John Schneider: The Well-Tempered Guitar

Presented by Sierra Madre Playhouse

John Schneider, guitar

Sierra Madre Playhouse, noted for its wide-ranging programming, presents John Schneider: The Well-Tempered Guitar, a captivating exploration of classical and experimental guitar styles, on Saturday, April 26, 2025, 7:30 pm, at Sierra Madre Playhouse. The masterful Grammy® Award-winning guitarist and composer appears solo, playing a selection of innovative works by Lou Harrison, Harry Partch, Manuel Ponce, and more

Highlights include Partch’s December 1942, Ponce’s Suite in A, and Schneider’s own Men are Men & Mountains are Mountains, performed on adapted, electric, and National Resophonic guitars.

Schneider performs almost exclusively on Well-Tempered Guitars, which use different patterns of fretting according to the key or tuning system required. He has presented recitals of Renaissance and Baroque repertoire in their original temperaments, as well as contemporary music in alternative tunings by such composers as Lou Harrison, Ben Johnston & others. Since 1991, Schneider's concerts also include vocal works by the maverick American composer Harry Partch (1901–1974), which he sings while accompanying himself on replicas of Partch's Adapted Guitars (steel stringed instruments refretted in just intonation) and the Adapted Viola.

Schneider is also an author and broadcaster who hosts the weekly radio program “Global Village” on KPFK. Past President of the Guitar Foundation of America, he holds a Ph.D. in Physics & Music from U.C. Cardiff (UK), and music degrees from the University of California and the Royal College of Music (London). Schneider, a specialist in contemporary music, is the author of The Contemporary Guitar, which has become the standard text in the field.

 

Tickets ($12-$35) are on sale now. For tickets and information, please call 626.355.4318 or visit www.sierramadreplayhouse.org. Sierra Madre Playhouse is located at 87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard, Sierra Madre, CA 91024.

Date:
Venue:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Organization:
Sierra Madre Playhouse
Genres:
New Music
Categories:
Live Event
City: Sierra Madre
Price Range:
$12 - $35
Email:
info@sierramadreplayhouse.org
Phone:
626-355-4318
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Program Items

HARRY PARCH December 1942
MANUEL PONCE Suite in A
JOHN SCHNEIDER Men are Men & Mountains are Mountains

Performers

John Schneider guitar

Sierra Madre Playhouse

Sierra Madre Playhouse

87 West Sierra Madre Boulevard
Sierra Madre, CA 91024
United States

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Sierra Madre Playhouse, a vibrant Southern California cultural hub with a rich history spanning a century, energizes audiences and the community with distinctive theatrical productions and captivating live performances. 

 

Hailed as a “jewel” (Pasadena Weekly) and “a landmark theater” (ABC7 Los Angeles), it has garnered tremendous accolades for its varied repertoire and thought-provoking education and outreach programs curated with social impact in mind. The Los Angeles Times proclaims, “This is theater from the heart.” As one of San Gabriel Valley’s only performing arts center presenting a broad spectrum of performance genres, including theater, music, dance, film, comedy, and family-friendly productions featuring eminent local and national professional artists, the treasured artistic beacon draws audiences from across the Southland. 

 

The intimate 99-seat Sierra Madre Playhouse offers an up-close and personal connection to performances that resonate deeply, earning multiple Ovation Awards, NAACP Awards, and LA Times Critics' Choice honors. In 2023, Rep. Judy Chu named the Sierra Madre Playhouse as a leading ‘Nonprofit of the Year’ in the San Gabriel Valley. The playhouse was given the honor during the 2023 Congressional Leadership of the Year Awards, which recognizes the leadership and volunteerism in the cities making up California’s 28th Congressional District. It is nestled into a historic building on the inviting Main Street of Sierra Madre, a charming village in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. 

 

Retaining its distinctive movie theater façade and instantly recognizable marquee, the structure has undergone numerous transformations since opening in 1910, from furniture emporium to silent movie theatre to the artistic institution that now stands as a vibrant embodiment of the region’s rich cultural legacy. The Sierra Madre Playhouse fosters creativity that aspires to bridge divides and spark dialogue, all while celebrating the rich tapestry of the American experience and the enduring pursuit of shared understanding.