Edward Elgar, the composer of such unguitaristic tunes such as “Land of Hope and Glory” used to gather with a group of friends behind the Elgar Brother’s music shop near Worcester in order to play music every Sunday afternoon when he was young and not yet a knight.
Fair treatment for musicians traveling on planes with their instruments
Just in case you missed this first time round. Hopefully, this has had an effect as it did in the USA.
Petition | Fair treatment for musicians traveling on planes with their instruments | Change.org.
West Dean 2013 – more
Here are some nice pictures by West Dean stalwart, Bill Brooks
And here is the first performance of my piece for guitar and guitar orchestra “Heart of the Rose”, played by Alison Bendy and the West Dean Festival orchestra at the final concert.
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and the winner of the West Dean Guitar raffle is…
West Dean Guitar Summer School raised money for its bursary fund for young guitarists by raffling off a guitar generously donated by luthier Earl Marsh.
This guitar is named “Celine” and has a very beautiful back and sides made from bird’s eye maple. It was donated by Earl and its case was donated by Hiscox Cases.
The surprise winner was… Continue reading
More Britten Nocturnal?
West Dean 2013 2 – photo selection
West Dean – view from front door
West Dean 2013 1
West Dean – the name conjures up well appointed gardens, a flint covered manor in the middle of the rolling Sussex countryside, sheep, cream teas, Surrealists, the eccentric Edward James and a lively yet dignified community of craftsmen and women, engaged in furniture making, restoration, stained glass, tapestry, blacksmithing, and crafts we only read about in books.
Congress Passes Bill Standardizing Airline Rules for Musical Instrument Storage
Congress Passes Bill Standardizing Airline Rules for Musical Instrument Storage | News | BMI.com.
At last, some progress – we can only hope that this becomes worldwide.
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Dark Sky – more
In case anyone is interested, Dark Sky, the Chinese piece on which I based my concerto first movement is a Taiwanese song about an old couple fighting about what to cook!
Here is a version which influenced my choice by Maestro Wenarto, an artist, crossfitter, singer, Youtube opera star and aeronautical/astronautical engineer – I hope you enjoy. It’s worth sitting through to the end.
Hans Gál – new recording
I have already written about Hans Gál, the Austrian Jewish composer who left Nazi occupation to live in Edinburgh and got an OBE. He died aged 97, but his music has not had the same longevity so conductor, cellist, author and guitarist Kenneth Woods has been resurrecting his symphonies in a series of CDs.
