Canberra Classical Guitar

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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Enjoy a day of hands-on music activities with Music For Everyone, the ACT’s community music organisation, and winner of the National Music in Communities Award 2009 as the best all-round community music program in Australia.  Drumming for all ages and abilities, an instant guitar ensemble, and award-winning youth rock bands feature in this day-long program of enjoyable music-making.  This event is part of the Canberra International Festival of Music www.cimf.org.au Details and times of all activities available at www.mfe.org.au

Do you play classical acoustic guitar? Then you can be part of the biggest guitar ensemble Canberra has ever seen.  Register and download the music from www.mfe.org.au , come along with your guitar and music-stand to the free ensemble rehearsal, pause for a short performance from Music For Everyone’s Tarantella Guitars, and then take part in the giant ensemble performance.  Suitable for players of all ages who can read music, adult and youth, elementary to advanced levels. Continue Reading »

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

Raffaele Agostino, Janet Agostino and Richard Charlton have been playing guitar together for over 25 years. They were all founding members of the Sydney Guitar Quartet, one of the first ensembles of its kind in Australia.  As the Sydney Guitar Trio they have performed extensively around Australia, including 5 Darwin International Guitar Festivals, as well as overseas in Argentina, Italy and the UK.  Their collaboration with Rory O’Donoghue extends over 10 years.

Canberra Classical Guitar Society is proud to present them together in Canberra in a program featuring:

• Alice in Wonderland: Claude Gagnon – for trio and narrator
• Geebung: Richard Charlton – for trio and narrator (from the original poem by Banjo Paterson)
• A Masque for Lady Nothing: Phillip Houghton – for guitar trio
• selections from Platero and I: Castelnuovo-Tedesco – for two guitars and narrator
• The 6 Quarks: Richard Charlton – guitar duet, written in 2009 for Duo Agostino

Where: Wesley Music Centre, Forrest, ACT
When: Saturday, 20 March 2010 from 8pm
Cost: full $25, concession $20 (and certainly worth it!)
Enquiries: 0403 640 669

Pierre Herrero has been importing quality Spanish Classical & Flamenco guitars into Australia for many years (Guitars Online). Pierre has also been an ardent supporter of the classical guitar in Australia. Among many other activities, he has sponsored the Sydney Classical Society Summer School and the Melbourne based Alhambra Sadie Awards.

On Sunday 14 March, Pierre displayed a wonderful range of guitars for the members of the Canberra Classical Guitar Society, guitar students and teachers as well as the general public.

Thank you, Pierre, for your time and enthusiasm.  Thanks also to Allan Spencer for organising!

To see a listing of guitars – read on:

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The 2010 Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition will take place in Adelaide, South Australia, as part of the 2010 Adelaide International Guitar Festival which runs Thursday 25 – Sunday 28 November 2010.

The 2010 Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition, a new inclusion in 2010, is on par with the most prestigious competitions in the world and is the most substantial guitar prize to be created in Australia. The Competition provides an opportunity for emerging players to be heard and given exposure on an international platform and the Judging Panel will be made up of some of the most established players and teachers in Australia and a selection of international artists who will be performing at the festival.

Applications for the Competition opened on 27 November 2009 and close 31 March 2010.

Perth-based classical guitarist Alan Banks will be among the throng of artists performing at the 2010 National Folk Festival. Alan will be conducting a workshop (Introduction to the lute) as well as performing during the Easter long weekend.   Flamenco and other performance styles are also on the extensive festival program.

Good news if you live in Tasmania or are under 5 years of age – you get in free. Otherwise, dig deep.

Guitarist Milena Cifali enlightened the audience at the Belconnen Arts Centre on 11 Feb 2010 with a “world in six strings.”   After her final piece she was given sustained, rousing applause from the small but strongly appreciative audience.  I overheard one member sum up the experience as ‘a real journey’.

The concert began with the Cuban piece Danza Del Altiplano by Leo Brouwer and then moved to the more sketchy English Suite by John Duarte (England) based on its fusion of jazz guitar and the earlier influence of the English lute music.  From there we crossed the channel to guitar arrangements of Erik Satie’s piano music. The familiar and popular Gymnopedie number 1 was sweet, clear and strongly felt in Cifali’s hands. The companion piece, Gnossiene number 1, was Cifali’s own arrangement with the instrument tuned to the underlying minor chord to provide a richer more resonant sound for the piece.

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Classical guitarist and composer Harold Gretton recently released his CD “the 20th century guitar,” which is a result of his PhD research at ANU into performance practice. It includes four major works of the 20th century, all in different styles and reflecting different genres and influences. There is an Australian work: the Black Wattle Caprices by Ross Edwards; one Spanish work: the unique Sonata by Antonio Jose; an Italian work by a major figure of the 20th Century avant-guarde: Luciano Berio; and finally a work reflecting the influence of the inimitable Andres Segovia: the Variations on a Catalan Folk Song by John Duarte.

Visit Harold’s website to learn more and to order a copy. www.haroldgretton.com.