SBGS Quartet L to R: Scott Swink, Tom Gardin, Ben Zussman, Jerry Snyder.

The Quartet provided additional holiday concerts at:

• Los Gatos Town Council Chambers
• Morgan Hill Library
• West Valley Branch Library
• Sunnyvale Library

Scott Swink started playing at age 8 and has been a lifelong classical guitar enthusiast. In the 1960s and early 70s in London, all thought they were going to be rock stars - and in fact, the guys who played in Scott’s high school rock band on Friday nights had a hit song, A Horse with No Name, and became the group America. Scott recently retired from his executive communications writing business. Besides classical guitar, he enjoys running, cycling, and birdwatching.

Tom Gardin did not play any musical instrument until picking up the guitar at age 31. After hearing Segovia playing Luis Milan's Pavans on a classical station, he was hooked. He dug out an old Sigma guitar from his brother's garage and had it repaired and got started lessonswith a local classical guitar teacher, Richard Turner. Richard was quickly off to teach at Fullerton so he referred Tom to Michael McChesney, whom he has been taking lessons from ever since. Tom works for Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel law firm as their IT director.

Ben Zussman teaches guitar at Joplin and Sweeney Music Co. in Los Gatos and at De Anza and Foothill College. Ben earned a Master degree in improvised music at San Jose State University and a Bachelor of Arts in classical guitar performance under the tutelage of Maestro Jose Rey de la Torre. These days, he devotes his time to performing and teaching and happily shares his life with his wife Diana, their furry companions Gibson and Fender – and new arrival, daughter Zoe.

Jerry Snyder has been the President/Artistic Director of SBGS for the past 10 years. Jerry is a teacher, author, clinician and versatile musician. Since 1971, he has performed with the San Jose Symphony (now Symphony Silicon Valley) playing bass clarinet for 5 years and pops concerts since 1976 on guitar and banjo. Jerry has also played several Broadway musicals with the Civic Light Opera, American Musical Theatre and others.