The Peru Gazette

 WHEN: Sunday May 24th, 4pm.  Doors open at 3:30pm
WHERE: The Saranac Methodist Church, Route 3 Saranac NY
TICKETS: General Admission $20 and the door. Children and Students $10

Hill and Hollow Music presents guitar duo Miles Johnston and Michael Vascones with flautist Anthony Trinfo for a program ranging from Back and Piazzolla to contemporary arrangements custom to the trio.  The trio has been featured throughout the country including Carnegie since winning their spots on the 2025/26 Young Concert Artists roster.

For 65 years Young Concert Artists has stood at the forefront of discovering and launching the careers of the future leaders of classical music. Founded by Susan Wadsworth in 1961, YCA has invested in its artists by providing them with the tools, opportunities, and infrastructure to take their careers to the highest level.   

Miles Johnston

Miles Johnston is a classical guitarist known for his “outstanding technique, poise, and sensitivity” (Broadway World), Miles Johnston is one of Australia’s finest young musicians forging an international career. His performances are known for their “deeply considered musicianship, immaculate care and superlative technique” (5MBS). Originally from Melbourne, Australia, Miles was the winner of the 2018 Adelaide International Guitar Competition, and, along with his brother Ziggy as a guitar duo, won the 2023 Young Concert Artists (YCA) Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, becoming the second guitarists to receive this prestigious award in the organization’s 65-year history.

Based in New York City, Miles maintains an active concert schedule across Australia and the US. He has performed at iconic venues across these countries including Merkin Hall, the Kennedy Center, Salk Institute, the Adelaide Festival Centre, and the Melbourne Recital Centre. This season, Miles is performing in over 10 states across the US, as well as making his debut in Brazil concertizing and teaching across São Paulo and Salvador. His repertoire covers the full spectrum of the classical canon with a focus on commissioning and premiering underplayed works by current composers. Miles is a graduate of The Juilliard School where he completed his Artist Diploma and Master or Music under the tutelage of multiple Grammy Winner, Sharon Isbin, and was the Musician-in-Residence at Dumbarton Oaks under Harvard University during the 2024/25 season Miles plays a double-top guitar by Australian luthier Jim Redgate and uses Savarez strings. 

Michael Vascones

Michael Vascones is a guitarist and mandolinist from Queens, New York. Michael completed his undergraduate studies in guitar at the Juilliard School in 2021, studying under Sharon Isbin, and finished his graduate studies at Manhattan School of Music in 2023 as a student of Mark Delpriora. Michael recently completed his doctorate in music at the University of Southern California, where he was an assistant lecturer in the guitar department. Michael is currently on the guitar faculty of Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. Michael has performed on guitar and mandolin with prestigious orchestras and chamber ensembles, including New World Symphony, Ensemble Fantasque, USC Thornton Symphony Orchestra, The New Juilliard Ensemble, and the MSM Symphony Orchestra. Michael has recently formed a guitar quartet called the CalMuse Quartet, making their debut performance at the LA Times Festival of Books where they performed in collaboration with the radio station Classical California KUSC.

Michael has won first prize in numerous national and international guitar competitions, including the Boston Guitarfest Competition, Le Domaine Forget 2025 Guitar Contest, ASTA-Los Angeles Classical Guitar Competition, Southern Guitar Festival and Competition, and he was the winner for the National Federation of Music Clubs Guitar Award. Michael was also a finalist in the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America International Youth Competition, Senior Division. He has been featured on numerous radio stations, including Minnesota Public Radio with his recordings of works by Justin Holland, the 19th century African-American guitarist and composer, and he has made numerous live performances on KPFK Pacifica Radio.

Anthony Trionfo

Anthony Trionfo, First Prize Winner of the 2016 YCA Susan Wadsworth International Auditions, has been praised by The New York Times for his “breezily virtuosic” playing. He is quickly establishing himself as one of today’s most dynamic musical talents. Recent solo engagements include performances with the Edmonton Symphony, Grant Park Festival Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Santa Fe Pro Musica, and Mobile Symphony. He has also appeared in recitals and chamber music performances at Clemson University, Festival de Ibagué in Colombia, The Kennedy Center, The Morgan Library & Museum, and Newport Classical. Notable collaborations include tours with the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and performances with the Jupiter Chamber Players and Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra, alongside appearances with the Columbus, Knoxville, Princeton, and Seattle Symphonies.

In 2020, Anthony curated the panel discussion “Learning to Listen,” which addressed the nuances of the Black experience in classical music, and the “Illuminate!” series, exploring the intersections of allyship, ethnicity, pedagogy, queerness, and race in the music field.

As a founder of the Umoja Flute Institute, he is committed to providing flutists of African descent with the tools needed to succeed at all levels of music-making. Anthony also serves on the Aspen Music Festival and School’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Committee and has taught at The Juilliard School and Interlochen Center for the Arts. Upcoming highlights include performances at Clarion Concerts, BIG Arts Sanibel Island, YCA on Tour at Bethlehem Chamber Music Society, Ringwood Friends of Music, and collaborations with guitar duo, Ziggy & Miles, at the Brooks Center at Clemson University as part of the Utsey Chamber Music Series, Carnegie Hall’s Zankel Hall, and the Terrace Theatre at The Kennedy Center. He Anthony received his master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the Colburn School Conservatory of Music under the tutelage of James Walker and completed his high school studies at Interlochen Arts Academy with Nancy Stagnitta. His additional teachers include Nadine Asin, Timothy Day, Megan Lanz, Emmanuel Pahud, and Mark Sparks.

This project is made possible with funds from the Statewide Community Regrants program,

a regrant program of the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor

and the New York State Legislature and administered by the Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts.