Worcester Classical Guitar Society
The Guitar Society promotes ensemble playing for guitarists of all ages and abilities. We have a Guitar Orchestra, a Youth Guitar Orchestra (WYGO) and the long-standing Worcester Guitar Quartet. We also encourage other ensembles and solo playing.
New members are very welcome - just follow the rehearsals link below and join us at St. George's
Read on for all the news on artists, concerts and other random ramblings that may be of interest.
We also have some guitar music videos for you to enjoy.
Saturday October 4th
7:30 pm
Letters from Paris
Alexandra Whittingham
In her new recording for Decca, Alexandra brings us some well known and some lesser known pieces in solo guitar, ensembles and guitar duet. She tries to expand the classical guitar repertoire, so you are unlikely to find these tracks on any other of your classical guitar recordings. The familiar might include pieces by Charles Aznavour and Edith Piaf for example.
We have music for guitar and string ensemble, guitar and cello, guitar and saxophone. The guitar duets are with Stephanie Jones and are particularly striking performances.
Letters from Paris - a flavour of France then, but letters, not postcards and well worth taking the time to peruse and soak up the sounds and those flavours of France.
The music is available on CD and digital download - link to Presto Music website below. Also available on the major streaming platforms.
Presto Music Website HERE
Barbourne
April 25th 2026
Amanda Cook
Save The Date!
Dubbed “The guitar queen with a silken touch” by The Independent newspaper, Amanda has appeared as a soloist in the USA, South America and throughout Europe. In the UK venues include the South Bank, Wigmore Hall, St George’s Bristol, King’s Place & The Sage Gateshead. Her highly acclaimed performances are always noted for their sensitive musicality, fluid technique, and ability to draw the audience in to her world.
We are pleased to announce that Amanda will be a guest of Worcester Classical Guitar Society next April when she will be playing at St. George’s Church Hall in Barbourne. We are thrilled to have Amanda as our guest and looking forward to her recital. This event is of course open to the public.
More details will follow, so please check back here from time to time. In the meantime, to get a flavour of Amanda’s skills, follow the link below to hear her play an arrangement of Lullaby of Birdland.
Watch Amanda Cook HERE
Roberto Gonzáles-Monjas
Music Director
Spanish Galicia Symphony Orchestra
With Guitarist Thibaut Garcia
Thibaut Garcia again!
This time the Franco-Spanish guitarist will be highlighting his Spanish heritage in this evening of music with the Spanish Galicia Symphony Orchestra (Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia), led by Music Director Roberton Gonzáles-Monjas. The programme includes dances from de Falla’s Three Cornered Hat, Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite, Turina’s Sonfonia Sevillana and the world famous Concerto de Aranjuez, by Rodrigo.
An evening of dances, folk melodies and orchestral depictions of the architecture and culture of Spain. Classical guitarists will know the Rodrigo Concerto well and will certainly appreciate this performance by the Orchestra and the gifted guitarist Thibaut Garcia.
The performance is at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall on Aprill 11th 2026. Please follow the link below for further details and tickets.
Tickets Available HERE
Birmingham
March 31st
Katona Twins
Birmingham Old Rep
The Katona Twins will be embarking upon a UK Tour towards the end of March and will be performing at Birmingham’s Old Rep Theatre on Tuesday March 31st.
The critically acclaimed duo has given recitals in the major concert venues throughout the world including performances at the Carnegie Hall, the Wigmore Hall, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Konzerthaus in Vienna, the Suntory Hall in Tokyo,and the Philharmonie in Cologne.
In 2009, as the soloists of the "Night of the Proms" they performed live to half a million people in arenas across Europe.
This tour will be inspired by their recent “Alhambra Inspirations “ CD and will treat us to an evening of Spanish music from the likes of Tarrega, Albeniz, Granados etc. The Twins always give an engaging performance and have incredible coordination in their ensemble playing.
Tickets from EventBrite HERE
Chapeau Satie
Xufei Yang
Music From Erik Satie
Xufei Yang has now released her new album, featuring the music of Erik Satie, celebrating the centenary of his death in 1825. Satie, born Eric Alfred Leslie Satie, to a British mother and French father was something of an enigma. He studied at the Paris Conservatoire but was an undistinguished student and did not obtain a diploma. His later studies at the Schola Cantorum were much more successful and he became very influential, during his lifetime he influenced Maurice Ravel, Calude debussy and Francois Poulenc.
The “Chapeau” refers to Satie’s life in Montmartre when he was renowned for wearing a bowler hat, with one of his 12 identical velvet corduroy suits…….!!
Satie’s music was mainly written for solo piano and in Xufei Yang’s album his Gnossiennes and Gymnopédies are well represented. Amongst Satie’s other compositions are arrangements for voice and guitar, featuring the French soprano Heloise Werner and also transcriptions for guitar and flute with flautist Sharon Bezaly .
Below is a link to the Presto Music website where you can hear samples of all pieces on the album, the following is a quotation from Xufie Yang’s own website:
"To mark the centenary of Satie, Xuefei Yang has reimagined his music for guitar. The album is a chocolate box packed with familiar favourites and rarer truffles, tied together with a beautiful new piece by Werner (Mélancolie)"
Presto Music HERE
Bromsgrove Artrix
Friday April 21st
Remi Harris Hot Club Trio
Gypsy Jazz
Remi Harris will be bringing his Hot Club Trio to Bromsgrove’s Artrix Theatre on Friday April 21st Joining Remi will be double bassist Tom Moore and rhythm guitarist Chris Nesbitt.
The inspiration for the music and style is of course Django Reinhardt’s Quintet du Hot Club de France and the trio will be treating the audience to an evening of Gypsy Jazz and Blues. Music from Django and Stephane Grapelli of course but also inspiration from Remi’s other influences such as Peter Green, Wes Montgomery, Jimi Hendrix and Joe Pass.
Remi’s recent “Man of The World” concert i n Huntingdon Hall was a sell-out and the playing extraordinary. There is another chance to see that line up in action too, as the Blues Rock Roadshow tours in June visiting Worcester’s Marrs Bar among other venues.
Hot Club Artrix Tickets HERE
Blues Rock Roadshow HERE
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