Thatcher Harrison

Guitarist and composer

Thatcher Harrison is an American guitarist and composer. As a composer, he tries to expand the boundaries of classical guitar repertoire through what he calls “classical fusion” composition: pieces based in classical composition and performance techniques, but with influences from other genres such as jazz music, rock music, fingerstyle guitar music, blues music, pop music, folk music, film score music, and world music. As a guitarist, he chooses to perform programs consisting primarily of his own compositions. Thatcher Harrison is currently working to establish his career as a concert artist, and he has performed for Boston Classical Guitar Society, Austin Classical Guitar Society, Milwaukee Classical Guitar Society, Portsmouth NH Guitar Sundays Concert Series, Rhode Island Guitar Guild, Connecticut Guitar Guild, Boston Guitarfest, University of Rhode Island Guitar and Mandolin Festival, Twents Gitaarfestival, Pleven Guitar Festival, Domaine Forget International Music Festival, and The 21st Century Guitar Conference, among others. Thatcher holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from New England Conservatory (where he studied classical guitar with Eliot Fisk and Jérôme Mouffe and composition with Ian Wiese) and a Master of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the Peck School of the Arts at University of Wisconsin Milwaukee (where he studied with Rene Izquierdo and Kevin Loh). He also studies composition privately with Avi Randall. Thatcher’s formational music teachers include Scott Borg, Grisha Goryachev, William Kingsland, Will Riley, Jim Robitaille, Matt Richard, Lou Shepard, and John Sousa.

Kevin Calisto

Visual Artist

Kevin Calisto is a Rhode Island–based artist and educator whose work focuses on drawing and material exploration. He holds an MFA in Drawing from the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and a BFA in Painting/Drawing and Art Education from The College of Saint Rose. His work has been exhibited throughout the Northeast, including recent shows at Kendall Reiss Gallery and the Attleboro Arts Museum, where he received an Honorable Mention award.

Calisto currently serves as Chair of Fine Arts and Careers at Tiverton High School and previously led the Visual Arts Department at Portsmouth Abbey School. In addition to his studio practice, he is an experienced teacher and mentor, having taught at institutions including the Rhode Island School of Design’s Pre-College Program. His work reflects a deep engagement with observation, process, and the expressive potential of drawing.