In 1985 he won First Prize in the Dallas Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition and has
judged the Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) International Competitions in Quebec City,
Canada, St. Louis, Missouri, San Antonio, Texas and Montréal, Canada. In 2006 he served on the
jury of the 14th International Guitar Competition at Fundacíon Alirio Díaz in Carora, Venezuela,
where he also performed a lecture/concert on classical & jazz crossover at the home of Maestro
Díaz. Four years earlier he presented a similar class at Encuentro Antonio Lauro in Santa
Ana, Venezuela. He has been invited to present numerous masterclasses and lecture demonstrations
at prestigious universities such as Arizona State University, the Juilliard School in New
York, Alaska Pacific University and at the GFA.
He has studied with or performed in master classes for several of the world’s foremost guitarists
including Andrés Segovia, Oscar Ghiglia, Pepe Romero, Robert Guthrie and José Tomás.
He received full scholarships to Southern Methodist University on the recommendation of
Robert Guthrie and to the Aspen Music Festival on the recommendation of Oscar Ghiglia. In the
summers of 1980-82 he had both classes and private lessons with the great Spanish composer
Federico Moreno-Torroba. Blues master Stevie Ray Vaughn, a regular in the McGuire family
music room in the early 1970s, taught Chris to play the blues in weekly jam sessions.
Chris taught for 25 years at several colleges and universities including the University of Dallas
and North Lake College. He now devotes most of his time performing, conducting the artistic
activities of the FWCGS and the AGSD and spending time with his family.
Evan Jacobs, Piano
Evan Jacobs is a pianist, synthesist, vocalist and recording artist based in the Dallas - Fort Worth
area. He is in high demand for recording sessions due to his genre-spanning flexibility and comfort
in many styles of music. A graduate of the prestigious University of North Texas, Evan also
fronts the Austin-based band Tacks, the Boy Disaster and has played with The Polyphonic Spree
and Midlake. More recently, he has been involved in the musical development of younger musicians
and continues to write and record his own songs for future releases.
Mike Luzecky, Double Bass
Mike graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Music, Jazz/Jazz Studies
degree in 2012. He has performed with numerous groups in the area and one band who he performs
with, The Southpaw Preachers, has been nominated in the Best Jazz Act category for the
Dallas Observer Music Awards 2016. Members have even participated in the Grammy Awardwinning
One O’ Clock Lab Band and played with names including Josh Groban, “Blue” Lou
Marini, Mario Cruz, the Count Basie Big Band and Cuban Jazz trumpet legend Arturo Sandoval.
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