I had the pleasure of speaking with the podcast TheCommentary.ca earlier this month about GUITAR AMERICA 250. Based in British Columbia, Canadian, Joseph Planta asked me searching and relevant questions about the album and its relation to the state of the world and the Arts. Take a listen. (click any of the images below to listen)
Guitar America 2509/10
The always impressive guitarist, Aaron Larget-Caplan, celebrates 250 years of America with these primarily solo pieces that span traditionals as well as covers by artists as diverse as Paul Simon and Eddie Van Halen.
“‘America’ From West Side Story” opens with Larget-Caplan’s playful and intricate guitar that draws us in immediately, and it isn’t long until “America, The Beautiful” radiates much emotion and warmth.
Further along, Irina Muresanu’s stirring violin complements the sophisticated guitar across the intimate “Adoration”, while “Midnight Train” is strong on mood thanks to the meticulous guitar and bare moments.
Deeper still, “Mystic Flute, Op. 22”, the album’s best, showcases Larget-Caplan’s expressive and distinct playing, and on the last track, “Bill Of Rights, Amended”, he handles spoken word that’s a good reminder of what our actual rights are and will hopefully always be.
An effort that explores the ideals, contradictions, reinventions and dreams of the nation, other spoken word pieces by Charles Coe, Jeffrey Lependorf and Trevor Neal provide further insight into the artistry of this eloquent commemoration.
Travels well with: Aaron Larget-Caplan– Spanish Gems; Aaron Larget-Caplan– Spanish Candy
Read it on Take Effect: https://takeeffectreviews.com/march-2026-5/2026/3/28/aaron-larget-caplan
I had the pleasure of speaking with Justin Lundstrom for HyperLocal Cape Cod about the album release concert at Wellfleet Preservation Hall on April 10. I don’t usually share concert preview articles, but I really enjoyed the discussion and the writing is so well done that I had to share. Cheers, Aaron
With the kerfuffle at full volume as we carom toward our collective 250th birthday (all gas, no brakes), there’s real relief that even in our most critical hours, there’s still love and pride for what this country was – and could be. It’s even more pride inducing when that comes out of the arts, a faction who can go either way on the subject of the flag. Appreciate your spirit, Aaron.
Award-winning classical guitarist and composer Aaron Largen-Caplan (and proud Cherry Creek High School Hall of Famer) is touring his new album, GUITARIST AMERICA 250: REVOLUTIONARIES & ROCKSTARS. The program spans The Star-Spangled Banner, West Side Story, Battle Hymn of the Republic, and even a bit of John Cage, interwoven with spoken word elements.
For the sake of laying a foundation before we climb the radio tower (because that’s where the fun is), let’s meet Aaron: Colorado native, outdoorsman & athlete in his youth, who picked up the electric guitar at about 11 and made his way playing along with Van Halen, The Doors, and maybe even some Paul Simon CDs. In a late spring Spanish class his sophomore year, he came across Andres Segovia’s famous lines from Asturias (Leyenda) by Isaac Albéniz quoted by Krieger and The Doors on Spanish Caravan. Smart enough to figure out that they were quoting him and not the other way around, but not knowing it was originally for piano, he was turned to the Classical light.
20 years ago, I released my first album: Tracing a wheel on water. Born due to the beauty of the title track by Kevin Siegfried and gems by Lior Navok and the late Daniel Pinkham.
Kevin and I met in 2002 or 2003 at the St. Botolph Club in Boston, sitting by each other at a birthday dinner and concert for Daniel Pinkham, where I performed Pinkham’s ‘Two Wind Dance’.
Kevin informed me that he had not written for guitar, which I found sad, so I asked him to try writing a dance. At the time, I was going through a new-dance for guitar phase inspired by David Starobin’s masterful album ‘New Dance’. A few months later, I very happily received a small package from Kevin and out I pulled ‘Tracing a wheel on water’. Inspired by the ebb and flow of the ocean inlet where his family was living on the Maine Coast, the piece is a masterclass in meditative intensity.
My teacher at the time, the amazing Dmitry Goryachev said, “Aaron this is impossible to play.” I told him I had already agreed to perform the premiere on Kevin’s recital in 2 months’ time so we needed to figure out a solution that would not destroy my left hand.
He looked at me with tired eyes, rubbed his head and mumbled something about Americans and had me play it again. Moving his stare from my hands to the score, while I played and breathing slowly and deep in thought, he turned to me and said in the most beautiful Russian-accented English, “Aaron we will tune A string to B, and all will be good.”
Kevin Siegfried
click to enlarge
This small, but out of the norm, solution turned the work from no-go into a sonic masterpiece of both rhythmic complexity and melodic grandeur. I find it to be one of the best ‘minimalist’ works on the guitar. Be warned, even with the “fix” it is not easy, but the reward is worth the work.
The premiere at the Boston Conservatory went smashingly. We celebrated at Brasserie Jo’s on Boylston People and listeners asked about a future recording. At a house concert soon after, Monegasque painter Claude Gauthier approached me and said he would do the cover art of my next album, which had only been an idea to that point. I accepted and told him it would be my first album, and with that I was committed to the project.
Claude Gauthier
Inspired by the premiere and commitment of Claude Gauthier, I assembled a program of dances by Dan Pinkham and Israeli composer Lior Navok. I then added more works from my rep and started learning new ones.
I sent Claude the titles as requested and he sent me six different covers to choose from, a gesture of artistic love I shall never forget.
Once I finished the program for the album, I went to MDI Studio in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Run by the late Bob Yen, it was a perfect place for a first full album recording: inexpensive.
My prior studios experience taught me that I hate scented candles. MDI taught me that 10pm-4am recording sessions followed by a 2hr drive is not good.
The process was intense, taking about 9-month from conception to release. I threw myself into the fire, learning as I went: screwing up, starting over, moving forward, choosing, learning and discarding repertoire, picking a recording studio and pacing oneself. Then the recording, editing, album design and notes, plus dealing with others, only to learn that when the album is complete, the REAL work starts with post production and making sure the album has a life.
Tracing a wheel on water came out in January 2006 and has since had multiple pressings. It was released digitally in 2020 on the UK label Stone Records and streams everywhere.
Lior Navok
Daniel Pinkham, longtime NEC faculty
Dan Pinkham passed away in late 2006. Lior Navok lives in Israel, and Kevin teaches at The Boston Conservatory. I have re-recorded the Takemitsu and Pujol. The Dyens and Barrios still pop up in recitals, and the two Brouwer solos inspired other projects.
The universe being what it is, I received multiple notes this week from people in different parts of the country complimenting the album. I want to say, “thank you. I was so young, so check out…” but I don’t. I just say, thank you.
– February 12, 2026, Boston
Kevin, Aaron, and Ryan Vigil. Ogunquit Muesum of American Art, 2007
2025 was quite a year. I’m not sure how to express exactly what it was, especially with all that was/is happening outside of my little bubble, but it was quite a different experience from anything prior or from what I expected.
I went into 2024 with a plan: recording, performing, premiering particular works and living life, and besides a few bumps it went well.
2025 began with a lot of questions due to a less than typical performance schedule, which brought a bit of anxiety, but also allowed me to do things I hadn’t done prior: write more music!
January, I attended APAP in NYC to observe and learn. I met so many people in the music industry and was overwhelmed in the best way possible.
February, attended Chamber Music America in Houston. Similar to APAP, but much smaller in scale focusing only on classical music, I met many presenters and wonderful artists!
Podcast for Piano Technicians Masterclasses – Watch
Gave a scholarship to a Cambridge high school student from Mu Phi Epsilon Boston Alumni.
March, Tour in California performing for Ventura Classical Guitar Society, the Bender family in Encinitas, the Athenaeum in La Jolla, and Center for New Music, and a talk for composition class of Ken Ueno at UC Berkeley. AMAZING: visiting Muir Woods!!
Visited luthier Pepe Romero Jr. and recorded multiple videos
Wrote first draft of ‘Cider Meditation’ for choir and guitar.
April, Performed on Bargemusic in Brooklyn, New York for two concert programs; very pleased that the NY composers concert was very well attended. Returned to Maine for a last minute performance at Bowdoin College to premiere a guitar duo by Hayden Byrne.
May, Recorded all of the solos for Guitar America 250 (coming on March 1, 2026!), and reconnected with violinist Irina Muresanu for a recording of our arrangement of ‘Adoration’ by Florence Price. Premiere of New Lullaby Project solo ‘All Through the Night’ by Keane Southard.
June, Attended the Guitar Foundation of America in Louisville, Kentucky. Write and record Bill of Rights, Amended for new album.
July, performed concerts in Boston and a mini-tour along the Maine Coast in Eastport, Steuben, Hallowell, and Kittery.
Recorded Trevor Neal, poet Charles Coe and Jeffrey Lependorf reading works of Francis Harper, Walt Whitman and Henry David Thoreau/John Cage for Guitar America 250 in Newport, Rhode Island and Northampton, Mass.
August, visited Art Omi in Ghent, NY and made a few videos in their SILO, gave livestream for New England Conservatory and an interview performance for WOMR radio.
September, the 2025-26 Season started with a rush of events:
09-9-25, Cage Trust Event – A beautiful event celebrating outgoing JCT director Laura Kuhn.
09-10-25, Hingham Library – My first all-Latin American concert in over 10 years.
09-13-25, Wellfleet Preservation Hall – My first performance in this amazing space!
09-16-25, BU Composition Class – return to BU to speak and share music with young composers.
09-17-25, Radio – WCRI – Conducting Conversations with Mike Maino – Listen
09-28-25, NSM – Convergence Ensemble – Words & Music with poet Charles Coe.
09-30-25, King’s Chapel – bunches of New Lullabies and album preview!
Sign with Rhizome Arts for touring and management – announcement
Article Revelations on Guitar The Provincetown Independent
October, debut with Newport Classical. Premiere of New Lullaby Project solo ‘Night Echoes’ by Jin Hee Han.
WCRI’s Kids Classical Hour – New Lullaby Project – Listen
November, Tufts University all-Latin America program. 
Publication of ‘American Patriotic Songs for Guitar’ with the American Composers Alliance
Publication of ‘Cider Meditation’ for SATB+G with the American Composers Alliance
Music Career Talk for Mu Phi Epsilon Boston Alumni – online
December, 3-weeks in Colorado!
12-05-25, Perform with the Cherry Creek High School Meistersingers and Kantorei
12-6/7-25, Perform concerts of 14 works for choir & guitar with Kantorei – Premiere of ‘Cider Meditation’!
12-8/9-25, 2-day residency in Carbondale and Basalt public/private schools for the Aspen Music Festival
12-10-25, Perform with the Cherry Creek High School Meistersingers
12-12-25, Bravo! Vail – 1-day residency in Edwards in the public middle and high school
12-19/21-25, Perform with Kantorei – Premiere of ‘Cider Meditation’ and Sir Christemasse by M. Ryan Taylor!
Article feature in The Aspen Times on the residencies for the Aspen Music Festival
Over 2-million streams in 2025!
Premieres
Premieres (arrangements)
* Featured on Guitar America 250 (Navona, March 2026)
Publications
Videos
Supporters (Spirit, Fractured Atlas, Patreon & Private)
American Composers Alliance, Beverly Abeg, Bender Family, Simon Henry Berry, Christopher Bush, Laurie Caplan, Gene Caprioglio, Charles Coe, Olivier Fanton D’Andon, Stephen Drury, Alex Fedorov, Peter Frewen & Jenie Smith, Gina Genova, Frederic Hand, Paul Hatala, Simon Henry, Steve Hunt, Ross & Cody Jones, Patricia Krol, Laura Kuhn, Catherine Larget-Caplan, Caroline Larget, Patrick Lathrop, Jeffrey Lependorf, Beverly Maher, John McDonald, Melissa & Alex Menter, Marcelino Miranda, Nick and Jessica Morgan, Irina Muresanu, Mu Phi Epsilon Boston Alumni, Trevor Neal, Lubos Naprstek, Will Rowe, K.S., John Weston, Ian Wiese, Peter & Bonnie Yates.
In May and June, I had the pleasure of working with a few wonderful musicians and artists on a forthcoming recording project. I can’t say what it is for at this time, but stay tuned for an exciting and profound artistic experience.
Artists:
Violinist Irina Muresanu
Baritone Trevor Neal (Newport Classical Artistic Director)
Musician Jeffrey Lependorf (John Cage Trust Director)
Poet Charles Coe
Amazon Music – 7,193,011
Spotify – 3,416,060
Youtube – 1.8 million
Apple Music – 68K
*as of December 28, 2024
Thank you to Take Effect Reviews for a 10/10 in this February 2024 review of Spanish Gems!
Link to Review: https://takeeffectreviews.com/february-2024-2/2024/2/28/aaron-larget-caplan
“a richly diverse and attentive performance that’s profoundly technically and perfectly beautiful. 10/10”
*click image to enlarge or read the text below
February 28, 2024
Spanish Gems – Aaron Larget-Caplan
Tiger Turn, 2024
10/10
The globally praised classical guitarist Aaron Larget-Caplan returns with his 11th solo album, where the Spanish classical and flamenco sounds are fleshed out with an inimitable attention to form and mood.
Francisco Tárrega’s “Capricho Árabe (Serenata)” opens the listen with Larget-Caplan’s finger acrobatics retaining the radiance of the original, but also delivered in his own meticulous spirit, and “Panaderoes”, by Esteban de Sanlúcar, offers dizzying progressions that are so flawless and precise it hardly seems like just one guitar is present.
Further along, the dance floor ready “Asturias (Leyenda)” also possesses calm moments as Larget-Caplan takes the song off Isaac Albéniz’s piano and places it on his agile guitar, while Gaspar Sanz’s “Suite Espanola: Canarios” is packed with firm, melodic gestures from the most intense piece included.
Arriving closer to the end, the intimate and reflective “Spanish Romance” tugs on the heartstrings thanks to the sublime and expressive playing, and “Sonatina”, by F.M. Torroba, exits with 3 chapters of cautious and absorbing musicianship that leaves a lasting impression.
If you’re keeping score, this is Larget-Caplan’s 2nd album of Spanish celebration, and it’s a richly diverse and attentive performance that’s profoundly technically and perfectly beautiful.
This summer, the 2022 release of my original guitar solos, honey cadence, reached 4 million streams on Amazon Music.
(click to expand)
This was not expected, but most welcome.
The most popular songs are a surprise to us.
Do you have a favorite?
From the honey cadence liner notes:
Composed at the end of 2021 and early 2022, the six pensive solos of honey cadence are the first of my compositions to be recorded.
I started sketching melodies and gestures that were floating in my head with the intent of creating an album of meditative intimacy, which though on the quiet side, would be able to keep one’s attention. Improvisations highlighting my preferred qualities of the guitar: tone and timbre variation, note doubling, harmonics, pitch bends, and percussion gave me the confidence and freedom to explore. Each of the six titles has a connection to music, as well as general language, i.e., ‘anticipation’ is a musical ornament and linguistically expresses expectation or prediction.
May the album add some sweetness to your life.
We are over joyed and grateful to all who have listened and continue to listen to the album
honey cadence is on all streaming services and a few physical copies are available at concerts or via Bandcamp.
Scores are published by the American Composers Alliance.
* album streams are different than song streams
Click for Listening links, Liner Notes and Biographies
