Worcester Classical Guitar Society
The Guitar Society promotes ensemble playing for guitarists of all ages and abilities. We have a Guitar Orchestra, a Youth Guitar Orchestra (WYGO) and the long-standing Worcester Guitar Quartet. We also encourage other ensembles and solo playing.
New members are very welcome - just follow the rehearsals link below and join us at St. George's
Read on for all the news on artists, concerts and other random ramblings that may be of interest.
We also have some guitar music videos for you to enjoy.
Saturday October 4th
7:30 pm
Letters from Paris
Alexandra Whittingham
In her new recording for Decca, Alexandra brings us some well known and some lesser known pieces in solo guitar, ensembles and guitar duet. She tries to expand the classical guitar repertoire, so you are unlikely to find these tracks on any other of your classical guitar recordings. The familiar might include pieces by Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf for example.
We have music for guitar and string ensemble, guitar and cello, guitar and saxophone. The guitar duets are with Stephanie Jones and are particularly striking performances.
Letters from Paris - a flavour of France then, but letters, not postcards and well worth taking the time to peruse and soak up the sounds and those flavours of France.
The music is available on CD and digital download - link to Presto Music website below. Also available on the major streaming platforms.
Presto Music Website HERE
Barbourne
April 25th 2026
Amanda Cook
Save The Date!
Dubbed “The guitar queen with a silken touch” by The Independent newspaper, Amanda has appeared as a soloist in the USA, South America and throughout Europe. In the UK venues include the South Bank, Wigmore Hall, St George’s Bristol, King’s Place & The Sage Gateshead. Her highly acclaimed performances are always noted for their sensitive musicality, fluid technique, and ability to draw the audience in to her world.
We are pleased to announce that Amanda will be a guest of Worcester Classical Guitar Society next April when she will be playing at St. George’s Church Hall in Barbourne. We are thrilled to have Amanda as our guest and looking forward to her recital. This event is of course open to the public.
More details will follow, so please check back here from time to time. In the meantime, to get a flavour of Amanda’s skills, follow the link below to hear her play an arrangement of Lullaby of Birdland.
Watch Amanda Cook HERE
Roberto Gonzáles-Monjas
Music Director
Spanish Galicia Symphony Orchestra
With Guitarist Thibaut Garcia
Thibaut Garcia again!
This time the Franco-Spanish guitarist will be highlighting his Spanish heritage in this evening of music with the Spanish Galicia Symphony Orchestra (Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia), led by Music Director Roberton Gonzáles-Monjas. The programme includes dances from de Falla’s Three Cornered Hat, Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, Turina’s Sonfonia Sevillana and the world famous Concerto de Aranjuez, by Rodrigo.
An evening of dances, folk melodies and orchestral depictions of the architecture and culture of Spain. Classical guitarists will know the Rodrigo Concerto well and will certainly appreciate this performance by the Orchestra and the gifted guitarist Thibaut Garcia.
The performance is at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Aprill 11th 2026. Please follow the link below for further details and tickets.
Tickets Available HERE
Salwarpe Village Hall
November 29th
Echoes of Summer
A Musical Stroll to Warmer Lands...
Steve Bridgwater, Emma Winscom and Mike Thomas will be reminding us of the warmer breezes of Summer in this evening concert at Salwarpe Village Hall, playing an eclectic range of music from Dylan, Jobim, De Falla, Granados, Porter and others. Bringing the warmth of Ipanema and Spain to the banks of the River Salwarpe and the Droitwich canal!!
Worcester Guitar Society member, teacher and composer Steve will be playing Guitar, Dulcimer and Mandolin, with Emma on Vocals and Keyboard and Mike on percussion. The varied range of music will include compositions by both Steve and Emma.
Head along to Salwarpe on November 29th for what promises to be a very pleasant evening.
Suggested contribution £10 on the door to include the music and light refreshments.
Salwarpe Village Hall
November 29th 7:30 pm
Chapeau Satie
Xufei Yang
Music From Erik Satie
Xufei Yang has now released her new album, featuring the music of Erik Satie, celebrating the centenary of his death in 1825. Satie, born Eric Alfred Leslie Satie, to a British mother and French father was something of an enigma. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire but was an undistinguished student and did not obtain a diploma. His later studies at the Schola Cantorum were much more successful and he became very influential, during his lifetime he influenced Maurice Ravel, Calude debussy and Francois Poulenc.
The “Chapeau” refers to Satie’s life in Montmartre when he was renowned for wearing a bowler hat, with one of his 12 identical velvet corduroy suits…….!!
Satie’s music was mainly written for solo piano and in Xufei Yang’s album his Gnossiennes and Gymnopédies are well represented. Amongst Satie’s other compositions are arrangements for voice and guitar, featuring the French soprano Heloise Werner and also transcriptions for guitar and flute with flautist Sharon Bezaly .
Below is a link to the Presto Music website where you can hear samples of all pieces on the album, the following is a quotation from Xufie Yang’s own website:
"To mark the centenary of Satie, Xuefei Yang has reimagined his music for guitar. The album is a chocolate box packed with familiar favourites and rarer truffles, tied together with a beautiful new piece by Werner (Mélancolie)"
Presto Music HERE
Remi Harris
Huntingdon Hall
Feb 6th 2026
Man of the World
The Music of Peter Green
Local guitarist Remi Harris will be bringing his elebration of the the life and music of Peter Green to Huntingdon Hall in February next year. Guitarist Remi Harris will be joined by vocalist Dave Small, bassist Tom Moore and Nicky Waters on drums to perform music from throughout Peter Green's career.
Peter Green, was the founder and original leader of the band Fleetwood Mac. Green formed the group in 1967 after a stint in John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and quickly established the new band as a popular live act in addition to a successful recording act, before departing in 1970. Green's songs, such as "Albatross", "Black Magic Woman", "Oh Well", "The Green Manalishi (With the Two Prong Crown)" and "Man of the World", appeared on singles charts and several have been adapted by a variety of musicians.
Put the date in the diary - there’s no information on this on Worcester Theatres website yet.
This is not classical guitar of course, but should be very entertaining. While we’re on the subject, Remi will be bringing his “Blues Rock Roadshow” to Worcester’s Marrs Bar on July 17th.
Remi’s website HERE
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