Helen Avakian is the 2014 International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion. She is an extra versatile acoustic guitarist and vocalist. Her repertoire ranges from the Beatles to Adele, plus she has many appealing original love songs and other songs for just about every occasion, as well as guitar instrumentals. She holds a Master's Degree in classical guitar performance and she accompanies Flamenco dancers at Bard College. She also has an extensive repertoire of classical guitar and Flamenco music. Song requests are welcome! See songlist and classical repertoire below. Dave Irwin is a long time Madison WI guitarist who plays acoustic fingerstyle, jazz, popular, Brazilian and bluegrass guitar. He was the house guitarist for Samba Brazilian Grill in Madison for years and has appeared on ESPN and at the Kohl Center playing his arrangement of the national anthem. Partners in music and life, together Helen and Dave can provide an incredible variety of acoustic guitar music and songs suited to your occasion.
Partial Songlist
Adele
Set Fire to the Rain
Someone Like You
The Allman Brothers
Melissa
The Beatles
Blackbird
Here Comes the Sun
In My Life
Norwegian Wood
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
The Black Crowes
She Talks to the Angels
Blind Faith
Can't Find My Way Home
Edie Brickell
Circle
Eric Clapton
Layla
Wonderful Tonight
Coldplay
Clocks
The Cranberries
Zombie
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Bad Moon Rising
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young
Helplessly Hoping
Sheryl Crow
Strong Enough
Everyday is a Winding Road
Dido
Thank You
Ani DiFranco
Both Hands
Donovan
Catch the Wind
Season of the Witch
Bob Dylan
Knocking on Heaven's Door
The Eagles
Hotel California
Extreme
More Than Words
Five For Fighting
100 Years
Fleetwood Mac
Landslide
4 Non Blondes
What's Up
Peter Gabriel
In Your Eyes
Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova
Falling Slowly
Goo Goo Dolls
Iris
The Grateful Dead
Friend of the Devil
Greenday
Good Riddance
Guns and Roses
Patience
Heart
Dog and Butterfly
Jimi Hendrix
Little Wing
Don Henley
The End of the Innocence
Buddy Holly
Everyday
Indigo Girls
Closer to Fine
Jewel
Hands
Who Will Save Your Souls
You Were Meant For Me
Norah Jones
Come Away With Me
Don't Know Why
Janis Joplin/Kris Kristofferson
Me and Bobby McGee
Jorma Kaukonen
Genesis
Ben E. King et al
Stand By Me
Kansas
Dust in the Wind
Carole King
You've Got a Friend
Led Zeppelin
Thank You
John Lennon
Imagine
Lifehouse
You and Me
Sarah McClachlan
Building a Mystery
Dave Matthews Band
Sattelite
Don McLean
Vincent
Natalie Merchant
Carnival
Kind and Generous
Bette Midler
The Rose
Joni Mitchell
Big Yellow Taxi
Free Man in Paris
Alanis Morissette
Head Over Feet
Ironic
Van Morrison
Moondance
Anna Nalick
Breathe (2 AM)
Joan Osborne
One of Us
Saint Theresa
Pearl Jam
Better Man
Elderly Woman
Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here
Plain White T's
Hey There Delilah
The Police
Every Breath You Take
The Pretenders
I'll Stand By You
2000 Miles
Bonnie Raitt
I Can't Make You Love Me
Something to Talk About
Red Hot Chili Peppers
Under the Bridge
REM
Everybody Hurts
Losing My Religion
Simon and Garfunkel
The Boxer
Scarborough Fair
Bruce Springsteen
Because the Night
Cat Stevens
Father and Son
Moon Shadow
Sting
Fields of Gold
Fragile
The Rolling Stones
Wild Horses
James Taylor
Fire and Rain
Traditional
The House of the Rising Sun
U 2
I Will Follow
One
Suzanne Vega
Luka
Small Blue Thing
Wet, Wet, Wet
Love is All Around
The Who
Pinball Wizard
Lucinda Williams
Passionate Kisses
Neil Young
Needle & the Damage Done
Old Man
Helen's Instrumentals
Sister Song (New Age)
Page's Jig (Tribute to Jimmy)
McTammy's Jig (Celtic)
Helen's Songs (to name a few)
All songs on "Vanishing Point" and "I Love the Moon" CDs including
All the Time (haunting)
Vows (wedding)
Gallery (Portrait of an artist in "Flamenco/folk" style)
I Love the Moon (love)
I Want To be Your Blanket (love)
Bird Flying (mellow blues)
Helen Avakian
Classical Guitar Repertoire Highlights
Renaissance
Six Italian Lute Pieces of the Renaissance
Wilson's Wilde, Captain Digorie Piper's Galliard, John Dowland
Greensleeves, Traditional
Baroque
Suite No. 1 for Violin cello, Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring, JS Bach
Canon in D, Pachelbel
Largo from Lute Concerto, Vivaldi
Le Rondeau, Mouret
Classical
Etudes, Sor
Rondo, Carulli
Assorted works by Giuliani, Carcassi
Romantic
Ode to Joy, Beethoven
Waltz, Brahms
Of Foreign Lands and People, Schumann
Modern
Preludes, Etudes, Villa-Lobos
Gymnopédie, Satie
Vals Venezlanos, Lauro
Spanish
Romanza, Anonymous
Asturias (Leyenda), Albeniz
Caprichio Arabe, L'Agrima, Adelita Tarrega
Various Flamenco pieces, Traditional
New Age
Featherwind, Page's Jig, Facets, Helen Avakian
Tea-House Moon, Enya