Album Notes

Robert Drew, Classical Guitarist
Robert Drew was born in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia (Canada) and raised on the South Shore. After graduating from Dalhousie University’s Music program, Robert relocated to Charlottetown Prince Edward Island with his wife, fellow classical guitarist Jennifer Barrett-Drew. Currently he is the co-owner of Fretworks Guitar Studio in Charlottetown and along with his wife they have celebrated its eighth successful year as an instructional studio for guitar and piano.
While Robert is the principal guitar instructor at Fretworks Guitar Studio, he is also involved with the Dept. of Psychology at the University of Prince Edward Island. As the Research and Multi-media Technician with the Auditory Perception and Music Cognition Laboratory, Robert aids in the design, development and implementation of Music related Psychology experiments and aids in related research.
In addition to Robert’s roles at the university and at Fretworks, he has released a full length CD of his wife’s compositions for solo guitar and acts as sole editor of all of her works for classical guitar.
Robert has had an active role in performing throughout Prince Edward Island in both as a soloist and with various ensembles. These ensembles have ranged from Duos and Trios to his position in the Strathgartney Chamber Orchestra. As a result of his ongoing performance engagements he was honored with nominations for Classical Musician of the Year at the 2002, 2003 and 2004 Prince Edward Island Music Awards.
Robert has been a featured performer at both the East Coast Music Awards and the Contact East Conference and a soloist at many festivals and events throughout the Maritimes.
Robert has attended and performed in masterclasses and workshops with Alvaro Pierri, Pavel Steidl, Scott Tennant and Bill Kannengeiser (of the LA Guitar Quartet) and Paul O'Dette.
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Jennifer Barrett-Drew, Composer:

J.R Barrett-Drew was born in Toronto and was raised in Bedford Nova Scotia (Canada). After receiving her music education from Dawson College in Montreal, the Royal Conservatory of Music and Dalhousie University in Halifax, Barrett-Drew relocated to Prince Edward Island with her husband, fellow classical guitarist Robert Drew. At that time the two officially opened Fretworks Guitar Studio which has since provided instruction in classical guitar, piano, music theory and music for young children. During that time the couple has had two children.
In December 2001, Barrett-Drew received 'First-Place' in the international composition competition which was held at the eighth annual guitar festival "Renaissance of the Guitar" organized by Ihar Shoshyn and Victor Kiyenia in Gomel, Belarus. The competition was for the best guitar miniature written for solo classical guitar. The title of the work was 'The Troll.' The piece was performed at the festival and was published in Eastern Europe in an anthology of miniatures for the classical guitar.
Barrett-Drew’s compositions have been featured at the East Coast Music Awards (2003) and The Contact East Conference (2003) and at numerous festivals and events throughout the Maritimes. September 2003 marked the release of a CD titled 'Ocean Suite', a collection of Barrett-Drew's compositions for solo classical guitar performed by Robert Drew.