This guitar duo concert was in a village in Bedfordshire a few years ago. It was winter so it was dark and I took the train. Walking from the village station I had the sensation of exciting disorientation since I didn’t know the place, even though - looking at Marston on a map afterwards - I was still pretty close to Bedford.
There was a respectable amount of people there. Despite the guitar being a very old and popular instrument in general, a classical guitar concert is still fairly niche. I think its popularity as a concert instrument ebbs and flows at different times in different parts of the world. Its prevalence is because as a solo instrument which anyone can learn at home it is rather perfect.
The stand out pieces, which I still remember quite well a few years later, include parts of a suite by Olga Amelkina-Vera, a piece by John Dowland and it was also the first time I’d heard the popular Asturias by Isaac Albeniz. I should mention that although now years later I’ve probably over-listened to that Asturias piece, this first time felt momentous. It’s a solo piece, so Valerie played it alone, with her duo partner Rod sitting amongst the audience to listen which gave it an extra sense of gravitas. Valerie also has a wonderful lattice braced Greg Byers guitar, which seemed to project really well and seems a grand powerful instrument.
I loved the banter between the two guitarists - is it me or are even classical guitarists cooler than the other musicians?
I am always curious about classical guitarists in general. I do consider professional guitarists and luthiers to be two sides of the same coin. I’ve thought that ever since I met luthier Yuris Zeltins in Spain, who mentioned that both luthiers and guitarists have to be quite mad to go professional in this field. I could already attest to that regarding guitar makers, but it increased my curiosity and admiration for players. Although come to think of it, the same is probably true for all musicians, and most crafts.
I believe I was just about to move into a new workshop in Bromham, and this concert inspired the first guitar I built there - a spruce/birdseye maple classical, which was Torres/Romanillos inspired - and probably pushed me over the edge into complete dedication towards guitar building.
https://www.valeriehartzell.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/rod.faulkner.5494