Spotlight on James Girling

Multi-Talented Guitarist

James Girling is an exceptionally talented guitarist - classical and Jazz - and plays one of the most beautiful classical guitars I have seen. Plays it beautifully too. I believe the guitar to be made by the Australian luthier Paul Sheridan.

I mentioned in a previous post that I had seen him play with the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet, standing in for Rory Russell. That concert was just before the Edinburgh Festival and James was off to Edinburgh straight afterwards to take part in the Fringe with his Jazz Quartet.

James is in his final year at the Royal Northern College of Music, where he studies guitar with Craig Ogden and jazz with pianist Dan Whielden.

Take a look at James’s website and you will find much more information about his Classical and Jazz projects, with excellent videos of his playing - both solo and with his ensembles.

Check Out his Website HERE

Concert Watch

Armscote Manor, Stratford

June 22nd 2019

The  Australian guitarist , Craig Ogden, will be giving a concert called Spanish Nights at Armscote Manor, near Stratford upon Avon, in June this year.   The event is organised by the Orchestra of the Swan and the programme details are as follows:
De Falla                                Danse Espagnole
Granados                            Andaluza
Sarasate                               Playera
Albeniz                                  Asturias
Rodrigo                                Concierto de Aranjuez

Tickets are available from the Orchestra of  The Swan WEBSITE at an eye watering £45, to include drinks and canapés prior to the performance. 

Craig Ogden’s own website is HERE

Come and Join Us

Your Guitar Society Needs YOU!

Senior and Youth Orchestras

We always like to welcome new faces to strengthen our Society, so if you are a Classical Guitar player, have a nylon strung guitar and can read music why not come and join us?  Most of the pieces we play are written or arranged by our members and the various parts cater for all abilities.  We meet on the second Sunday of each month at the St George’s Chuch Hall in Barbourne, Worcester.  Come along and join in or just listen and get a taste of what we are about.

The Youth Orchestra meets in Pershore library on certain Saturdays, organised and directed by Tim Roberts.  You can make contact via our Contact Page on this website.

Recordings

Adivinanza De La Guitarra

Kazu Suwa’s latest Recording

Kazu Suwa is a Japanese Classical Guitarist based in London. Kazu studied classical guitar with the renowned classical guitarist Mikio Hoshido at the Nihon University College of Art in Tokyo and has also graduated from the prestigious Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid in Spain.

I recently came across his new recording "Advinanza De La Guitarra" - this offers some new-to-me music, rather than the familiar repertoire. I was particularly struck by the music of the Spanish Composer Angel Barrios. There is a link HERE  o Kazu playing one of his pieces, Arroyos de la Alhambra: Evocacion.

I was also not familiar with the works of Angel Barrios - any search for his music simply comes up with Agustin Barrios. I recommend spending some time listening to Kazu's YouTube channel. I can highly recommend this album.

Listen to some Flamenco

Nuestro Flamenco

Spanish Radio

Nuestro flamenco is written and presented by the genial and knowledgeable José Maria Velázquez-Gaztelu.  The programe is broadcast Monday and Wednesday evenings on the Radio Clasica channel of the Spanish broadcaster RTVE, from 11pm to 12 pm Spanish time.  You can access it any time you like on their A La Carta section, or do as I do and download the podcast.

All the greats of Flamenco are featured and/or interviewed on this programme, so if you are a fan, this is the place for you.  The programme usually begins with a Guitar Prologue, so you can hear solo flamenco guitar from the immense talent pool of Spain, old and new.  If you don’t want to listen to the singing and interviews then you can just stick to the first section.

Give it a try - just follow this LINK and choose your episode.