"Among the better of the new groups must be counted the San Francisco Guitar Quartet." -Peter Danner, San Francisco Classical Voice
 
Since its inception in 1997, the San Francisco Guitar Quartet has become one of the most sought-after classical guitar ensembles performing today. Committed proponents of new music as well as the classics, SFGQ draws from a rich background of musical traditions including classical, world and ethnic traditions, and improvisation. The diverse list of composers represented in concert and on recordings includes Leo Brouwer, JS Bach, Sergio Assad, Luigi Boccherini, Carlo Domeniconi, Phillip Houghton, and Dusan Bogdanovic.
 
The SFGQ’s recordings have garnered praise. Compadres was lauded by Acoustic Guitar Magazine as one of the “Top CDs of 2003.” London’s Classical Guitar Magazine had this to say: "Here is a nice release from a very capable, technically and musically, group of players who give strong performances throughout in this particularly interesting programme." Composer Phillip Houghton remarked on the performance of his work, Opals, on the Quartet’s debut recording Black Opal: "Congratulations on such a superb CD! Opals is wonderfully played! It is beautiful!"
 
The members of SFGQ, Mark Simons, David Dueñas, Patrick O'Connell, and Jon Mendle have each distinguished themselves as soloists and chamber musicians with first prizes in the American String Teachers Association Competition and the Baltimore Chamber Music Awards Competition, a Fulbright Scholarship, and concert appearances in Carnegie Hall.  Group members also hold faculty positions in Bay Area colleges and universities.
 
2005 saw the SFGQ give a sold-out performance on the island of Guam and tour the southern US with performances in Florida, at the University of Texas Guitar Festival, and return engagements at Arizona State University and Glendale Community College. Other past performances include San Francisco's Omni Series, La Guitarra California Festival, Pasadena's Guitarra del Mar series, and the syndicated radio show, West Coast Live. "Without a doubt the SFGQ's performance was an outstanding highlight of our festival." -Reed Gilchrist, Director- La Guitarra California Festival
 
"The SFGQ play with a fresh enthusiasm and life force which one rarely experiences in even the most seasoned performers. Their performance of Dusan Bogdanovic's 'Introduction and Dance' is like a gypsy caravan springing to life." -Scott Tennant
 
"The San Francisco Guitar Quartet is a group of passionate talented musicians who have put together a repertoire of music that not only just pleases, but actually engages the listener on a deeper level. When I heard their thrilling performances of Bogdanovic, Houghton, and Assad, I really felt that this group had found a path to expressing their most powerful musical impulses." -Marc Teicholz, GFA winner

Duo Equilibrium consists of guitarists Yuri Liberzon and Patrick O’Connell, both of whom possess impressive musical ability as well as technical mastery, who are established soloists, and respected ensemble players alike.

The name Equilibrium reflects the duo’s unique ability to balance refined technical mastery with mature musical understanding and sensitivity.  Designed to dazzle the novice concertgoer and impress the intellectual music enthusiast, their concert programs are inspiring, contain a great variety of repertoire, and feature works that are technically challenging as well as musically complex.

Russian-born and Israeli-raised guitarist yuri liberzon ranks among today’s foremost classical guitarists in the United States and the world. His playing has been described as “Transcendent technical prowess at the service of gracious musicality. He is a natural born guitarist”. Washington D.C. Guitar Society wrote: “Mr. Liberzon was terrific. World-class mental acrobatics. Very pleasing results.” 
Media appearances include: Voice of America International Radio Station, WBJC Classical Music Radio Station of Baltimore, Kol HaMusica National Classical Music Radio Station of the Israel Broadcasting Authority, Israeli Newspaper Vesti, KUHF (NPR Houston), KKUP Cupertino, KUSF San Francisco and WDR German Television Network. His arrangement of J.S Bach’s violin Partita No.1 in B minor was published in the SoundBoard magazine.
Mr. Liberzon has won numerous prizes at international competitions. In 1996 and 1997 Yuri won top prizes at the Ariane Yerushalmi Eldor Classical Guitar Competition of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and remains the youngest prizewinner in its history. Other awards include top prizes at the Appalachian Guitar Competition in North Carolina and at the ‘Classical Minds’ competition in Texas. Since 1996, Mr. Liberzon was a numerous recipient of America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarships.
Mr. Liberzon received his master’s degree from Yale School of Music as well as Graduate Performance Diploma and Bachelor’s degree at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University.

While still a student at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Patrick O’Connell began his professional performing carer with a solo appearance at Carnegie Hall. Upon graduating with a Masters degree, he joined the San Francisco Guitar Quartet with whom he has recorded an album entitled “Chasing Light” which features many new works dedicated to the ensemble as well as Patrick’s own arrangements. He has been a featured performer with the SFGQ in numerous festivals and concert series around the country, and internationally. Notable performances include La Guitarra California festival in San Luis Obispo, the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, Dresdner Gitarrenfest in Dresden Germany, Second Sundays Classical Guitar Concert Series in New York City, the Monadnock Music Festival in New Hampshire, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, and the Festival of Contemporary Music in San Francisco, California.

In 1998, Patrick entered the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University under merit scholarship. During his undergraduate studies his teachers were renowned guitarist Manuel Barrueco and guitar department chair Ray Chester. He received a Bachelors of Music degree in 2003. In 2004, Patrick attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he was awarded a merit scholarship to study with world famous guitarists David Tanenbaum, Dusan Bogdanovic, and Mark Teicholz. Mr. O’Connell received a Masters of Music degree in 2006.

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