Posted by: Glenelg Guitar Studio | December 23, 2013

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE

Merry Christmas to everyone.

Chocolate guitars. Both my passions indulged. Danielle saw these in Germany and I hope she's bringing some home.

Chocolate guitars. Both my passions indulged. Danielle saw these in Germany and I hope she’s bringing some home.

Now Christmas brings lots of things together-holidays for most of us and a chance to unwind and think about the important things in life. For me some of the important things are Chocolate and Guitars, and if you can put them together then all the better!!!

Of course there is also my family and special greetings to Danielle in Germany (happy birthday for today girl) and to Jason who’s in China. Both are on study trips and return over the next seven months.

I would also like to thank everyone for subscribing to my website this year and I hope it has been entertaining, informative, relevant and at times amusing.
To those who have commented;  thank you for taking the time to do so and to those who I come in contact with either casually, or through our shared love of music, thankyou for your  friendship and for allowing me to be involved in your “musical journey”.

Finally, thank you to those who have helped me put together this website, my good friends and students Ian and Robyn, and of course my family Kath, Danielle and Jason. 

Merry Xmas Everyone
Leigh and Kath

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world  (Nelson Mandela) 

PS If you have any suggestions as to what you would like to see on this website in 2014 I would love to hear from you

1 Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

Posted by: Glenelg Guitar Studio | November 29, 2013

One Day in November

“Un día de Noviembre”, was written by Leo Brouwer for the sound track of Solás’s film by the same name. In the original version, the guitar was accompanied by flute, bass and percussion; Brouwer later transcribed the music for solo guitar.

This was “The golden age of the Cuban cinema, which reached its peak in the late 1960s,which seems miles away from the 1970s, when bureaucracy replaced spontaneity. During the first half of the 1970s, defined as the grey years, censorship was enforced… Solás suffered from this situation with “Un día de noviembre” (One Day in November, 1972), which he considers his most personal work. Though well received abroad, the film would not be viewed in Cuba until 1978. This painful experience led Solás to a crisis serious enough for him to consider giving up film making.” (from Julie Amiot, in “The Cinema of Latin America”, ed. A Elena, M Díaz López, 2003)

Maybe its worth finding this film, even just for the soundtrack.
Un día de noviembre (1972) Cuba 35 mm 110 min Director: Humberto Solás/ Script: Humberto Solás and Nelson Rodríguez/ Music: Leo Brouwer
Recording: La obra guitarrística de Leo Brouwer: Vol. I (Brouwer por Brouwer). Egrem, 2000

This piece is attainable by intermediate student so let me know if you want to add it you your repertoire.

Cheers
Leigh

 

Leave a Comment

Posted in Guitar performance | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Glenelg Guitar Studio | November 22, 2013

BLACKBIRD Anniversary today

Blackbird by the Beatles was released on November 22nd 1968, 45 years ago and has certainly stood the test of time as a classic piece. In fact as Paul McCartney explained on “Chaos and Creation at Abbey Road”, aired in 2005, that the guitar accompaniment for “Blackbird” was inspired by J.S. Bach’s Bourrée in E minor, a well known lute piece, often played on the classical guitar.

As children, he and George Harrison tried to learn Bourrée as a “show off” piece. The Bourree is distinguished by melody and bass notes played simultaneously on the upper and lower strings. McCartney adapted a segment of the Bourrée (reharmonised into the original’s relative major key of G) as the opening of “Blackbird”, and carried the musical idea throughout the song.

The Lyrics were explained by Mc Cartney as;  ” I was in Scotland playing on my guitar, and I remembered this whole idea of “you were only waiting for this moment to arise” was about, you know, the black people’s struggle in the southern states, and I was using the symbolism of a blackbird. It’s not really about a blackbird whose wings are broken, you know, it’s a bit more symbolic.”

This piece is attainable by intermediate student so let me know if you want to add it you your repertoire.
Cheers….Leigh

Leave a Comment

Posted in Glenelg Guitar Studio, Guitar performance | Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by: Glenelg Guitar Studio | November 2, 2013

FANTASTIC MUSIC THEORY RESULTS

Well our students have done it again. 4 students recently sat theory-of-music exams through the Australian Guild of Music and Speech and they achieved no less than 2 Distinction levels, a Credit and an Honours.

Everyone has their own reason for following a more formal path of learning, however I see that it improves their playing and pleasure by increasing confidence. Confidence means a greater understanding of the music and what they can achieve as well as broadening the range, styles and types of music they can play.

If you are interested in learning more about how undertaking theory of music exams can accelerate your Guitar playing please have a chat with me at your next lesson.

Finally, a BIG thankyou to the following;

1. The parents of these students for their ongoing support and commitment.

2.The music departments in the schools these children attend for the engaging and relevant music programs they offer.

GRADE ONE
Robert Allen 90 Distinction
Tori Buchanan 84 B+ Credit
Danielle Stander 100 High Distinction

GRADE FOUR
Joshua Kroehn 86 A Honours

Cheers.
Leigh

Leave a Comment

Posted in exams, Glenelg Guitar Studio, guild of music and speech

Posted by: Glenelg Guitar Studio | October 31, 2013

Sweet Home Alabama video

HI everyone,

There was a bit of a glitch in the “Sweet Home Alabama” recent article and many people didn’t get the video link to me playing the piece at the end.

So if you were one of them follow this link to the website to view the video.

Cheers
Leigh

Leave a Comment

Posted in Uncategorized

« Newer Posts - Older Posts »

Categories