into a savings account and try not to touch it. If you are of a certain type it may be best to withdraw the money to have cash on-hand.
In either case, DON’T use it the money unless it is a major emergency.
YOU STILL OWE THE MONEY!
Remember: Nothing is free in the US unless you are famous or rich.

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Read the small print. If you have been or are about to be hit with a large jump in interest transfer the balance ASAP. It usually takes 2 weeks, so act even if you have to pay a 3-4% fee. Compounding interest and late fees can destroy a career, home and family. Eating Chocolate and laying in a fetal position may be nice, but the balances won’t go away.
Do not have guilt in any of this. It is just a game and learning how to juggle is one more skill freelance musicians should learn.
After my fire I went from 3 credit cards to 13 in just over 3-months. It cost money and I made mistakes, but I learned and survived. So can you!

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Other Debt Options

Home Equity Line – Citizens Bank offers a $50K equity line for $50 a year with pretty much a no questions application. Other banks too!
Musicians Foundation – Apply for $500-$3000 to assist with medical, utilities, and vendor bills. Will NOT cover credit card bills.
Patreon – Create art and ask supports to subscribe for a fee. (See my SITE: https://www.patreon.com/alcmusic!!)
Local assistance – The Record Co. is offering small grants for those who lost gigs. The City of Boston is offering grants of up to $1000 for artists of all types who lost income.
Support Local Artists – Be a part of the solution! If you are able donate to a Patreon, buy an album (physical with autograph is best), promote another. (Check out my store: https://alcguitar.com/store.php)