We play an eclectic range of music. Over the years, we have played early music, an arrangement of an organ piece by Boellmann, pieces by Debussy, Ravel, Granados, contemporary music by the American composer (and former member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet) Andrew York and the Welsh composer Daniel Jones, a Latin American piece and a jazz piece in 7/8, this being played primarily using harmonics.
Our current repertoire includes arrangements of classical music as well as pieces composed specially for guitar orchestra.
Here are some examples of arrangements. The first are conducted by Valérie Hartzell, our current Musical Director; the last two are earlier recordings with Peter Rueffer, our previous Musical Director:
Rondeau, Air and Jig from Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen arranged by Peter Rueffer:
Franz Schubert’s song Auf dem Wasser zu singen (To be sung on the water), arranged by one of our members:
March from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, arranged by Peter Rueffer:
From Grieg’s Holberg Suite: Prelude, Air and Rigaudon, again arranged by Peter Rueffer:
As for original compositions for guitar orchestra, they include Gustav’s Dream by Olga Amelkina-Vera, and pieces by Mark Houghton and Chris Dumigan. Here are again some samples:
English Idyll by Chris Dumigan:
Grand Jig by Mark Houghton:
Further samples of our music can be heard on the “Our CDs” page and these CDs are available for purchase.
Finally, you may be interested in hearing Valérie Hartzell playing solo. Here are two clips from her YouTube channel, first playing Mark Houghton’s Dawn at Ynys Goch, then playing Fuoco by French composer Roland Dyens:
Please contact us if you are interested in our repertoire and would like more information.