"Instrumental Influences" contains original essays from 26 classical guitar artists and teachers as well as 20 essays from LeVie himself, who performs on the classical guitar in churches around the country. Essayists include Grammy Award winners and nominees, and past winners of the Guitar Foundation of America International Competition. Tony Morris, host of Public Radio's "Classical Guitar Alive!" program provided the Afterword to the book (which is available for download at Donn's website).
Chloe Baxter, project manager for Kings Crown Publishing, states that, "Instrumental Influences is the first project of its type in the history of classical guitar and classical music: Never before have so many classical music artists come together to lend their voices to a unique project that explore how teaching, studying, and performing on the classical guitar have all been 'instrumental influences' in the lives of artists, teachers, and students." Composer and classical guitarist Andrew Zohn agreed, stating that, "Donn LeVie Jr. provides a significant contribution to the musician's literature that probes the questions of what is required to become, and what it means to be, a great musician."
Over the centuries, the classical guitar in its various forms has inspired musicians and composers to create some of the world's most beautiful music. The elements of mastering the classical guitar have parallels in other areas of life; some parallels are more obvious than others and may be short-lived, while others reveal themselves over time to endure for a lifetime. Instrumental Influences is an original work that offers deeper insight into the demands of studying the classical guitar, and the rewards of that relationship that manifest themselves in other areas of the artists' lives and in the lives of anyone pursuing serious study of the instrument.
Instrumental Influences is available in soft cover and for the Kindle eBook Reader.