BGS April Meeting

 
 
Its a busy old month for Bromley Guitar Society members. A concert next May with Gary Ryan and Craig Ogden  closely followed in June with  a musical bash with the Federation of Guitar Societies at Twickenham, Middlesex!! Keep the 23rd free in your diary!! Actually this date coincides with the birthday of Mrs Honorary Secretary, which has caused a slight easterly breeze on the domestic front. I have  tried to point out the honor that the FGS are giving her by holding their meeting on her birthday but for some reason she isn't impressed.....can't understand why..)
 
We would also like to welcome our new  visitors (and hopefully new members) Andrew Rawlings and Catherine Andersen.
 
One of the highlights of the FGS day is for each Guitar Society to perform a series of ensemble pieces and the Bromley Guitar Society will play their part. We have been busy rehearsing our tribute to the fjords and the trolls of Norway with a rendition of the Sarabande and Gavotte from Grieg's  Holberg Suite.  Despite a few rocky starts, the ensemble practice worked well. We think it must have been OK because our ensemble leader John Mann was looking more pleased and less pained than before!! Nevertheless, we need to keep up our practice.  Members will find a copy of the Midi files for the Gavotte and Sarabande enclosed on this site which should help with practice.
 
 
Solo performances were also on track with some great contributions from members. Listed below was the solo program
 
Dave Hampton  performed Ciacona (Weiss)
Tom Rimmer   performed  Pavana Muy Llana Para Taner (Pisador)
Alex Green  performed Prelude in D (Bach)
Marion Davis performed What If A Day (Anon) and Tarleton’s Resurrection(Dowland)
Freddy Carvalho  performed The Girl From Ipanema (Jobim)and Popular Andaluz (Azpiazu)
Trevor Pike  performed  Allegro   (Scarlatti)
Vince & Larisa  performed  Duo No: 9 (Albert)
Vince Chittenden performed Aria (Logy)
Andrew Ferrier performed  Indaco (Einaudi)
Tessa Protheroe performed Maria (Tarrega)
 
Special thanks to John for leading the ensembles and a special mention to Trevor and Larissa for provision of the refreshments.
 
Naturally next month will be the concert so the next time we will see you will be in June 15th for a final rehearsal !!
 
 
Keep up plucking and strumming folks!!

 
 

CARLOS' GUITAR CLASSES FOR ADULTS IN CENTRAL LONDON

 Starting again on Monday 22nd April.




Directed by Carlos the classes are open to keen players of all standards. Try the performance class and begin to take charge of your nerves and not the other way round! Or come to the Ensemble class and have fun playing with other like-minded people, and improve your reading at the same time. Classes run on Monday evenings (not bank holidays).

Write to info@carlosbonell.com with a brief description of your playing experience, and reserve your place now!



... ABOUT THE UCL GUITAR CLASSES

Want to brush up your guitar-playing? Need to improve your technique? Like to play in a guitar ensemble? The classes are open to dedicated amateur players and aspirant pros.



NEXT TERM

Turn up any Monday from 22nd April (not Bank Holidays) to join in. On the last day of term, 17th June, you can play in a public concert with special guest artist and free admission. The list of guest artists who have played on these occasions has included many of today's celebrated players of the younger generation. Join us and share the platform with the stars of tomorrow!



Location:

University College London, Gower Street, WC1E 6BT, Room B3A of the South Wing. Nearest underground: Euston Square, Warren Street. Free street parking after 6.30pm



Next term's dates:

Monday 22nd April - Monday 17th June (no classes on Bank Holiday Mondays in May)

Next term's classes:

6.15 - 7.45pm Performance Class

8.00 - 9.30pm Ensemble Class



Tutors:

Carlos Bonell and Joao Loureiro



Reserve your place:

Write to info@carlosbonell.com



If you are a new student please describe briefly your playing experience, the pieces you are learning, and sight-reading ability.



Fees:

You can pay for each class you attend, or save by paying for the whole term in advance.

Term starting 22nd April includes seven sessions - fees if paid in advance for one term's class are £91, both classes £136.

Turn up any day: one off £17, both classes in one evening £25.50

Strings Attached – The Life and Music of John Williams- talk by William Starling





Just writing to give you advance notice of a special event on Sunday 21st April, usual time, usual place.





Details at http://www.guitarsociety.blogspot.co.uk and below -



‘Strings Attached – The Life and Music of John Williams’, is the newly published and authorised biography of one of the greatest guitarists ever. Astonishingly, coming in John’s seventy-second year, it is also the first ever biography.



The book tells the fascinating story of John’s extraordinary life as a musician but also reveals a great deal about the man and his making. It is an intimate portrait of one of the most important musicians of his time, informed by privileged access to John’s family, friends, colleagues and, of course, with the full support of the man himself.

The Ealing Guitar Society is grateful to Therese Wassily Saba, the New Editor of Classical Guitar magazine, who has graciously agreed to interview William Starling about his book. She will explore how he came to write it, what inspired him to take the approach he chose, and what challenges he faced in writing the biography of such an eminent musician. William has given talks to a number of guitar societies and writers’ clubs including a recent event at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. He can be expected to give frank insights into his work and John’s life and to use photographs, many unpublished, to illustrate the subject. He will also talk about the reaction to the book by both the guitar world and John’s wider audience.

The audience will be welcome to participate by asking questions and commenting on John and his biography.

This is an unusual and special event and promises to be an informative and lively evening.

Copies of ‘Strings Attached – The Life and Music of John Williams’ will be on sale at the event.



William Starling



Starling was not the most obvious candidate to become John’s choice as his biographer, a role that many have coveted. Although William has, to use his words, ‘dabbled with guitar for nearly fifty years’, he makes no claim to be a musician nor did particularly he consider himself to be a writer - his career was as an engineer and designer in the automotive industry and he had written nothing similar before. In fact, although had penned works on guitar design and the philosophy of failure, his longest work to date had been his PhD thesis in Cybernetics! Having been a friend of John Williams for some time, he convinced the guitarist that a biography was overdue and, having accepted that contention, Williams put his trust in his friend to write it. Several years of extensive research ensued and numerous interviews were conducted including some with important contributors in Australia, the country of John’s birth.

William Starling says that his task was made easier by the great esteem in which his subject is held; interviews that he thought would be extremely difficult to secure were granted willingly by friends, relatives and musical colleagues of John Williams.

The book was written for all who admire or might be interested in John’s life and some within the classical guitar world have taken exception to this approach. Starling has no regrets – “This is the story of the making of an intelligent, complex, compassionate and enormously accomplished man who happens to be one of the finest and most celebrated musicians of his generation’.

ST Louis Guitar Society celebrates 50 years..

Received this message from Bill Ash across the pond in St Louis,

Hello All Guitar Societies,


We're celebrating 50 years! You may have just received an announcement from us. Please help us spread the word.

Please note that we have a master class by Christopher Parkening as part of the celebration, and that the date for submitting recordings to play in the class has been extended to May 5.


There is full information on our website at http://www.GuitarStLouis.net

Please go to our Facebook Page from the icon on our home page, or click here and like us at:

https://www.facebook.com/guitarstlouis?ref=search&sid=1021542525.3986914053..1



Thank you!


Sincerely,



Bill Ash

President

St. Louis Classical Guitar Society

Missouri


Marvellous March!!


Poor old Mr Grieg!! We are giving him an absolute run for his money at the moment! Sarabanding and Gavotting  the Holberg Suite away with great enthusiasm!! And yet, with only a few more meetings to go we seem to be getting there- all thanks to John Mann for his patience and enthusiasm. Which is just as well as the FGS day is rapidly approaching!

As you can see from the enclosed picture John is in a contemplative mood. We would all like to think that our performance skills are lightening his mood. However it’s best not to ask….

We had a great round of solo presentations which included:
Kemp’s Jig (att to Dowland) played by Marion Davies
Deep River (Traditional Spiritual) and O’Carolan’s Dream played by Tom Rimmer.
Waltz Op 8 Number 2 (Sor) played by Vince Chittenden
Celebre Aria (Bach) played by Freddy Carvallho


Special thanks one more to John Mann for leading the ensembles and to Larisa for the refreshments! Not to mention Den for chairing the session in his usual irreverent style!

Federation AGM June- “Under the Greenwood Tree”

The program for the FGS day was canvassed by our chair during our March Meeting. Members should note that Greenwood Guitar Society will be hosting this year’s event.
The event will take place at Greenwood Centre, School Road, Hampton Hill Middlesex TW12 1QL on Sunday June 23 2013 commencing at 10.30 and finishing at 4.30pm.
The guest conductor this year will be Gerald Garcia. Gerald is a well-known for his formidable composing and teaching skills as well as his renowned sense of humour. So it looks as if it will be a fun day.
Please note that there will be charge £10 per member which includes a Buffet lunch. Our trusty article of furniture (otherwise known as the ‘chair’) Den Stockton has contacted the FGS and reserved 15 pleased for the BGS members.
All BGS members participating are asked to confirm their attendance for the FGS event at our next Pluck ‘n Strum which will be on April 21st at St Marks!! Bring a tenner, along with your guitar and music!!
 
See you April!

PS You MUST know about the concert by now!! If not check the tab above!! Still one or two tickets left but you will need to be quick!