"Özgen’s playing is stunningly versatile and
expressive throughout."
ACOUSTIC
GUITAR (USA), Julia Crowe
"Troubadour CD is a shining example of this guitarist's
great talent."
GUITAR REVIEW (New York), Matthew Hough
"This is the finest music DVD ever to have come my way
at the time of writing...both the sound and the vision are
of pristine quality...the quietly authoritative Özgen
comes over as being fully in control of the diverse and
demanding brief he has set himself...remarkable achievement..."
CLASSICAL
GUITAR (England), Paul Fowles
"Mesut Özgen delivers performances that are forceful
and convincing even when the music is dauntingly difficult."
SOUNDBOARD
(Guitar Foundation of America), James Reid
"Özgen displayed his dazzling classical guitar playing...Crystalline
notes glistened in "Variations on an Anatolian Folk
Song" by Carlo Domeniconi. Here, sensitive phrasing
delineated various treatments of the haunting tune..."
SANTA
CRUZ SENTINEL, Phyllis Rosenblum: Classical Beat
"... impressive high level of musicianship, artistry
and professionalism...with impeccable understanding of technique,
musical structure and detail of melodic line in roles both
as soloist and accompanist."
REGISTER-PAJARONIAN,
Josef Sekon
"Mesut Özgen is a highly accomplished and exciting
player; he gets the most out of the music he performs...
The phrasing is immaculate and his technical capabilities
are considerable."
CLASSICAL
GUITAR (England), Steve Marsh
"...an exceptional talent who breathes freshness into every
piece he plays."
ACOUSTIC PLAYER MAGAZINE
"...an extremely gifted guitarist."
Rosalyn Tureck, harpsichordist, conductor, Julliard
School
"...Next came the American premier of Beaser's Shenandoah
for solo guitar, masterfully performed by guitarist Mesut
Özgen"
SOUNDBOARD, John Mangan (Yale Guitar Extravaganza)
"This is a great virtuoso who will dazzle audiences for years to come."
Benjamin Verdery, chair of guitar department, Yale University
"...moving performance by Mesut Özgen...Robert Beaser's Shenandoah followed, and Özgen played this very difficult piece extremely well. Every voice was clear, even in the densest textures... Next in Anthony Newman's Gigue his playing was precise and energetic."
SOUNDBOARD, James Reid (Portland Guitar Festival)
"well-balanced program, including Renaissance, Baroque,
Romantic, and 20th century works, expert performance, and
excellent communication with the audience"
HÜRRIYET, Sefik Kahramankaptan
CONCERT REVIEWS:
"Keman ve gitarin muhtesem uyumu: Aksak Duo" (Magnificent togetherness of violin and guitar) e-gazete
"Konya'dan Anadolu Ezgileri Yankilandi" (Anatolian tunes cascade through Konya) Konya Postasi
"Özgen
displays spectacular classical guitar at Distinguished Artists
concert" Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Colorful
20th-century musical extravaganza pleases Mello crowd"
Register-Pajaronian
"2001:
A Guitar Odyssey" City on A Hill Press
ARTICLES:
“Turkish
Delight: Guitar master Mesut Özgen's use of classical
Turkish melodies inspires a local following” Metroactive
Music
"The
Wizardry of Oz" Metroactive Music
"Classical
Guitar Unleashed!" Santa Cruz Sentinel
"Faculty
collaborate for innovative, multimedia classical guitar
concert" Currents Online
"A Glimpse
Inside the Future of Concert Art" GuitArt International
January/March 2004, no.5
"The
guitarists and the basketball player" Santa
Cruz Sentinel
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