Guitar News

Greek guitarist Filippos Manoloudis performs a concert with repertoire by John Dowland (1563-1626), Fernando Sor (1778–1839), Manuel Maria Ponce (1882-1948), Jubing Kristianto (b.1966), and Duke Ellington (1899-1974). This comes via the Siccas Guitars and their YouTube channel. Manoloudis received a recording session at Siccas Guitars Studio as the first prize winner of the Antwerpen Guitar Festival 2021 in Belgium. He also recently won the first prize at the Koblenz International Guitar Festival in Germany.

Fantastic playing by Manoloudis with great phrasing, articulations, and some absolutely brilliant flourishes and dynamic builds in the Sor. Looking forward to hearing more from Manoloudis.

• 00:00 A Fancy, P5 by John Dowland (1563-1626)
• 02:50 Fantasie and Variations brillantes, Op. 30 by Fernando Sor (1778–1839)
• 15:12 Amelia by Jubing Kristianto (b.1966)
• 17:37 Theme varie et Finale by Manuel Maria Ponce (1882-1948)
• 25:30 In a sentimental mood by Duke Ellington (1899-1974) 

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Andantino in C Major, No.28, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) – Lesson, Performance, and Sheet Music. This is from my PDF or hardcopy sheet music edition for classical guitar: Le Papillon, No. 1-32, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani. Grades 1-7 and includes both a notation-only edition and a tab edition.

Le Papillon (The Butterfly), Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani consists of 32 pieces published by Giuliani in Vienna in 1815. The works are presented progressively from easy to mid-intermediate depending on the tempo. Le Papillon is a beautiful set of works which are perfect for students, professionals playing gigs, or players looking for nice easy pieces to practice or perform.

I would place this study at approximately the grade 5 level depending on your tempo. Here’s the YouTube Link for this lesson if you want to watch it there.

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Marten Root (traverso), Doretthe Janssens (traverso), Mieneke van der Velden (viola da gamba), Mike Fentross (theorbo) perform Trio Sonata in G major BWV 1039 by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750). This comes via the amazing Netherlands Bach Society and their YouTube from their project All of Bach. One of my most watched YouTube channels. I love early music and posting it here highlights the important role that lutes and early guitars had in playing basso continuo (basslines, harmony, and more) for ensembles. The Adagio e piano is particularly beautiful in this work. Here’s their info via YouTube:

This Trio sonata for two flutes and basso continuo BWV 1039 also exists in a version for viola da gamba and harpsichord. Researchers suspect, however, that neither version is the original. It may originally have been a trio sonata for two violins and basso continuo, although it is far from certain. The final movement of the sonata also exists in a version for organ (BWV 1027a), dating from the 1730’s.

The reason for all these different versions is clear: like the other trio sonatas, this is a balanced work full of nice melodic and harmonic inventions. So who wouldn’t want to play it? Although the other trio sonatas also exist in versions for different instruments, this is the only one for two flutes. In Bach’s day, the transverse flute, or traverso, was a popular instrument with the upper middle classes and the nobility, and this sonata gave (and still gives) the opportunity of enjoying Bach’s music to two flautists, rather than just one.

NBS on YouTube

• 0:00 Adagio
• 3:20 Allegro ma non presto
• 6:58 Adagio e piano
• 8:52 Presto

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Lección No.48, Book 1, by Julio Sagreras (1879–1942). Free PDF sheet music for Classical Guitar with video lesson and performance. From his 1st method Las Primeras Lecciones de Guitarra. Late-Beginner or Easy-Intermediate (Post-Method Book Volume 1). PDF download.

My Free PDF Sheet Music 

• Leccion No.48, Book 1 by Sagreras (Free PDF) ↓

This is a great little work for students who have finished my Volume 1 Method Book or have just started my Volume 2 method. I’ll eventually be including this work in a free supplemental repertoire collection so look for that in the future. Julio Salvador Sagreras (22 November 1879 – 20 July 1942) was an Argentine guitarist, pedagogue, and composer. His many lessons are contained in a multi-volume method book that includes numerous studies. Here’s my Youtube Lesson Link if you want to watch it there.

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The Cornerstone Method for Classical Guitar: Grade 1
By Dr. Simon Powis via the Classical Guitar Corner Academy
PDF or Print Edition

Learn more or buy the book via CGC Publishing

I’m very excited to introduce you to a new beginner method book by Simon Powis via his excellent website and learning academy Classical Guitar Corner. I’ve followed Powis online for over a decade and if I had to sum up his teaching and resources with two words I’d say: thoughtful and caring. Not only does he present a super high quality and refined looking product but he offers all his knowledge and expertise with a progressive plan and a supportive and positive demeanour. Quality pedagogy and the well-being of the student come first with Powis. He’s built an incredible online community of students along with managers Nicoletta Todesco and David Belcher and other teachers. The tag line from his site says it all: “Learn Classical Guitar with a structured curriculum, dedicated teachers, and a supportive community.”

I was super interested to see the The Cornerstone Method both for my own interest in pedagogy but also because I knew that Powis would create something outstanding. The tricky thing about designing a method book is balancing the large amount of information needed without smothering enthusiasm and real musical experience. This is where the Cornerstone method shines. The abundance of guitar exercises, musicianship, and conceptual information is always followed by musical playing examples and duets to ensure the student will develop musically. Ensemble playing is an essential aspect of learning natural musicianship skills at early levels so it’s great to see so much of it.

You can watch the video below to learn more about the book but I think it’s worth mentioning that one of Powis’s strengths is that he’s publishing the book himself. Many publishing houses and methods need to have flashy marketing to make up for the lack of solid pedagogy. At 164 pages, he knows that building foundational classical guitar skills takes time and students need solid materials to accomplish the task. I would say 90% of methods out there move way too fast and are geared toward crossover students. This method is progressive, thoughtful, and thorough but with a balance of musical experiences to keep it feeling fresh and exciting. Plus, his original repertoire ensures the material is perfectly suited to the concepts being studied.

Although you can use this book on its own or with a teacher (better), you can also supplement the learning experience with additional video resources via his site to cover the rudiments of notation, free stroke, hand positions, sitting position, and more. Furthermore, if you need extra help you can always consider signing up for the academy to get all the support you need.

Summary

The Cornerstone Method for Classical Guitar: Grade 1 by Dr. Simon Powis is one of the best classical guitar methods today. With a wealth of thoughtful and encouraging exercises and repertoire, students are guided through the learning process with all the information, musical experiences, and encouragement they need to succeed. They can also explore additional video resources and consider joining the online academy for feedback and support. Lucky are the students who start their musical journey with Simon Powis and Classical Guitar Corner.

Learn more or buy the book via CGC Publishing

For my followers and users of my method book

If you’re currently using my method book volume 1 or 2, I highly recommend the Cornerstone method as an additional learning resource. We have very similar pedagogical approaches and none of the material or repertoire is duplicated making it an excellent resource for review, fresh insights, and a well-rounded and informed learning experience. There is nothing in the book that conflicts with my approach so go get your copy today!

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SoloDuo (Lorenzo Micheli & Matteo Mela) perform Prelude No.10 in B Flat Major Op.199 (Alla rumba) from Les Guitares bien tempérées, Op. 199 by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (1895–1968) at a live concert at Sibelius Academy, Helsinki, Finland. This comes via Micheli’s great YouTube channel. Op.199 is collection of 24 preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys for two guitars, 1962. Great performance as usual from SoloDuo with excellent motivic exchanges and control over the balance. Hopefully they post the fugue as well.

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Rebeca Oliveira performs her arrangement of Sonata K.67, Allegro, Minuet by the Portuguese composer Carlos Seixas (1704–1742), originally for harpsichord. This comes via her fantastic Youtube channel (go subscribe now). I’ve featured Oliveira a few times and I’m always excited to her new performances and arrangements of Carlos Seixas. Super clean playing here with everything in perfect order from excellent rhythmic delivery, phrasing, articulations, ornamentation, and voice separation. I’m so inspired from her performances and I feel I learn something every time I watch her videos. Here’s her YouTube description:

José António Carlos de Seixas, born in Coimbra, on June 11th 1704, was a leading figure in the 18th-century Portuguese music. It is acknowledged that he composed more than 700 Sonatas and Toccatas, but only around 100 survived until our days. The Lisbon earthquake of 1755 is responsible for the destruction of most of Seixas’ works. The Sonatas are typical examples of the stylistic ambiguity of the transitional period between the Baroque and Classical styles.

In Seixas’ Sonatas, it is possible to appreciate the juxtaposition between the European music of the time and the melancholic and nostalgic Portuguese character.

Via her YouTube

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Andantino in A Major, No.27, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) – Lesson, Performance, and Sheet Music. This is from my PDF or hardcopy sheet music edition for classical guitar: Le Papillon, No. 1-32, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani. Grades 1-7 and includes both a notation-only edition and a tab edition.

Le Papillon (The Butterfly), Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani consists of 32 pieces published by Giuliani in Vienna in 1815. The works are presented progressively from easy to mid-intermediate depending on the tempo. Le Papillon is a beautiful set of works which are perfect for students, professionals playing gigs, or players looking for nice easy pieces to practice or perform.

I would place this study at approximately the grade 5 level depending on your tempo. Here’s the YouTube Link for this lesson if you want to watch it there.

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Canadian guitarists Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan perform the double concerto Après l’éxode by Patrick Roux (b.1962) with conductor Kevin Mallon of Thirteen Strings. This comes via Cicchillitti’s YouTube channel. Excellent performance and concerto, here’s their info on the work via Youtube:

This is a work that Steve and I commissioned from six composers, entitled “Après l’éxode,” which was featured in our most recent project for guitar and chamber orchestra. Patrick Roux is one of Canada’s most celebrated composers of music for guitar, guitar ensemble, and guitar and orchestra. With over 75 original compositions of guitar music to his name, he is also one of the most prolific. Après l’éxode is part of a series of other guitar works centered around similar themes.

This second concerto that we are releasing on YouTube is very special to us. The piece is our second commission from Roux – our first was entitled “Ombres et lumières” and it appeared on our album Focus in 2019. The work is in four movements and evokes imagery of immigrants forced into exile from their homeland, seeking asylum in foreign lands. Though the composition of the piece pre-dates the Russian/Ukrainian conflict, it is particularly touching to consider the message of the work in that context.

Filmed at Carleton Dominion-Chalmers in Ottawa, Canada on March 18, 2022.
Conducted by Kevin Mallon, artistic director of Thirteen Strings.
Live-Stream Audio – Elias Dubelstein
Post-Production Audio – Drew Henderson
Video – Steve Johnston, Spencer Johnstone, John Cooke, Anthony King, Deanne Nishi, Nik Davis
Lighting – Dave Magladry

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The Virtual Guitar Orchestra project with an all-women orchestra perform Dusty Grooves by Clarice Assad (b.1978). The All-Women Virtual Guitar Orchestra is a special project that will feature all women guitarists, playing pieces by woman composers. This comes via the Virtual Guitar Orchestra’s YouTube channel where you can check out the description for their GoFundMe, sponsors, performers, and project leaders and crew. Great performance and piece and nice to see so many familiar and new guitarists.

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Easy Celtic Guitar Volume 2 – PDF sheet music for easy-intermediate classical guitar. Six Arrangements of Celtic Melodies (Scottish, Irish, and English Songs). Comes with both a notation-only edition and a TAB edition. The level is easy-intermediate (Grades 1-4), active but there are no barres or awkward chords or stretches. This is a PDF Download.

My PDF Sheet Music Edition

• Easy Celtic Guitar Volume 2 from Werner Guitar Editions

Songs in Volume 2

• Bedlam – English
• The Bonny Lighter Boy – English/Scottish
• O’Carolan’s Draught by Turlough O’Carolan (1670-1738)
• Cockles and Mussels (Molly Malone) – Irish
• The Girl I Left Behind Me – Irish
• My Lodgings is on the Cold Ground (Irish) – Arranged by Catharina Pratten (1824-1895)

Video Performances

More Videos Coming this Week.

Youtube links if you want to watch it there: Bedlam, The Bonny Lighter Boy,

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Allegro in D Major, No.26, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) – Lesson, Performance, and Sheet Music. This is from my PDF or hardcopy sheet music edition for classical guitar: Le Papillon, No. 1-32, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani. Grades 1-7 and includes both a notation-only edition and a tab edition.

Le Papillon (The Butterfly), Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani consists of 32 pieces published by Giuliani in Vienna in 1815. The works are presented progressively from easy to mid-intermediate depending on the tempo. Le Papillon is a beautiful set of works which are perfect for students, professionals playing gigs, or players looking for nice easy pieces to practice or perform.

I would place this study at approximately the grade 6 level depending on your tempo. Here’s the YouTube Link for this lesson if you want to watch it there.

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Canadian guitarist David Jacques plays an anonymous Air Italiano & Doubles (Anon. Ms Hertzberg Mus.Ms a 5038, National Library, Norway) on a Didier Nicolas Aîné, c.1780 original baroque guitar. Charming little works and performance with some excellent flowing articulations and pacing. See his website to view his collection of historical guitars.

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The amazing Liying Zhu performs Danza Colombiana from Suite Latina by Michael Langer on a 2022 Dietmar Heubner classical guitar. This comes via Guitar Salon International and their YouTube channel. Every time I hear Liying Zhu play I’m blown away by her virtuosity and overall musicality. Her playing is so fluid, rhythmic, clean, and well phrased and with tempos that push the limit. Amazing.

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Canadian guitarists Adam Cicchillitti and Steve Cowan perform The Turing Test (2019) by Alex Burtzos (b.1985) for two amplified guitars, fixed media electronics and GuitarAMI. Premiered at the 21st Century Guitar conference. GuitarAMI: 21st Century Augmented Guitars: A project proposed by Edu Meneses, Researcher / Instrument Designer. “The GuitarAMI uses sensors installed non-invasively in classical guitars to generate data from gestures that control algorithms to overcome these limitations, providing new possibilities of expression for the performer.” You can read more about the GuitarAMI here. Excellent project with some fantastic playing by Cicchillitti & Cowan. Great orchestration in the composition by Burtzos. Despite all the amazing electronics, devices, and coding involved, the guitar comes out very nicely and interacts well with media part.

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The Great Necks guitar trio with Adam Levin, Scott Borg, and Matthew Rohde perform Aragonesa and Cubana from Cuatro Pièzas Españolas by Manuel De Falla (1876-1946), arranged by Gregg Nestor. This comes via their YouTube channel. I’ve featured Adam Levin a few times on the site so it’s great to see his trio making videos. They also have a new album titled Impressions of Spain, which catalogues newly arranged works by Granados, Turina, De Falla, Albeniz and a tiny miniature by Ravel. Beautiful performances throughout with excellent group phrasing, exchanges between the parts, and a nicely blended sound.

You can check out their album via Navona Records where you can find links to buy or stream the album. Below is some more info and the album cover.

On IMPRESSIONS OF SPAIN from Navona Records, the critically acclaimed guitar trio enchants and excites with their performance of Spanish-influenced works from master composers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Arranged and adapted for guitar trio by Gregg Nestor, the unexplored repertoire of five composers cascades across guitar frets in this recording, communicating themes of love, poetry and literature, spanish dance, and the spirit of Spain itself through music. Experience the works of Isaac Albéniz, Maurice Ravel, Enrique Granados, Joaquín Turina, and Manuel de Falla through a new and virtuosic voice.

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Andantino Grazioso in D Major, No.25, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) – Lesson, Performance, and Sheet Music. This is from my PDF or hardcopy sheet music edition for classical guitar: Le Papillon, No. 1-32, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani. Grades 1-7 and includes both a notation-only edition and a tab edition.

Le Papillon (The Butterfly), Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani consists of 32 pieces published by Giuliani in Vienna in 1815. The works are presented progressively from easy to mid-intermediate depending on the tempo. Le Papillon is a beautiful set of works which are perfect for students, professionals playing gigs, or players looking for nice easy pieces to practice or perform.

I would place this study at approximately the grade 4 level but for this one it is especially depending on your tempo. Here’s the YouTube Link for this lesson if you want to watch it there.

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Allegro in A Major, No.24, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani (1781-1829) – Lesson, Performance, and Sheet Music. This is from my PDF or hardcopy sheet music edition for classical guitar: Le Papillon, No. 1-32, Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani. Grades 1-7 and includes both a notation-only edition and a tab edition.

Le Papillon (The Butterfly), Op.50 by Mauro Giuliani consists of 32 pieces published by Giuliani in Vienna in 1815. The works are presented progressively from easy to mid-intermediate depending on the tempo. Le Papillon is a beautiful set of works which are perfect for students, professionals playing gigs, or players looking for nice easy pieces to practice or perform.

I would place this study at approximately the grade 4 level but for this one it is especially depending on your tempo. Here’s the YouTube Link for this lesson if you want to watch it there.

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Alec Holcomb performs Danza Característica “Quítate de la Acera” (1957) by Leo Brouwer (b.1939). This comes via Holcomb’s YouTube Channel. Excellent performance with risk and precision all wrapped up with rhythmic confidence and musicality. I love his dynamic work that he fits in between all the mad accents and gestures. Good description via his YouTube: “This is one of the sassiest little pieces in the classical guitar repertoire, and this video was very fun to make.” Alec holcomb is classical guitarist from Nashville, Tennessee, you can read more about him at his bio page here.

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Bret Williams plays his own work Film Grain from his new album Three Compositions. You can listen to the album via Spotify or Apple. Great performances and beautiful compositions fill his new album with an abundance of musicality and charm. The album has two more great works. Time with People has some peaceful moments and very nice melodic work. Young and Old has a constantly unfolding texture that works incredibly well both musically and on the instrument. Hopefully he’ll be publishing the scores as well as the rest of the works via video. You might already know Bret via his amazing podcast Classical Guitar Insider where you can listen to 156 episodes of interviews with musicians, journalists, and luthiers. Check it out.

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