Hello!
After a busy couple of months, I finally have some much needed R&R time - and time to write another blog update!
At the start of November, I played Musica Argentina with the Woodside String Quartet in Liverpool. The programme consists of works by Astor Piazzolla and Claudia Montero and I absolutely love playing this fiery repertoire with the fabulous quartet. So far, we have two dates scheduled to play the programme again in the new year so please take a look at my Events page to see the details and hopefully you can come along. At the end of November, I played a really fun concert at The Big Room in Heswall and shared the concert with some amazing musicians. I played in rotation all night with a rock band and an Americana folk band. I found the concept of this concert really interesting: an evening of varied musical styles all in one room in one night; I hope that, from an audience perspective, this format was engaging and, hopefully, introduced people to music they perhaps wouldn't usually come across. 'Classical' music is often perceived as stuffy and formal and I feel that, in this environment, I was able to showcase beautiful [classical guitar] music in an accessible way. I also enjoyed some delicious cocktails post-concert which is always a good thing.
Though we are only at the beginning of December, I have already played two concerts this month and completed my 2021 engagements!
On 4th December, I played a groovy intimate concert Castle Park Arts Centre: An Evening of Latin American Music. The first half of the programme consisted of works by Astor Piazzolla and other Argentine composers and the second half was a mix of some of the guitar's most popular repertoire - and some hidden gems - from Latin America.
The next day, I shared a concert with two fabulous guitarists at Kings Place - Renata Arlotti and Bradley Johnson. The concert was part of the International Guitar Foundation's 'Guitar in London' series and it was a joy to once again play the piece I premiered in the summer: 'Finding The Way' by Florence Anna Maunders. I'm feeling more confident with it under my fingers after having a second run and can't wait to carry on bringing this awesome new work to more people.
My programme for this concert was:
Sadness and Forgotten (Impromptu) -- Catharina Josepha Pratten (1824-1895)
II. Largo from Sonatina -- Teresa de Rogatis (1893-1979)
Seascape -- Phyllis Tate (1911-1987)
Finding The Way -- Florence Anna Maunders (b. 1982)
Lately, I've been suffering with a bit of imposter syndrome and struggling to see and wondering where my place is in the music world. I think it's important to be true to yourself and your ambitions but I often grapple with the notion of tradition, canon, and (perceived) institutional expectation. I'm sure this is part of the process and I am sincerely grateful to those who are encouraging and supporting me - it really means a lot!
I have some ambitious and exciting projects and studies planned for 2022, so I'm looking forward to taking the next couple of months to spend time resetting and refreshing. During this time, I'll be working on new repertoire, engaging in focused and thoughtful practise, and drinking gallons of mulled wine.
Thanks for reading and hope to see you soon!
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