Sonata No. 1 in G minor - Johann Sebastian Bach
I. Adagio
Fantasie Hongroise - Johann Kaspar Mertz
Sonata No. 1 para guitarra - Carlos Guastavino
I. Allegro deciso e molto ritmico
II. Andante
III. Allegro spiritoso
About the Artist:
Distinguished as a finalist in multiple national competitions, Benjamin Gascon is a dedicated and accomplished classical guitarist. His performances have garnered top placements in prestigious events, including second place at the 2025 Boston Guitar Festival and third place at the 2022 SouthernGuitar Festival. He was also a finalist in the 2025 Philadelphia Guitar Festival and the 2025 Appalachian State University Guitar Festival, as well as a semi-finalist in the 2025 San Antonio Guitar Festival.
Deeply dedicated to musical craftsmanship, Gascon shares a repertoire that seamlessly intertwines Classical- and Romantic-era masterpieces with contemporary compositions. He has been invited to perform for the Estrella Classical Guitar and Honey Acres Music Center concert series, and is scheduled to perform this season at the Arts Club of Washington, Emerson Avenue Salons, and The Church of the Epiphany Concert Series. Additionally, he performs regularly in the Guitar Department concerts at the esteemed Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University.
Benjamin Gascon has performed in masterclasses for Jason Vieaux, David Russell, Eliot Fisk, Xuefei Yang, David Leisner, Allan Neave, Berta Rojas, Zoran Dukić, and Sergio Assad. He has studied and performed at many festivals including Indiana University Guitar Festival and Chicago Guitar Festival.
Gascon is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the Peabody Conservatory, where he previously earned both a Master of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Classical Guitar Performance under the mentorship of Julian Gray. His foundational training began with pre-college studies at the University of Denver's Lamont School of Music. His academic and musical excellence has been further highlighted by numerous awards, including the Harry Randolph Prize in Performance (2022) and the James Winship Lewis Memorial Prize in Performance (2020). He was also a Presser Undergraduate Scholar and received the Peabody Liberal Arts Undergraduate Research Award.
Beyond performance, Benjamin Gascon is a passionate and dedicated educator. He has served as a Guitar Department Graduate Assistant at Peabody since 2020 and actively engages with the Baltimore-D.C. community, fostering a love for classical guitar.
Benjamin Gascon performs on a Daniel Friederich guitar from 1973.
