Bristol Classical Guitar Society

August 2024 Meetup
2024-08-08 19:30 - 22:30 (Europe/London) | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Early Slot 7.30 – 7.55pm: Member’s Talk
Vince Smith: Thinking about Sight Reading

First Session 8-9.00pm
Ensemble

Second Session 9.15-10.00pm
Solos
(Optional) theme for the solos this month: “The Rest of the World” Showcase. We hear so much music from West European, North American, and Latin American composers. So this month, play something from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Polynesia, anywhere but the usuals!

2024 Members' Summer Concert
2024-07-11 19:30 - 22:00 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Please come along to support our members!
Get the pdf programme here.

BCGS — Members’ Summer Concert Programme
Carry Me Home by Simon Powis
Cari, Peter
Água e Vinho by Egberto Gismonti (b: 1947), arr. Assad
Cari, Thorben
Farewell to Stromness by Peter Maxwell Davies (1934—2016) arr. Raymond Burley
Cari, Thorben, Peter
Danza Del Altiplano by Leo Brouwer (b: 1939)

Andy Fagan
Despite the Falling Snow from Winterbourne Preludes by Stephen Goss (b: 1964)
Alan Montague
A Day in November by Leo Brouwer (b: 1939)
Steve Watson
In my Life by Lennon & McCartney (1940-1980, b:1942)
Tony Lewis
Somewhere & Maria by Leonard Bernstein (1918—1990)
Oblivion by Astor Piazzolla (1921—1992)
Tony Lewis and Tim Rigley
– – – – – – 20 Minute Intermission – – – – – –
Wine, juice, or water is available
Lute Concerto in D (Adagio) by Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Vince & Tony Mulholland
Flow My Tears by John Dowland (1563-1626)
Rosemary’s Sister by Huw & Tony Williams
Tony Mulholland, Sarah, Vince
Classical Gas by Mason Williams (b: 1938)
Mario Toner-Reece
Sevilla by Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909)
Paul Bradshaw
Sonidos de Aquel Día by Quique Sinesi (b: 1960)
Kurt Tipler
Romance from Lieutenant Kije by Sergei Prokoviev (1891—1953)
St Paul’s Suite : Jig by Gustav Holst (1874—1934)
BCGS Ensemble

June 2024 Meetup
2024-06-13 19:30 - 22:00 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Early Slot 7.30 – 7.55 pm – Member’s Talk
Nick Regan: “The Moods of Key Signatures”

First Session 8-9.00pm
Ensemble

Second Session 9.15-10.00pm
Solos
(Optional) theme for the solos this month: A modern etude (20th or 21st century). Think Villa-Lobos, Brouwer, Garcia, Nuttall…

May 2024 Meetup and Luke Bartlett
2024-05-09 19:30 - 22:00 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Early Slot 7.30 – 7.55
Solos
(Optional) theme for the solos this month: Latin America

First Session 8-9.00pm
Ensemble

Second Session 9.15-10.00pm
Recital by rising star Luke Bartlett, IGF Young Artist 2024 and Julian Bream Trust scholar

Giacomo Susani - BCGS Concert Series 2024
2024-04-20 19:30 - 21:30 | Saint Stephens Church, 21 St Stephen’s Street, Bristol, Bristol, BS1 1EQ, United Kingdom
BCGS CONCERT SERIES 2024
“He is a guitarist with myriad colours and bold sensitivity”
BBC Music Magazine
Giacomo Susani’s work both in the field of performance and of composition places him into a unique and versatile role in the world of music. His interest in exploring the creative possibilities of his instrument allowed him to develop a personal approach to interpretation that is met with enthusiasm internationally.
As a guitarist he conducts a busy performing career across Europe and is the winner of several prestigious awards, among which the New York Respighi Prize in Composition in 2022 and the London International Guitar Competition in 2016 stand out. He has been an artist supported and represented by The Julian Bream Trust, The Countess of Munster Musical Trust, the Park Lane Group and the City Music Foundation.
As a composer his music has been played and recorded all around the world, by such artists as Grammy Award winners David Russell and Jason Vieaux and Creu de Sant Jordi awardee Stefano Grondona, and it has received critical acclaim on international reviews. For the label Stradivarius he recorded two solo albums: “Giacomo Susani plays Petrassi, Bach, Tansman, Weiss” (2015) and “Gebeth. Romantic music for Guitar. Mertz, Regondi” (2018), which both received audience acclaim and critic recognition in important musical and guitar reviews (“Classical Guitar Magazine”, “BBC Music”, “Gendai Guitar”, “Il Fronimo”, “Amadeus”, “American Record Guide”).
Giacomo was a guitar teacher at the Junior Department of the Royal Academy of Music (London) from 2019 to 2023, is currently artistic director of the “Homenaje” International Guitar Festival (Padova) and co-artistic director and teacher of the Residenze Erranti.
He studied guitar with Stefano Grondona in Italy and Micheal Lewin in England, composition with Michele Brugnaro, Francesco Antonioni and Stephen Goss. Between 2014 and 2018 he had the privilege of working closely with Julian Bream, as the recipient of the Julian Bream Trust Scholarship and as of 2023 he studies conducting with Gilberto Serembe at the Italian Conducting Academy.
In 2022 and 2023 respectively he was awarded two Golden Guitars by the “Convegno Internazionale di Chitarra di Milano”. He is a D’Addario artist.
https://www.giacomosusani.com/
“Among the most interesting names of today’s Guitar”
Amadeus
Programme
F. Sor
Sonata op.15
G Susani
Fantasia in Forma Lirica (Omaggio a Pasolini)
M. Pasieczny
Tate Sonata
– Ad un tratto
– Furioso
– Ostinato
– Variations and finale
INTERVAL
G. F. Handel
Simple Fugue in D Major (arr. G. Susani)
G. Susani
Dialogo (Omaggio a Lauro)
S. Goss
Pierrot, or Harlequin?
M. Ravel
Menuet sur le nom de Haydn (arr. G. Susani)
G. Susani
The Blue Madeleine
– Familiar Dreams
– Arioso
– Aria
– Cypresses

April 2024 Meetup and Stephen Goss
2024-04-11 19:30 - 22:00 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Early Slot 7.30 – 7.55
Solos
(Optional) theme for the solos this month: A piece by a British Composer

First Session 8-9.00pm
Ensemble

Second Session 9.15-10.00pm – Visiting Artist
Stephen Goss Talk: “The delusion of urtext”: Are we taking music too literally?

Short Recital: Better Call Duo
2024-03-14 21:15 - 22:00 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
As part of the March monthly meetup, Italian Duo “Better Call Duo” (Chieko and Stefano) will give a recital in the third slot (21:15 – 22:00).
Better Call Duo have won more than 20 International Competitions, and given over 2000 concerts all over the world in prestigious festivals and halls. In addition to international TV and radio broadcasts, they’ve recorded for important recording label including Brilliant Classics, Bridge Records NY, Nuova Era, EdiPan, Rivo Alto, Sonic View, Niccolò, Guitart Collection, Da Vinci Classics.
Programme available here.
Non-members are also welcome to attend! Tickets £7, payable on the night at the hall (card accepted) or available to purchase at https://buytickets.at/bristolclassicalguitarsociety/1178933 (BCGS Members free)
https://www.bettercallduo.com

March 2024 Meetup and Better Call Duo
2024-03-14 19:30 - 22:00 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Early Slot 7.30 – 7.55
Solos
(Optional) theme for the solos this month: Classical and Early Romantic Etude. Play an Etude by a composer like Sor, Carcassi, Carulli, Giuliani, Aguado, Diabelli, Regondi… if it says study, estudio or etude, play it!

First Session 8-9.00pm
Ensemble

Second Session 9.15-10.00pm – Visiting Artist Short Recital
better-call-duo-programme.pdf
Better Call Duo

Feburary 2024 Meetup
2024-02-08 19:30 - 22:00 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Early Slot 7.30 – 7.55 Member’s Talk
Cari Aplin: Luise Walker

First Session 8-9.00pm
Ensemble

Second Session 9.15-10.00pm
Solos

January 2024 Meetup and AGM
2024-01-11 19:30 - 22:30 | Unitarian Meeting Hall, Unitarian Meeting Hall, Brunswick Square, Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8PE, United Kingdom
Early Slot 7.40 – 7.55
Solos

First Session 8-9.00pm
Ensemble (see email from Francisco about the new Prokofiev piece — please bring your part along!)

Second Session 9.15-10.30pm
AGM

Members, please try to make it for the AGM – shape the future of your society!
