After a very long flight (via Beijing) I am down in Sydney, Australia and we are ready to start the Sydney Classical Guitar Summer School tomorrow. The teachers include Tim Kain, John Couch, Giusseppe Zangari, Oliver Fartach Naini, Raffaele and Janet Agostino, Richard Charlton and Chris Keane. It is a great line up, a group that I have worked with several times before.
This summer school has a special place in my heart because I used to come here as a student. Back in 2000 (I think) I came9 to participate in what was a fairly intimidating setting. A lot of good players, teachers and a ton of ensemble music to be played. The school consists of small ensemble work, large guitar orchestra (I usually get placed on percussion in that one), masterclasses, workshops, and some concerts. I will be playing a solo concert on Sunday, which also happens to be my birthday, and giving a presentation of original materials that have been arranged or appropriated for the guitar repertoire.
I am excited as I feel I have come a long way as a teacher since I taught here last and I am keen to learn more from the experience. I found some great arrangements from Productions D’Oz which I purchased for my ensemble which includes a quartet of the Carmen Suite by Bizet.
It has been fun taking Evita around Sydney. Sometimes the best way to appreciate your home city is to take around a very excitable tourist. And, after all the stirring and jokes about Australia being full of dangerous animals…. we went to the beach to swim and we had to get out of the water due to a shark citing.
#wearegonnaneedabiggerboat
Also, a question for you out in internet land. I am trying out the lovely guitars made by Lance Litchfield, a luthier from Brisbane Australia, and I am really interested about how the spruce guitar is changing from day to day. So, my question is, how long do spruce guitars take to settle and open up to their full sound?
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