Returns

Nice to hear a group return so soon.  This was four ANUSOM guitar students, Abel Lawson, Hong Anh Do, Benjamin van der Niet and Shane Campbell.  They each played solo then those other than Shane played a trio.  All musicians play Bach and several also did here but otherwise the music was mostly of a Spanish tinge, a standard style for classical guitar.  Perhaps the choices of Hong Anh Do were outside the norm, with titles in French and Italian and perhaps also stylistically different.  I enjoyed the trio given the more complex interplay of lines and the longer solo piece by Shane, three movements from Antonio Jose Suite Compostelana para guitar.  I expect you learn Spanish language as well as musical styles when playing guitar.  Nice outing.

Abel Lawson, Hong Anh Do, Benjamin van der Niet and Shane Campbell (guitars) performed at Wesley.

Much nylon

Today's Wesley was a six string of classical guitars from ANU, mostly playing solo but one trio.  Playing Bach and various Spanish and Latin American composers.  It's a common repertoire for this instrument and attractive.  I thought at one stage of guitar as one of those instruments that's a "whole orchestra".  I say that about piano and it's the great instrument of this type, but guitar does it too.  I think it's the ability to play multiple lines, melodies and chords, contrasting harmonies and even sometimes rhythms.  I felt that in some of the Spanish styles, if less in Bach.  Three of the four finished the concert with an intriguing trio piece that was very different, not least for being an ensemble work.  First up a bass line and opening chords that suggesting blues changes then into more classical structures, then passing melodies and accompaniment between the players with short stops for thematic and role changes.  The work was Maximo Diego Pujol Fin de Siglo (1995).  That's one to chase up.  So an interesting survey of classical guitar by a capable quartet of players.

Abel Lawson, Hong Anh Do, Benjamin van der Niet and Shane Campbell (classical guitars) played Bach and more at Wesley.