Dr. George Benton England (Sacramento State University) is a highly sought-after guitarist, known for his exceptional skills as both a soloist and chamber musician, proficient in playing both modern and historical instruments. His artistry has led to collaborations with prestigious ensembles and institutions across the country. He earned 1st Prize in the Sacramento State Festival of New American Music Student Performance Competition and was a finalist in the Sierra-Nevada International Guitar Competition. He also secured 1st Prize in the Sacramento Region American String Teachers’ Association Competition.

George has performed with distinguished groups such as the Cantanti Project, Ensemble Musica Humana, and the Brooklyn Composers’ Collective. On the West Coast, he is frequently engaged in projects with Backyard Baroque and Sinfonia Spirituosa in Sacramento, and as a soloist at Oregon State University. His international endeavors include giving praised performances in Koblenz, Germany as part of Duo Raccontare with soprano, Dr. Kathleen O’Rourke, and as a soloist in Khanom, Thailand.  George holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Stony Brook University, where his culminating studies focused on the analysis and interpretation of French and Italian lute works of the 17th century, as well as 20th-century serial compositions for the guitar. He earned his Master of Music degree from Sacramento State and his Bachelor of Music, cum laude, from CSU Northridge. His teachers have included Jerry Willard, Richard Savino, Steven Thachuk, Gyan Riley, and Brandon Yip.

Award-winning and acclaimed as “stunning and emotive” (Eugene Register-Guard)  and “accomplished and soulful” (Portland Magazine) Cameron O’Connor enjoys a diverse career in solo, chamber, and contemporary music. Performance highlights include solo and duo recitals throughout Japan; featured appearances with the Oregon Symphony; Castelnuovo-Tedesco’s Quintet with Amici Chamber Music; recitals for the Loyola Marymount, Corvallis, Siempre la Guitarra, and Northwest Guitar Festivals; chamber music and opera appearances with Eugene Opera and musicians of the Oregon Symphony in their Classical Up Close concert series; chamber music at the New World Symphony in Miami (for which the South Florida Classical Review noted that he was “especially effective in the quick and diabolical figures”); appearing as a guest artist and performing duos with Sharon Isbin at the Aspen Music Festival and School; performing with Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony; and appearing under the baton of Chinese composer Tan Dun in his Eastern-tinged Concerto for Six, for which the New York Times noted that “O’Connor fluttered on his guitar strings in a manner reminiscent of a pipa player’s technique.” He is furthermore a prizewinner in many international competitions, including the Frances Walton and Tokyo International Guitar Competition. His playing has been featured in films, including James Franco’s Don Quixote and Scott Tennant’s instructional classic Pumping Nylon, and his performances have been featured on Seattle’s Classical 98.1 KingFM,  All Classical Portland, American Public Media’s Performance Today, and KPFK’s Global Village. His recording of Michael Lee’s Unmasked (written for O’Connor) was chosen for Ablaze Record’s Millenial Masters, distributed by Naxos. As a composer, O’Connor won the Keene State College Call for Scores and the “Outstanding Winner” 2nd prize at the Changsha International Guitar Festival in China, and was a finalist in the Portugal International Guitar Composition Competition. O’Connor also performs regularly for musical theatre productions on electric guitar, banjo, and mandolin, as well as in early music settings on the vihuela and lute.

O’Connor was a full scholarship recipient at CSU Northridge, where he studied with Ron Borczon, Ron Purcell (lute), and Steve Thachuk; the Juilliard School in New York City, where he studied with Sharon Isbin; and at the USC Thornton School of Music under William Kanengiser. Upon receiving his degree, the Thornton School recognized him as the Outstanding Doctoral Graduate of his class. He currently serves on the faculty of Oregon State University. His compositions and arrangements can be found through LACG Editions (lacg.net); and his writing published in the pages of the Guitar Foundation of America’s quarterly, Soundboard.