The Cello Suites by Bach, as well as the Preludes by Villa Lobos, will need little to no introduction to most classical guitar lovers. They are cornerstones of our repertoire for very good reasons, and it is always a pleasure and challenge to perform them.
The music of Houghton is also likely to be familiar to classical guitarists, and Stéle is a beautifully evocative work that has been performed all over the world for more than two decades.
The two works, by Davies and Szászi respectively, are both almost brand new, and I have been lucky enough to work with both of the composers on these works. Davies explores the idea of flow and continuity, while Szászi’s Hommage à Charles Bukowski starts with an innocent rondo theme, and ends with all six strings of the guitar tuned to E (!), with the piece and guitar almost falling apart.
The contrast between well known and completely new works is something I find very exciting and stimulating, and I’m really looking forward to presenting this programme.