Outline programme for the public concerts

The programmes for the public concerts on Saturday and on Sunday are similar, but not identical.  They include:

• Gerald Garcia: Lorca Concerto for Two Guitars and Guitar Orchestra, played by Alegria, with Duo Flâmas as soloists
  
• Antonio Vivaldi:  Concerto Grosso, played by Guitar'Essonne
• Celso Machado: South American music, played by Guitar'Essonne
• Jesus Guridi:  Basque music, played by Guitar'Essonne
• Claude Debussy (arr Peter Rueffer): Three movements from Suite Bergamasque (Prelude, Passepied and Clair de Lune), played by Cambridge Guitar Orchestra (Saturday only)
  
• Chris Dumigan: An English Idyll, played by Cambridge Guitar Orchestra  (Saturday only)
• Gerard Cousins: Cantus Tintinnabulous - Homage to Arvo Pärt, played by Gerard Cousins (Sunday only)
• Arvo Pärt (arr Peter Rueffer): Summa, played by all three orchestras together (Sunday only)

Alegria

Alegria is a group of about 20 enthusiastic guitar players with a repertoire ranging from renaissance to pop music. As well as  their much-loved classic guitars, Alegria includes bass and octave guitars and sometimes adds percussion, flute, recorder or cello. Alegria was founded in 1996, and Marleen Casteele is their conductor. Alegria has participated in many events such as ‘Day of the Guitar’, ‘Culture Market’ and competitions, both in Belgium and abroad. Alegria members enjoy meeting other Belgian and foreign guitar orchestras, with whom they have organised joint concerts. They have already met Cuerda (Antwerp), Color (Schaarbeek), Cambridge Guitar Orchestra (UK), Guitar’Essonne (France), Lybra Guitar Orchestra (Italy) and Rheine Guitar Orchestra (Germany), and  hope to meet many more guitar orchestras! For more information about Guitar Orchestra Alegria, visit www.gitaarensemble-alegria.be .

Duo Flâmas

When Flore and Astrid first met in the guitar class of the Lemmens Institute, Leuven, it was immediately apparent that they were on the same wavelength. They both obtained a Masters in music, specializing in chamber music and decided to share their passion, especially for the guitar, via their newly formed guitar duo ‘Duo Flâmas’. They have performed in a wide range of  venues, both in Belgium and abroad, and have a special way of drawing you into the complicity of their playing.  For more information about the Duo Flâmas, visit  www.gitaarduoflamas.be.

Guitar'Essonne

The Orchestre Guitar'Essonne consists of around 15 guitarists, mainly amateurs, based in the region of the Essonne Département on the outskirts of Paris. The orchestra provides a forum in which every member can contribute to the shared performance. The repertoire is very varied, ranging from transcriptions of classical works by Telemann, Bach and Vivaldi, through Spanish and Latin-American music, to film music and works by contemporary composers. The orchestra was founded by Quito Se Sousa, its Musical Director, and has taken part in exchanges with orchestras from Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Czech Republic, Norway, Seychelles and UK.  For more information on Guitar'Essonne, visit:  www.guitare-essonne.com/ . 

Gerard Cousins

Gerard Cousins has performed all over the world from Peru to Pakistan. His unique choice of repertoire includes his Welsh inspired original compositions & arrangements as well as works by contemporary composers such as Mark Anthony Turnage, John Tavener, Takashi Yoshimatsu and Hilary Tann. He combines his natural musicality and formidable technique with a remarkable singing quality to create a fresh and spontaneous approach to all the works he performs. His latest CD Hiraeth has been described by Classical Guitar Magazine as a must for all serious collectors of classical guitar recordings.  For more information on Gerard Cousins, visit:  http://www.gerardcousins.com/