Past Classes
1998
Bryce Dessner Mary Lord |
Scott Morris Mesut Ozgen |
Jeff Peterson |
1999
Daniel Corr Mary Lord |
Scott Morris Isamu Nakamura |
Jeff Peterson Kevin Vigil |
2000
Tom Amoriello Mike Benninger Christian Berndt Theresa Calpotura Matthew Cmiel Sara Cohen |
Tom Coleman Amanda Cook Bryce Dessner Josh Friedman David Hindman Zoe Johnstone Peter Koht |
Matthew Marshall Jeff Peterson David Reynolds Rami Vamos John Wade Max Zuckerman |
Excerpt from a performance of "Scenes from Ellis Island" at the Ben Verdery Maui Guitar Class in 2000.
2001
Adam Cotton Josh Friedman Nicole Hetzer David Hindman Michael Hulmes |
Marc Lipari Brian Mancini Robert McAuley James Moore Tom Morelli |
Jeff Peterson Geremy Schulick Jeanie Siggelkow Rob Watson Max Zuckerman |
2002
Mark Bussey Matthew Cmiel Adam Cotton Ken Freeland Josh Friedman |
Juan Guillen Yoichi Hatanaka David Hindman Marc Lipari James Moore Tom Morelli |
Jeff Peterson Geremy Schulick Jeanie Siggelkow Joe Thibodeau Max Zuckerman |
2003
Matthew Cmiel Andrew Dickenson Ken Freeland David Hindman Marc Lipari |
Tom Morelli Jeff Peterson Michael Poll Jeanie Siggelkow |
Rick Smith Jon Suters Joe Thibodeau Shintaro Yana Max Zuckerman |
2004
Glen Botto Theresa Calpotura Matthew Cmiel Andrew Dickenson Tom Donahue Josh Friedman |
Ryan Haverty Michael Hulmes Ian O'Sullivan John Olson Michael Poll Joseph Schwartz Jeanie Siggelkow |
Ariadne Smith Mark Smith Rick Smith Heather Wunner Shintaro Yana Max Zuckerman |
2005
Glen Botto Peter Cho Matthew Cmiel Tom Donahue Zane Forshee Josh Friedman Ryan Haverty |
Wayne Lines
Tom Morelli Ian O'Sullivan John Olson Michael Poll Andrew Schiller |
Jeanie Siggelkow
Ariadne Smith Rick Smith Jeesoo Sohn Rob Watson Shintaro Yana Max Zuckerman |
2006
Glen Botto
Peter Cho Matthew Cmiel Tom Donahue Josh Friedman Sofia Gleeson Kazuyuki Heraga Masataka Kazumoto |
Ojan Mobedshahi
Ian O'Sullivan John Olson Michael Poll Matt Rohde Dominique Ruiz Jeanie Siggelkow |
Ariadne Smith
Rick Smith Jeesoo Sohn Ted Stefan Shouta Tsurumaru David Veslocki Shintaro Yana Max Zuckerman |
2006 class
2007
Glen Botto
Mark Bussey Karen Campbell Tom Donahue Morgan Fiddler Zane Forshee Greg Freehling Josh Friedman |
Sofia Gleeson
Koh Kazama Jet Lowe Matt McPherson Ojan Mobedshahi Ian O'Sullivan John Olson |
Matt Ostler
Brett Parnell Brent Paul Michael Poll Geremy Schulick Jeesoo Sohn Ted Stefan Max Zuckerman |
2008
Glen Botto
Peter Boyd Sam Cogburn Tom Donahue Natasha Engel Froilan Fabro Liz Faure |
Sofia Gleeson
Jangsoo Jun Noah Kim Joowon Lee Alexander Lew Matt McPherson |
Ojan Mobedshahi
Jason Nomura Juan Nuñez Ian O'Sullivan John Olson Brent Paul Nic Roozeboom |
2008 class
2009
Diana Arp
Graham Banfield Glen Botto Mark Bussey Karen Campbell Tom Donahue Natasha Engel |
Froilan Fabro
Sofia Gleeson Michael Hulmes Jangsoo Jun Noah Kim Tom Morelli |
Ian O'Sullivan
John Olson Simon Powis Jennie Schillig Jeanie Siggelkow Alexander Stroud Chad Yacobucci |
2010
Casey Ball
Graham Banfield Glen Botto Karen Campbell Michael Cioffero Madeleine Davidson Tom Donahue |
Michael Dowling
Henry Goldman Jeremy Grall Chris Hague Wu Love Ian O'Sullivan Alejandro Olson |
John Olson
Kim Perlak Kassandra Siebel Kyle Tessier-Lavigne Austin Wahl Ben Werdegar Ray Zhou |
2013
Frederic Hand, guest teacher |
Ian O'Sullivan, ensemble assistant | |
Arden Armbruster
Mark Bussey Aaron Cardenas Tom Donahue Reed Hutchinson Noah Kim Eri Kumazaki |
Ming-Jiu Liu
Robert McAuley Juan Nuñez Percy Nuñez Alejandro Olson John Olson |
Chase Ono
David Reynolds Dylan Reynolds Ian Rowe Harry Trump Ben Werdegar Zak Werdegar |
2013 class
2014
John Dearman, guest teacher | Ian O'Sullivan, ensemble assistant | Jeff Peterson, guest performer |
Zeke Bardash
Mark Bussey Aaron Cardenas Tom Donahue Christopher Hopper Reed Hutchinson |
Stephan Kane
Blaise Lee Matthieu Mills Arash Noori John Olson |
David Reynolds
Dylan Reynolds Christopher Rispoli Ben Werdegar Zak Werdegar Ray Zhou |
2014 class (partial)
2015
Andrew York, guest teacher | Ian O'Sullivan, ensemble assistant | |
Aaron Cardenas
Tom Donahue Kacel Ellis Gabriella Eugenio Liz Faure Shannon Harrison Christopher Hopper |
Reed Hutchinson
Nathania Isnander Stephan Kane Christopher Mallett Percy Nuñez John Olson |
Patrick Owléa
Conor Padmanabhan Nicholas Padmanabhan Alexander Stroud Ben Werdegar Zak Werdegar Brandon Wong |
2015 class
"Playground" by Andrew York. July 15, 2015. Maui Honu Guitar Orchestra conducted by Andrew York.
Excerpt from "Scenes from Ellis Island" by Benjamin Verdery. July 15, 2015. Maui Honu Guitar Orchestra conducted by Ben Verdery; Liz Faure, solo; Tom Donahue, organ; Ben Verdery, electric guitar.
2016
David Leisner, guest teacher | Ian O'Sullivan, ensemble assistant | Simon Powis, guest artist | |
Francesca Boerio
John Bogan Johnny Culwell Tom Donahue Roberto Granados Christopher Hopper |
Reed Hutchinson
Stephan Kane Andrew Kobelak Ben Lauring Percy Nuñez John Olson |
Conor Padmanabhan
Nicholas Padmanabhan Carson Strohecker Ben Werdegar Zak Werdegar Brandon Wong |
2016 class
2017
Martha Masters, guest teacher | Ian O'Sullivan, ensemble assistant | |
Laura Boswell
Greg Brown Mark Bussey Aaron Cardenas Michael Casher Tom Donahue |
Liz Faure
Roberto Granados Satchel Henneman Stephan Kane John Olson |
Conor Padmanabhan
Nicholas Padmanabhan Tyler Rhodes Carson Strohecker Zak Werdegar Brandon Wong |
2017 class
Winners of the Maui International Moustache Competition
2001: David Hindman
2002: Yoichi Hatanaka
2003: Andrew Dickenson
2004: Michael Hulmes
2005: Andrew Schiller
2006: John Olson
2007: Josh Friedman
2008: Juan Nuñez
2009: Glen Botto
2010: Graham Banfield
2013: Ian Rowe
2014: Stephan Kane
2015: Aaron Cardenas
2016: (tie) Ben Werdegar and Zak Werdegar
2017: Laura Boswell
Reigning Moustache Champions' Exhortations to the Next Year's Contestants
Juan Nuñez, 2009:
My absence in this year's annual Mr. Maui Moustache competition is nothing short of heartbreaking. I am with you in spirit as you and your upper lip follicles reach the culmination of these long days of hard work. I am honoured to know that Mr. John Olson's moustache will be there to pass on the crown.
Winning the Mr. Maui Moustache competition changed my life in ways I can't begin to describe. And I must say that, although I was a bit skeptical at first, winning this competition has had an almost magical effect on my guitar playing.
To the lucky winner, I can only say this: your a finger will be stronger, your sight reading prowess will improve, the soulfulness of your playing will multiply, and the ladies will be eternally charmed if they are so lucky to hear the music emanating from your six strings.
May your fingers be nimble and your moustaches forever Suave.
Graham Banfield, 2013:
Ladies and gentlemen, and mustaches of all ages:
If you're getting this message, it can only mean that my reign as current laureate of the maui international mustache competition is coming to an end. I weep not, however, for every ending is also a beginning, and starting on this fine day of August 1st, 2013, one of you most noble competitors will be crowned the 2013 mustache champion. Of course, with great power comes great responsibility and this most venerable honor is no exception. You will be tested. You will be tired. You will find yourself in major need of a trim. However, remember that you're here tonight because you're the best, the boldest, the most compassionate, and the most suave. If ever the shadow of doubt darkens your 5 o'clock shadow, look deep into your mustache's heart for guidance. Believe in the force of your Facial follicles and rule with steady hand and thicketness of upper lip. To the fair and wise committee, I offer you the strength in your decision and To you noble competitors I offer you so much more than luck.
Ian Rowe, 2014:
Aloha from San Francisco,
As my time as the reigning mustache champion draws to a close, and the rise of a new champion approaches, allow me to offer a few encouraging words to our esteemed judges, and our pool of fuzzy lipped lads and ladies.
To our judges, remember that the mustache is not merely the hair uponst ones lip, but the man or woman who gives the stache its home. The mustachioed man is brave man, a man who isn’t afraid to say “yeah, I got a mustache, so?” Keep your judgments free of bias, and keep in mind, it is not the mustache that makes the man, but rather, it is the man that makes the mustache.
And to our competitors and the champion among you, be quick in wit, be strong in heart, and remember, when you have whiskers, every day is a victory beyond measure. Whether it be handle bars, a Charlie Chaplin, the Ron Jeremy or the pencil-thin, a mustache is a symbol of bravery, a beacon of light, or simply the absence of a razor. You competitors are the elite few who had the courage let it hang, let it go, and let it grow.
I leave you with the creed of the mustache aficionado:
“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his lip for his mustache.”
Aloha, Mahalo, and Godspeed.
Signed this twenty seventh day of July, two thousand fourteen.
Stephan Kane, 2015:
Gentlemen of the 2015 Benjamin Verdery Maui Guitar Class, I am honored to be in your presence during this momentous occasion. As the 2014 Maui Guitar Class International Mustache Champion, I feel it’s my duty to share a few words of encouragement and wisdom before the competition proceeds in hopes to ignite the flame within your hearts and facial follicles.
This past year was life changing for me in so many ways. I won’t go into detail other than what you have already heard. Yes, meeting the president twice and being interviewed by Oprah during my stay in Russia to have lunch with Vladimir Putin was all great, but there’s more to being the international mustache ambassador than that.
The guitar playing reaches new heights that you could only dream of. And you will spark interest in others who would otherwise have no idea what classical guitar is. My new friends Mark Wahlberg, George Clooney, Katie Perry, and Pope Francis are talking of starting a classical guitar quartet together.
As guitar players, we are a different breed. We do not succumb to the reeds, the brass, nor the bows. Police officers have authority, naval officers have authority, Ron Burgundy has authority. What do all these figures typically have in common? The MUSTACHE.
It should be no surprise then that we, as guitar players who celebrate the mustache so colorfully, must have the authority deep within us fighting for its way out. The last time the mustache was in style was in the ’80s. Look what happened then. Major change happened, Tom Selleck, and The Cold War ended.
In the Chinese Zodiac, 2015 is the year of the sheep. You look at sheep and what do you see? They are noble creatures covered in fluffy white mustaches. But sheep need a Koyunbaba, or shepherd.
So gentlemen,
this is the year.
Our time is NOW.
This is the year the Classical Guitar regains authority! And the mustache is our ticket!
To the future 2015 Maui Guitar Class International Mustache Champion, it is true what past champions had to say, with great power comes great responsibility. But I trust that you — whoever you are — will be given the tools and grace to be the Koyunbaba to lead us all!
Thank you.
Aaron Cardenas, 2016:
Hear ye, Hear ye!
We gathereth here today in the year of our lord, Aaron Cardenas, to partaketh in the greatest test of human strength and wit. Look around at the fine follicled warriors that surroundeth thee, and bask in the glory of your fellow fuzzied lip challenger. All hath made it here today by staving off the urge to snip thine own glorious lip turf. Let us all take a moment and laugh at that one patchy fellow who can’t seem to grow hair in certain places. Bwahahahahaha. To that one patchy fellow, I say, fret not m’lady, for these trials are not meant to measure a man from the base of his follicle. These trials were crafted by the gods to see which mustache is quick in wit, and true to one's own heart. Here’s to you my furry faced friends, I bequeath thee with the strength of a thousand suns, and the wit to rend the judges asunder. The end of my reign draweth nigh, so with shield and sword in hand, make haste and take thine throne. Cheers!
Your lord and Savior,
Aaron Cardenas