Classical guitars soothe audience

Of all the concerts given in McCook's historic Fox Theatre, the performance Thursday night by the Gothenburg Combo may have been the most delicate and serene ever.

You could hear a pin drop as Thomas Hansy and David Hansson of Gothenburg, Sweden blended smooth, gently played strokes on their acoustical guitars.

"Some of the audience members told me they closed their eyes to more fully focus their hearing upon the delicate sounds," said Dale Dueland, a McCook Community Concert board member and the introducer of the program.

There was a downside to shutting your eyes, however.

It was easy to drift off to sleep. But, in the case of the Gothenburg Combo, that was not a criticism; it was a testament to the gentleness of their music, reminiscent of a mother's lullaby that soothes her baby to sleep.

Hansy and Hansson, who became acquainted as high school students at Sweden's Academy of Fine Arts, have been combining their classical guitar skills ever since. They now make 60 to 90 worldwide appearances annually, including performances in China and Latin America as well as the United States.

They are on a three-week tour of the United States. They came to McCook from South Dakota, and will go from here to Cheyenne, Wyo., and Colorado Springs, Colo.

The classical guitarists were glowing in their praise of the Fox. "This is a fabulous theatre," Hansson said. "The acoustics are wonderful." Hansy added, "We would like to come back in two or three years. We want to see the progress you have made in restoring the theatre."

This was the second of four presentations in the 2009-10 McCook Community Concert season. Previously, association members were treated to a performance by "Everything Fitz," a family fiddle and step show.

Remaining concerts include "Ten O'Clock Classics," the hip side of classical music, scheduled Thursday, Feb. 4, and "Home Free," to be presented Sunday, April 25, as a 3 p.m. matinee.

Season tickets may still be purchased by calling Alice Harpst, 344-5303, or Cindy Kohmetscher, 345-7833.