25 January: Alison Smith
Highly acclaimed, local musician, Alison Smith (www.alisonsmithguitar.com) has been described as one of the most exciting and lyrical guitarists to emerge in recent years. Delighting audiences with her fluid technique and expressive playing, she will be performing an exciting and varied programme, including works by Giuliani, Bach, Mertz, Ryan, Lovelady and Garcia.
Here is a taster: https://youtu.be/O1TR-qF1ehg
Having graduated with honours from Trinity College of Music, London in 1995, Alison went on to pursue postgraduate studies, graduating in 1997 with a Distinction in Performance. From 2002 to 2008, she taught guitar and coached chamber music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. More recently, she has given performances and talks as a guest artist at Plymouth University and is now the Classical Guitar tutor for the university’s BA Music (Hons) degree.
Alison performs at concert halls and festivals nationwide and in Europe, and has broadcast on national radio including BBC Radio 3 and BBC Radio Scotland. She has played eight times at the International Guitar Festival of Great Britain, where her performances were described as “enthralling…..demonstrated sheer virtuosity….superb technique and sensitivity”. Recently, she performed the World Premiere of ‘Rame Head’, a stunning new work written for her by the celebrated guitarist and composer William Lovelady; this is a piece inspired by the beautiful headland on the Rame Peninsula. She also recently performed in a special 80th Birthday Concert in London in a tribute to William Lovelady, together with Craig Ogden, the Grigoryan Brothers, Amanda Cook and others. She is currently Director of the Cawsand Bay Guitarfest, an exciting classical guitar weekend that includes workshops and performances by internationally renowned guitarists such as Craig Ogden, Eden Stell and Gerald Garcia.
‘musicality, dynamic differentiation, and sensitivity, with an almost mystic tension.’ Nortorfer Zeitung, Germany [translated, Fional Bubbers]
‘A master class of classical guitar, played with frindly charm and sublime expertise’
International Guitar Festival of Great Britain
Programme
Variations on a Theme of G. F Handel Op 107 Mauro Giuliani
(The Harmonious Blacksmith) (1781 – 1829)
Prelude & Tres Vite Johann Sebastian Bach
(From BWV 995) (1685 -1750)
Lough Caragh Gary Ryan
(1969 – )
Rame Head William Lovelady
(1945 – )
Etude No Eleven Heitor Villa Lobos
(1887 – 1959)
Interval
Edie Suite William Lovelady
(1945 – )
Sandvika Variations William Lovelady
(1945 – )
Etude No. 21 Gerald Garcia
Valse Lente (1949 – )
Presque Fin de Cycle
Etude No 22
Allegro di Antonio Cafe Venezolano
Etude No 24
Lento di Milonga
Hungarian Fantasy Johann Kaspar Mertz
(1806 – 1856)
