This week’s Music at Lunchtime recital featured the guitar ensemble, performing a selection of music by Derek Hasted, as well as Francesca, who played Peter Nuttall’s Two Together duets alongside guitar teacher Ioana Ford.
The guitar ensemble, comprising Francesca, Edward, and Will, together with their teacher Ioana Ford, opened the recital with Diff’rent Dances by Derek Hasted. These pieces, as the title suggests, showcased a variety of rhythms, tempos, and dynamics, highlighting the versatility of the guitar as an instrument. The lively, dance-like quality of the music, combined with its rhythmic complexity, made for an energetic and uplifting performance.
Francesca and Mrs Ford then performed Two Together, a suite of duets for guitar by Peter Nuttall. This engaging set of five movements draws on a range of musical styles and influences, offering both performers ample opportunity to explore its rich contrasts. While several of the pieces are introspective and mysterious, Las Manitas, the fourth movement, brought a spirited touch with its Spanish dance-inspired rhythms. Francesca and Mrs. Ford skillfully wove the melodic lines together, creating a conversation between the two guitars. Their performance was very expressive, capturing the distinctive character of each movement with clarity and precision.
Congratulations to all the performers for a polished performance!
The recording from this week’s concert is available online here.
Next week’s Music at Lunchtime recital will feature Form 5 pupil Ryan, playing music for percussion by Jill Jarman, Boris Papandopulo & Emmanuel Séjourné accompanied by Cason Kang on the piano.
