The Artesian Guitar Quartet

Music from different times and places expressed through the intimate voice of the guitar.

The Artesian Guitar Quartet was founded in 2010 and currently features guitarists James Erickson, Michael Roberts, Laura Lessard and Harris Becker. The programs the quartet presents are highly innovative, including a wide variety of music ranging from Bach to the Beatles. They have performed at The Dickens Festival, The Long Island Guitar Festival, The Art League of Long Island, The Rensselaerville Historical Society, the Babylon Arts Council , The Steinberg Museum of Art and at the Songe D’été en Musique festival in Quebec. In September 2013 the quartet did a tour of Quebec with performances for Quebec Rural University, Sainte-Agnès in Lac-Mégantic and St. Vital in Lambton, Quebec. Individually the members have played concerts and given master classes throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and South America. As guitar instructors they are or have been affiliated with Long Island University, Nassau Community College, Queens College, The Bronx House Music School, Usdan Center for the Performing Arts and The Richard Strauss Conservatory in Munich.

“…gave the evening a note of nobility” - Quebec Rural University

"The quartet's playing as an ensemble was exquisite. The music they chose spanned the centuries of music history and was thoroughly engaging and captivating. The audience was riveted to their every note throughout their performance".- Spotlight

Laura Lessard

LAURA LESSARD began studying the piano at an early age with her father, composer John Lessard and later with Ana Maria Bottazzi. She began her guitar studies at the age of thirteen in Florence, Italy with Stefano Michelucci. She continued her musical training at The Longy School of Music in Boston with Alfred Street and at The Manhattan School of Music with Sharon Isbin and Jerry Willard. Laura has performed on both the guitar and lute throughout the Northeast and Canada, both as a soloist and chamber musician. In addition to her work as a performer she has been on the faculty of the Bronx House Music School, The Guitar Workshop, The Bay School of Music, the Songe d’été en Musique summer music festival, and The Usdan Center for the Performing Arts. She was a founding member and artistic director of The Oberon Foundation, a non-profit organization devoted to promoting the arts and artists on Long Island.