Canberra Classical Guitar

Canberra Classical Guitar Society presents Australian classical guitarist Simon Powis in his only Canberra concert in 2010.   Powis completed studies at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with Raffaele Agostino and Greg Pikler in 2004, and in 2006 he was invited to undertake a Masters of Music at Yale University on a full scholarship.  Upon completing this degree he was accepted as the first guitarist in over two decades to undertake doctoral studies at Yale.

Where: Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest.
Tickets at the door.  Full $20, concession $20
Enquiries: 0403 640 669

Canberra Classical Guitar Society and the Wesley Music Foundation are collaborating to raise funds for a project to commission two works for four-part guitar orchestra by two young aspiring composers in the Canberra region and to increase the repertoire of music for guitar orchestra and specifically for the Canberra Classical Guitar Society orchestra.

It is planned to pay $1,500 for each of two works and therefore the target for fund raising is $3,000. The actual commitment to commission the works is dependent on the fund-raising success.

Please click on the project page above for more details.

Canberra Classical Guitar Society presents the renowned duo of New Zealand guitarist John Couch and Australian violinist Judith Hickel performing together in a delightful concert.  The program will include selections from their collaborative CD “Andre’s New Shoes”

When: Friday, 10 September, 7:30pm
Cost: Tickets at the door. Full price $20, concession $15.
Where: Wesley Music Centre, 20 National Circuit, Forrest.
Enquiries: 0403 640 669.

Our next regular monthly meeting is planned for Sunday, 12 September 2010 from 2:30-5pm at Wesley Uniting Church, 20 National Circuit in Forrest.

LANDSCAPE: Australian Guitar Duets by the Brew Guitar Duo is out now. Canberra guitarists Bradley Kunda and Matthew Withers perform all Australian works by composers Nigel Westlake, Phillip Houghton, Richard Charlton & Robert Davidson, as well as Canberra’s own guitarist/composers Bradley Kunda & Harold Gretton. Copies can be purchased from www.brewguitarduo.com/cd.html

Harold Gretton has won 1st prize in the 7th International Guitar Competition of J.K. Mertz. The contest was held in Bratislava, Slovakia at the end of June 2010.  The prize is 6 concerts, 1000 euros and the complete works of Mertz as published by Chantarelle.Well done Harold!
Harold Gretton holds the first PhD in Performance from the ANU School of Music and is living and studying in Europe with his fiancée, Belgian guitarist Veronique Van Duurling.  Another well done!

Earlier this year, Harold  released his CD “the 20th century guitar,” which is a result of his PhD research at ANU into performance practice.  Visit Harold’s website to learn more and to order a copy. www.haroldgretton.com.  (I’m sure his next CD will include a bit of Mertz!)

Here are two photos from our 27 June Performers Concert.  Leslie Spencer leads the orchestra and Matthew Towicz performs Tango en Skai by Roland Dyens.

Minh Le Hoang’s solo CD “The Fall of Birds,” released in 2008, was recently reviewed by Classical Guitar Magazine. Here is an excerpt:

“Unbelievably, and this is happening quite regularly with these privately released recordings, there are no details as to how or where to obtain this disc from. A boring internet search did eventually bring forth the name ‘Coomamusic’ where the CD can be obtained. Is it worth all this searching? Well, the answer has to be a resounding ‘Yes’ for this disc has it all: superb virtuosity in the way Minh Le Hoang handles this technically difficult music and his artistic interpretation throughout is top notch. Hoang is one of the members of the leading Australian guitar quartet ‘Guitar Trek’ and a read-through of his credentials in the sleeve notes shows him to be a force to reckon with.

This is a splendid new release, well recorded and is to be highly recommended.”

Steve Marsh – Classical Guitar Magazine

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Adelaide-based, Ukranian born classical guitarist Aleksandr Tsiboulski’s new CD is being featured this week on ABC Classic FM as CD of the Week with these comments, “Aleksandr Tsiboulski is first-prize winner in numerous competitions including the 2006 Tokyo International Guitar Competition. His playing, which transcends the image of the technically flawless competition winner, has been praised by The Age for its ‘responsive virtuosity’, while the San Antonio Express News admired his ‘beautiful, transparent, lute-like sound’. On his début Naxos recording, he presents a diverse selection of music by leading Australian composers.”

For more info about the album click on Alex’s website or from the Naxos website.

Canberra-based Guitar Trek ensemble (Timothy Kain, Minh Le Hoang, Bradley Kunda and Matthew Withers) performed a terrific  live-to-air broadcast as part of the ABC Sunday Live broadcast program.  The 11 April concert from Llewellyn Hall at the ANU School of Music included the following pieces:

Falla arr McKay & Kain Love the Magician: Ritual Fire Dance; Pantomime
Falla arr McKay & Kain La Vida Breve: Spanish Dance No 1
Mark Isaacs Autumnal Dances (World première)
Ramirez arr Dyens Alfansina y el Mar
Nigel Westlake Six Fish