Quick Facts
Biography
John Schneider (born 1950) is an American classical guitarist. He performs in just intonation and well-temperament, including Pythagorean tuning, including works by Lou Harrison, LaMonte Young, John Cage, and Harry Partch. He often arranges pieces for guitar and other instruments such as harp or percussion.
Schneider is a professor of music at Los Angeles Pierce College, hosts the KPFK weekly radio program "Global Village", and is founder of MicroFest.
He is also the founder and musical director of Partch, an ensemble dedicated to the music of Harry Partch. With this ensemble, he won the 2015 Grammy Award for Best Classical Compendium for Partch: Plectra & Percussion Dances (Bridge Records, 2014). He owns several copies of different instruments designed by Harry Partch as well as a collection of guitars with microtonal fretboards.
In 2015 he published a revised and enlarged edition of his book The Contemporary Guitar, which first appeared in 1985.
Discography
- SONIC VOYAGE: New Music for Guitar. El Maestro Records, 1981.
- Lou Harrison: Music for Guitar & Percussion Etcetera [Holland] KTC 1071, 1991.
- JUST WEST COAST : Microtonal Music for Guitar & Harp, Bridge Records BCD 9041, 1993.[chosen "CD of the Year" by CD Review in 1994 & Fanfare’s “Classical Hall of Fame” 2003]
- Sasha Matson : RANGE OF LIGHT, NEW ALBION RECORDS NA 092, 1997.
- John Cage • LOU HARRISON • HARRY PARTCH, Cambria Records - CAMBRIA 8806, 2000. [ASCAP Special Achievement Award]
- JUST GUITARS : Music by Harrison, Partch, Riley & Scholtz & Schneider, Bridge Records Bridge 9132, 2003.
- Johnny Reinhard : ODYSSEUS, Pitch Records P-2002-1, 2004.
- MUSIC OF CARLOS CHAVEZ (vol.3) Southwest Chamber Music, Cambria Records, (2005). Grammy nominations for “Best Classical Album” & “Best Small Ensemble” & Latin Grammy nomination for “Best Classical Album”
- MUSIC OF Carlos Chavez (vol.4) Southwest Chamber Music - solo guitar works + string quartets Cambria Records, (2006). Latin Grammy nomination for “Best Classical Album”
- EAR GARDENS : American Festival of Microtonal Music. Music of Reinhard, Riley, Corner & Cage Pitch Records P-200209, 2006.
- ENCLOSURE 8 : Harry Partch. Castor & Pollux w/dancers with Partch, Innova Records DVD, 2007.
- Russel Steinberg & Daniel Pearl: "Stories from My Favorite Planet", www.DanielPearl.org, 2007.
- POR GITARO: Lou Harrison’s Suites for Tuned Guitars, Mode Records, mode 195, 2008
- JOHN CAGE: 45' For A Speaker, Tiger Barb Records, 2008.
- William Kraft: Encounters, Cambria Records 1191, 2009. Latin Grammy nomination for “Best Classical Album”
- Harry Partch: Bitter Music – Bridge Records 9349 A/B/C, 2011. Grammy nomination for “Best Classical Compendium”
- COLD BLUE TWO: Polansky “Eskimo Lullaby”, Cold Blue Music CB0036, 2012