Clarice Assad Interview

Natural born talent

By Fernando Bartolomé for MGE

We are in need of good musicians and good composers who love music. We are in need of musicians who have a personal brand and with new ideas and perspective about music. If we have the good fortune of having someone who also focus her attention on guitar we are in absolutely luck. And I’ve found this person in Clarice Assad.

As we can read in her webpage she is versatile, sophisticated, and accomplished, Clarice Assad is a sought after composer, pianist, and vocalist of musical depth and ability. Her music embraces a wide variety of styles, including her own original musical concepts.

I also could add she is a natural born musician who fell in love with music from a very young age, with a very wide range of musical influences, among them improvised music, Brazilian music or contemporary music, in very different timbres combinations and with a deep knowledge of music and instruments matters.

So, we are talking about one of most interesting musicians of the world on her own merit. Those of you who are trying to make a connection because of her surname between she and the Assad brothers are right. She is the Sergio Assad’s daughter, so we can make sure Clarice knows something about guitar and guitar ensembles.

She enjoys music and she express naturally as she said me on the interview: I made music because I loved it from a very young age.  So it was a natural step for me to improve my skills in order to express myself better.

The poor violas and cellos always at the side of the violins during so much time and now it comes Suite for lower strings, composed by you for violas and cellos with violin accompaniment. It represents a twist in history. Don’t you think so?

Within these standard types of ensembles, usually the lower strings really don’t get that much attention... But, due to the high level of playing from every section in the orchestra I work for (New Century Chamber Orchestra), we thought about playing with the idea of switching roles, and we had a lot of fun with it. 

Maybe this type of twist is happening with guitar in solo and ensemble context. So much time as a solo instrument in classical circles but rarely important on chamber music, or playing a secondary role, the guitar seems to stand out in ensembles context. Why do you think this is happening now?

It's a tricky question! But I think there is much more room in the classical music scene for the violin to act as a solo instrument. It is a solo instrument by nature; and historically, there has been much more music written for the instrument with this in mind. Think of all the sonatas, concerti, etc that were written for the violin vs. for the guitar.

There are many reasons why the guitar has fallen into its own special category. For example, the guitar is a soft instrument, easily covered by others, and not an easy instrument to write for.
Also, because the guitar has a tradition of having an 'accompaniment' role, it probably has made it even more difficult for it to thrive as a soloist instrument alone, because it can do much more than just play a solo line above other instruments.

Also, we live in a time that is filled with spectacular musicians, full of talent and who are all deserving to have solo careers, but the truth is that it is not possible to have that many soloists. This is the case with many other instruments, not just the guitar. I think that many violinists who start playing at a young age and end up going to school for it, are trained to become soloists, but not all of them end up making it as soloists and many times, this has nothing to do with their capabilities of delivering.

So, what happens after the school dream is over and musicians are out on their own trying to make a living? They unite. They create groups, they create projects, they find outlets for their music to be played and heard. And form that, I think, come the various combinations of instruments and ensembles. Even though the reality of how many of these groups are formed is harsh, in the end, I believe it to be a great thing - We are then forced to come up with creative combinations of instruments, ensembles, colors and ways of making music which were not possible before. This can only enrich the musical world.

When you compose a work, do you have in mind the characteristics of specific musicians or do you prefer to think only in music matters?
When I am commissioned a piece by a group or a soloist, I always think about them first.   Who are they? What would they like to say? The music becomes the result of an encounter between us.  To me, this makes all the difference in the world, because it is the musicians who will go out there and perform the work.  They need to feel very connected to what they are playing; they need to embrace the music.

You belong to one of the most important musicians’ families in the world. Your father, Sergio Assad, your uncle Odair, but also your grandfather was a good musican… Can you tell us how did you introduce into the musical world? When did you think of becoming professional musician?

I think it is a calling.  And I think we all had it.  My grandfather Jorge for instances, even though he was never a professional musician, his entire life revolved around music.  And he passed his passion onto his children (all of them) and grandchildren (all of us are very musically inclined)

I was writing an article on how to introduce kids into music and I tried to make clear the importance of create the right environment for the kids. Aside of the technical matters, having a good teacher is really important, what it counts when you are so young is the support, in all senses, of the family and the people around you. What about you? What did it count the most for you?

In my case, what was ‘unusual’ is that I didn’t get pushed to do anything.  I made music because I loved it from a very young age.  So it was a natural step for me to improve my skills in order to express myself better...   Support came in the form of opportunities.  For example, my mother Celia moved our family from the suburb to the city so that I could get better piano teachers... Later in my life, I was given the opportunity to study in a very reputable institution in the USA, thanks to my father Sergio and his wife Angela.  So yes, support is essential and come in very different ways...

Aside from the composer role, you are an accomplished pianist and singer. What do you think chamber music can do in musical education of a student?

I’ve never really had formal chamber music training in the classical sense.  But I had experience in jazz ensembles while at school, which were very valuable to me.  But the time when I had the most amazing experience within an ensemble was in Ann Arbor, when I participated in an all improvised ensemble.  We really had to be tuned in and listen very carefully to each other in order to make music in the moment.  It was very liberating for me. 

Ann Arbor is the name of the city where I went to school , it's in Michigan, and it’s SO COLD !!!
But the teacher there was Ed Sarath - AMAZING improvisor and teacher - played from his heart; had lots of experience creating music on the spot.
This whole notion of totally improvised music is not new, but I think it's more popular now than ever. I see there are many groups that specialize themselves in improvisation, and put on concerts that are improvised from beginning to end. It is not easy listening, but it can be an incredible experience for the listener -and for improvisors, even more!

You are the principal staff arranger for the New Century Chamber Orchestra, and the responsible for most of the orchestra’s musical arrangements. How do you construct the arrangement process? What things do you recommend to make a good arrangement?

To make a good arrangement, I recommend that we have an open mind and that we love the music we are arranging and if we don’t... We find a way to do so!

Well... It helps that I love NCCO and I am so proud to be their staff arranger.  I think of arranging the same way as I think of composing.  Even though the music is there, you are still creating something new out of what already exists.  This compositional approach leads me to explore more possibilities all around.  In the way I can use the instruments, the musicians, etc. 

Do you keep a place for improvisations on your compositions?

Sometimes. And I am starting to incorporate this more and more into my music as a whole. 

Do you think improvisation should be present in the musical education training?

Yes, absolutely.  I think that for the most part, musical improvisation is very organic, and something we all know how to do instinctively when we are young.   But, as we get older we tend to become more self conscious and lose the ability to express it... I think that making improvisation part of musical education training would engage students in thinking of a more organic approach to music and their instruments. 

I think one of the best options for the guitar is to play in quartet ensemble. There are a lot possibilities and combinations of timbres, counterpoint, dynamics, etc. and little by little this ensemble is becoming a standard one. Your contribution to guitar quartets is Danças nativas and Bluezilian, comissioned by Aquarelle Guitar Quartet and LAGQ. Did they give you some suggestion or they give you the liberty for doing what you wanted? What did you learn in the process?

Yes, there are many possibilities yet to be discovered! I had carte blanche to write anything I wanted on both occasions, and I did learn a lot in the process. 

But here’s a funny story... Bluezilian was never really an officially ‘commissioned’ work.  There was a possibility of writing an encore piece for the LAGQ when they were considering the idea of doing an all Brazilian-American program tour, but for some reason, the project never took off and they never premiered the piece.

One day, a member of the Aquarelle Guitar Quartet asked me if I had anything for quartet; that they’d like to play something of mine.  I sent them Bluezilian and they recorded it.  Then lots of people started playing this piece, there were some interesting versions of it on YouTube, such as an arrangement for marimbas.  How random is this, that a group of Chinese students would pick up this tune and arrange it for marimbas? Makes me smile...

Anyway, later on, Aquarelle commissioned Danças Nativas, and we got a Latin Grammy Nomination for it, which is really cool.  I’d love to write them a concerto someday. 

The “Album de retratos” work is composed for 2 guitars and symphonic orquestra. For such a work like this in which the orquestra has a very active role I suppose that it was necessary micros to amplify the guitars. If so, ¿how did Sergio and Odair do?

The guitars are very soft instruments and can be easily covered.  I think that in a symphonic context, the best solution is to amplify the instruments.  Even when amplified, balance problems can still exist depending on how the orchestration is done.  There are very few problems in the concerto I wrote for the duo because I was highly aware of the many problems we could have and did my best to avoid all of the tempting traps. I think my father and Odair enjoyed performing the piece because they were able to hear the orchestra and themselves very well through most of the concerto. 

Let’s talk about composition. Do you have some type of routine in the creation process? Do you use the piano for composing? Do you write on paper or prefer a score editor?

When I am working on a new work, I like to devote my full attention to it.  It becomes an obsession to me... I can work without a piano, especially if it is on an idea that already started in my head before I touched the instrument.  I prefer recording myself sing (or play) what I have in mind and then transcribe the recording to a score editor. 

Many times I will skip the paper altogether, as most of the arranging will be done inside of the computer anyway.  I occasionally use paper when I think that the music will be corrupted by the midi sounds or rigidity, like it was in the case for my piece OBRIGADO, for string quartet and mandolin. 

Here I’ve collected the pieces I’ve found for different guitar ensembles. Is it complete?

Danças Nativas (2008)
For Guitar Quartet. 12 mins. Commissioned by the AQUARELLE GUITAR QUARTET
Bluezilian (2004)
For Guitar Quartet c. 5 mins. Commissioned by the LA GUITAR QUARTET
Brasileirinhas (2005)
For Guitar Duo  c. 10 mins. Commissioned by the ETERNA DUO
Valsas do Rio (2001)
For Guitar Duo  c. 8 mins. Commissioned by Robert Margo & Byron Fogo
Mercador de Sonhos (1993)
For Guitar Duo c. 6 mins.
Three Sketches
(Two Guitars + Violin)
Three Balkan Dances
(Solo Guitar + Flute)
Flutuante
(Guitar + Bb Clarinet)
Quebra-Queixo
(Guitar + Piano)
Suite Back To Our Roots
(Two Guitars + Percussion + Piano)

Yes! So far:) But soon we will have more! There’s the two guitar concerto and I am being commissioned to write a new solo guitar concerto, plus there will be the 6 miniatures for the 6 guitarists who won my Call For Guitarists Competition this year. So, lots of cool stuff happening! :)

Thanks so much!

Links

Clarice Assad

http://www.clariceassad.com/About/biography.html

Clarice Assad Music

http://www.clariceassad.com/Works/scores.html

Clarice Assad Scores
http://www.clariceassad.com/Works/Works/pdf-scores.html

University of Michigan School of music, theatre and dance

http://www.music.umich.edu/departments/jazz_improv/index.php

 

 

Entrevista con el compositor Rivera

               Carlos Rafael Rivera

De Ozzy Osbourne a Leo Brouwer. La creación multicultural.

Por Fernando Bartolomé para MGE

Para los que no conozcan al personaje que hoy traemos a MGE diremos solo que es un destacado compositor de la actualidad que ha compuesto obras significativas y que ha llamado la atención de parte de los mejores artistas del mundo, entre ellos LAGQ. Para ellos ha compuesto dos de sus piezas más representativas, Cumba-Quin y una segunda pieza para cuarteto de guitarras, Yambe, que acaban de estrenar LAGQ.

Grandes figuras de la interpretación como DenisAzabagic o Arturo Sandoval también han sido beneficiarios de su música y todos podemos ahora disfrutar de su personal modo de entenderla, con influencias multiculturales que se aprecian en su riqueza rítmica y en sus caleidoscópicas melodías.

CarlosRafael Rivera es, además de guitarrista, conferenciante y profesor, compositor residente de la Orquesta Sinfónica de Miami desde 2011. Su relación con la música desde pequeño es bastante curiosa y en sus inicios Ozzy Osbourne le dio la pista para conocer a Leo Brouwer y así empezó todo. Hablamos de todo esto en la entrevista

Tu primer contacto con Brouwer fue cuando escuchaste Diary of a madman de Ozzy Osbourne. A partir de ese momento ¿quisiste tocar la guitarra o quisiste componer cosas como esas? Sería curioso que empezaras tu carrera con un plagio…

Si - mi primer contacto con Brouwer fue “Diary of a Madman” – aunque eso vino unos meses después de comenzar a estudiar la guitarra…

Comencé en Panama tocando guitarra clásica como por seis meses – aprendí unas cuantas escalas, etc.  Pero a través de mi hermano, y su pasión por Ozzy Osbourne, descubrí la guitarra eléctrica, específicamente al guitarrista Randy Rhoads.  Desde ese momento comencé a practicar día y noche, tocando la música de Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, AC-DC - obvia y puramente Rock.  La idea de componer música era una de curiosidad, pero no nació en mí hasta que aprendí el requinto de “Revelation Mother Earth” del disco “Blizzard of Oz.”  Me tomó unos dos años desde que lo escuché por primera vez, hasta que la aprendí nota por nota – y en ese mismo  momento sentí como un vacío, una necesidad en crear algo que fuese mío y no de otra persona.

Brouwer, la primera vez que le conociste, te dijo algo así como “tira pa’lante” refiriéndote a tu carrera. Dejando al lado el aspecto técnico, que se sobrentiende ¿qué tiene que tener un compositor para ganarse un sitio en los oídos de la gente?
La verdad es que no se pero siento que las piezas que encuentran una audiencia tienden a resonar no solo con la audiencia, sino con los músicos que las interpretan.  La música no es solo bella para el oído, sino también para los ojos – luce bella en la página.  Cuando compongo, siempre pienso en cómo atraer al interés de los intérpretes, conjunto a la audiencia.

Leo Brouwer

Raven dance fue una obra escrita para el Cavatina duo, con Denis Azabagic y Eugenia Moliner. ¿Cómo fue tu colaboración con ellos?

Fantástica.  Ellos me dieron a escoger la pieza para hacer el arreglo – de allí intente expresar un tono agresivo y muy visceral, como de inevitabilidad.  La parte de la guitarra tiene bastantes retos, como la de la Flauta, pero es una de mis piezas favoritas, ya que la forma hace perfecto sentido, y también siento que una vez que los músicos hayan aprendido sus partes, les darán ganas de tocarla.  Denis y Eugenia me daban sugerencias mientras la estaba componiendo.  El proceso de colaboración es mi parte favorita, ya que aprendo algo sobre los gustos de los músicos con los cuales trabajo.

La maja y el hechicero fue escrita para flauta y guitarra, y también para el Cavatina duo. ¿Puedes hablarnos de ella?

Fue escrita específicamente para mi recital de Maestría en Composición.  Fue una obra exploradora, de contrastes, bailes y misterio.  El clímax del final fue mi parte favorita de componer, y siento que aun hoy es una sección muy efectiva. 

Otra obra es Tantra, escrita en 2008 para Guitar Ensemble/Octeto en la que haces referencia a la continuidad, al simbolismo e sensualidad de esta tradición hindú. Es completamente distinto a las obras que había escuchado de ti anteriormente. ¿Puedes contarnos algo de la obra?

La obra fue una comisión de una iniciativa del estado de Nuevo Méjico – Es una obra escrita con el propósito de presentar a un novicio el idioma de la música modernista, continuos cambios de compás, y el sonido grande de la guitarra en conjunto.  El titulo, aunque provenga de la tradición hindú,  no fue nada más que una palabra que me gustaba, y fue elegida mucho antes de que yo supiera su significado o inferencia.  A mi me parece muy rockera de cierto aspecto, ya que los estudiantes (hasta ahora) se han entusiasmado mucho durante el proceso de aprendizaje.  ¡Es súper-divertida para mí!

En algunas piezas que he escuchado como Estudio 1, Cumba-Quin, Whirler of the dance, corrígeme si me equivoco, puedo atisbar algún nexo común que podríamos decir forma parte de tu estilo: acentos desplazados, evitando la regularidad, ritmos vivos, de danza, cambio continuo de compases, el intervalo como punto de partida algunas composiciones, el pequeño motivo que se va extendiendo… Siguiendo con el atrevimiento, quizás veo influencias de Brouwer, Carlevaro o Villalobos. ¿Cómo te describirías como compositor y  cómo describirías tu música, si es que se puede generalizar?

Todo lo que has mencionado es cierto – El ritmo tiende a ser mi punto de partida.  Siempre siento que si puedo encontrar un balance visceral entre el ritmo y la armonía, estoy bien encaminado.   Pero mas que ritmo o armonía, lo MAS importante para mi es la línea melódica.  Toda mi música (o por lo menos la mayoría) es lineal, o sea horizontalmente concebida, con la armonía tomando un segundo lugar mas consecuencial como producto del contrapunto.  Aparte de los compositores de música para guitarra, siento una gran influencia en la música de Stravinsky, Copland, John Williams, y Radiohead. 

¿Qué música escuchabas hace 20 años? ¿Qué música escuchas ahora?

Hace exactamente 20 años estoy segurísimo que estaba escuchando la música de Pearl Jam y Soundgarden, como toda la música del movimiento de “Grunge” de Seattle, Washington.  También fue exactamente la época en la cual me interesé seriamente en estudiar la guitarra clásica y unos años mas tarde, la composición.

Ahora no consumo música a la misma velocidad que en esa época, ya que con los años las curiosidades se doman, o domestican.  Y lo que mas me encuentro haciendo estos días es luchar para mantener alto mi nivel de curiosidad.  La mejor ayuda sin duda han sido mis estudiantes, que siempre están en “la onda” de lo nuevo y lo bueno.  Ahora busco buenas voces, o interpretes como Ray LaMontagne, Sleeping At Last, y Chavela Vargas (a quien descubrí hace unas semanas – aunque debí de haberla descubierto hace como 42 años), y sin duda la música popular me afecta grandemente - “Fitzpleasure” de Alt-J es una obra maestra para los audífonos.  También me gustan muchos los colores de la música de Alexandre Desplat.

Has sido guiado o aconsejado de alguna manera por el compositor Randy Newman. ¿Qué has aprendido de él?  ¿Has hecho incursiones en el cine?

Randy Newman

Conocí a Randy Newman a través de un programa de tutoría de la Universidad del Sur de California.  Nunca espere que me diera más de unos 15 minutos de su tiempo, y sin embargo nos hemos llegado a conocer bien, y aun después de siete años desde mi primer encuentro con él, siempre acudo a su buen consejo cuando estoy trabado en una pieza, o sobre aspectos profesionales.  En las pocas incursiones en el cine que he hecho, he trabajado con el muy pero que muy talentoso Rob Legato, quien había escuchado mi música para orquesta y pensó que podría hacer un papel en el mundo del cine. También he trabajado con Scott Frank, y de vez en cuando vienen oportunidades en ese mundo.  Pero lo que he aprendido a través de los años es que el enfoque tiene que mantenerse en un solo objetivo, por lo menos por una buena cantidad de tiempo.  Eso es lo que me ha llevado a tener el honor de esta entrevista, por ejemplo.

¿Cómo es tu trabajo como compositor residente para la Miami Symphony Orchestra? ¿En qué consiste eso de “compositor residente” para los que estamos despistados?

Desde que termine de componer el “Concierto de Miami” para Arturo Sandoval y la Miami Symphony Orchestra, la experiencia fue tan fantástica, que la residencia con la orquesta parecía como el paso lógico de seguir.  Acabo de terminar una pieza que se llama “PizziCuban Polka” para el concierto de este enero pasado, en la cual tocó el flautista Nestor Torres.  Mi trabajo consiste, aparte de escribir una pieza al año para la orquesta, en ser un embajador de la orquesta para la comunidad.  En toda oportunidad hablo sobre la orquesta y su importancia en esta gran ciudad de Miami.  También preparo los Podcasts de cada programa, las cuales se diseminan a través de nuestros medios de red sociales.  Es un sueño para mi tener una plataforma en la cual yo pueda expresarme a través de la orquesta – esto sin duda me ha hecho crecer mucho pero mucho como músico.

Cumba-Quin. Es una obra escrita para LAGQ hace 10 años que no ha perdido nada de su frescor inicial. Es como una especie de danza llena de vivacidad, con gran colorido tímbrico, desplazamiento continuo de acentos y con grandes aportaciones de la guitarra como instrumento de percusión. ¿Puedes hablarnos de la obra, forma, percusiones, motivos?

Muchas gracias por el complemento.  Hay tanto que decir sobre la pieza que requeriría una charla de una buena hora.  Pero en si, la música esta basada en música Afro-Cubana, con la Clave al epicentro.  El motivo melódico retorna al final, en otra métrica. Es una pieza seccional, que de alguna manera se siente conectada.  Hay referencias al himno nacional Cubano, a melodías populares y Afro-Cubanas.  Definitivamente fue atrevido intentar a que las guitarras se usaran como claves, cascaras y congas – y de alguna manera mas o menos funcionó. 

LAGQ

Tienes un nuevo encargo para hacer una nueva obra para LAGQ, llamada Yambe. ¿La has terminado ya? ¿Tenías algún tipo de indicación por su parte? ¿Puedes adelantarnos algo sobre ella?

Me siento muy afortunado en tener la oportunidad de escribir una segunda pieza para un grupo tan fenomenal como el LAGQ.  Ellos están confiando en mí y me han dado carte blanche en el proceso de creación.  Aunque tenía que ser una obra basada en música Afro-Cubana.  Aparte de eso, campo libre.  La acabo de terminar, y vamos a ver que tal le va.  De cierta manera hubo una presión en tener que componer algo al nivel que Cumba-Quin alcanzó.  Pero en si, nunca es productivo fijar “la importancia” de una obra en un futuro ficticio.  La verdad, es mejor hacer el mejor trabajo posible, y dejar que el destino y las audiencias decidan.  Siento que salió bien, o por lo menos está bien escrita.  Que sea buena, mala, popular, etc. esta fuera de mi poder.

¿Cómo es tu relación, en este caso con LAGQ, cuando les presentas la obra? ¿Trabajas previamente con ellos algún día? ¿Se suelen producir cambios después de presentada?

Acabo de tener mi primer ensayo con ellos a través de Skype.  Yo estoy e Miami y ellos en Los Angeles.  Esto fue súper súper increíble como experiencia.  Pude ver y escuchar su interpretación, lo cual me llevo a hacer algunos cambios, etc.  Y sí, siempre se puede mejorar la obra.  Lo que llega a parar el proceso de refinamiento es que se tiene que presentar.  A ver que tal le va a la pieza.

¿Qué pides a los ensembles para los que compones en tus obras? ¿Les das ciertas indicaciones? ¿Es importante que sepan determinadas cuestiones del carácter, historia, detalles?

Hasta ahora, nada especifico.  Ha sido en toda comisión un proceso muy orgánico.  Al final uno puede aportar lo que piensa sobre su obra, pero los intérpretes siempre encuentran una manera de reinterpretar y hasta mejorar lo que uno concibe como la manera correcta.  Por ejemplo, Whirler of the Dance tiene un tempo indicado mas lento en el movimiento final que ninguna grabación que he escuchado.  Denis Azabagic fue el primero en grabarla, y su tempo mucho mas apresurado se convirtió en el estándar de interpretación.  Yo sin duda creo que mejoró la música. 

Has hecho algún estudio sobre Michael Hedges. ¿Crees que su aportación es única debido a su revolucionaria técnica y tímbrica, o hay algo más en sus composiciones que le han hecho ya una leyenda?

Un poco de ambos

El silencio es un elemento fundamental en la comunicación. Tanto como lo es el sonido. John Cage lo expuso al mundo de una forma radical. ¿Qué valor le das a esta figura de la música?

Siento que la filosofía detrás de la música de Cage es lo que importa.  Me encanta lo que Cage representa como compositor.

Cada compositor es un mundo aparte en el proceso creativo. De Enrique Blanco, gran compositor y pedagogo español, aprendí miles de cosas y una de las más importantes es que lo que funciona es lo correcto. La forma de hacerlo no importa tanto. En tu caso ¿Cómo afrontas la creación de una nueva obra? Rutinas, hábitos, tiempos, objetivos…

En los últimos años la fecha de entrega ha estimulado mucho el proceso creativo.  Tener una fecha terminal de entrega añade un nivel de presión que deshecha toda pretensión de procastinación, ya que esté a donde esté, tiene que entregarse – y eso ayuda mucho a ser mas pragmático y eficiente con el tiempo.

Carlos Rafael Rivera

¿Tienes distintos procedimientos para componer para un instrumento solista y un ensemble? ¿Escribes con instrumento? ¿Ordenador o papel?

Escribo con todos los medios disponibles – La cabeza, la guitarra, el ordenador, papel, el piano, hasta lo canto, aunque suene mal.  La idea es sacar la idea de adentro, sea como sea.  Encuentro la variedad muy estimulante al proceso creativo.

Cualquier cosa que quieras comentar.

MUCHAS GRACIAS POR SU INTERES!!!

Saludos –

Carlos

CARLOS RAFAEL RIVERA

Tantra for Guitar Orquestra. Carlos Rafael Rivera

The New Mexico Honors Guitar Group presents the world premiere of the new Guitar Ensemble Piece written by Carlos Rafael Rivera called Tantra. It is played by the 70 best classical high school guitarists in the state.

EnsembleFRET concerts

“EnsembleFRET is performance collective founded in 2012 by Buzz Gravelle, Walter Marsh and Peter Yates. Their concerts feature music, both old and new, for guitar, mandolin and arpeggione (bowed guitar), in duos and trios, or in expandable combination with guest vocalists and instrumentalists. Results range from intimate art-song to massed guitars. Dedicated to expanding the repertoire for plucked stringed instruments and beyond, every concert features music unheard-of, written or premiered within the past year. Not your usual classical guitar repertoire and never your usual guitar concert.”

MORE INFORMATION

 

Concurso de ensembles de guitarras y más

Vito Nicola Paradiso

El guitarrista Vito Nicola Paradiso organiza un concurso en el que pueden participar solistas, diferentes grupos de cámara con guitarra y ensembles. Las fechas: entre 18 y 19 de mayo. Dirigido a estudiantes de diferentes niveles (3 categorías)

Información aquí

Andrew Forrest Interview

The encyclopedia of guitar ensembles

By Fernando Bartolomé for MGE

The internet is a real treasure for all people who want to find things, to learn, to communicate or to have a good time. The next person being interviewed is here only by the result of a google search.

Looking for guitar ensembles resources for students and MGE readers I find a true gem in this sense: AndrewForrest website. A site full of music scores for guitar in all type of combinations and levels. Immediately I contacted him and I asked him to do an interview.

So here we have Andrew Forrest talking about his long career as performer, teacher, composer and arranger.  

I think your passion for the guitar started late. Can you tell us about your beginnings?

It wasn’t that late! I had had an attempt at the piano and clarinet at the ages of 6 – 10 but never felt they were for me. Then my father started on classical guitar and the sound attracted me straight away. I found I couldn’t stop playing though my technique was atrocious until I had a term of lessons at school with Robert Spencer, the English lutenist/musicologist, which gave me a secure foundation. From then on I was committed to playing and continued through university (sciences not guitar) until I was giving local concerts on a fairly regular basis.

When at the age of 30 the job as a peripatetic teacher of guitar came up in North Yorkshire, I went for it straight away since I thought this would encourage me to become more involved and become a better player. Unfortunately I became a worse player but greatly enjoyed the teaching!

You have arranged  over 100 works for all combinations of guitars: duets, trios, quartets, orchestra ... Why did you focus your interest on guitar ensembles?

When I first started teaching to groups in schools, there was very little guitar ensemble music available, especially at the easier levels, so I had little choice but to start arranging and composing. I had done some arrangements for 2 and 3 guitars before but not at beginner standard. The teaching was principally in groups of about 4 though I also ran two guitar ensembles on Saturdays with up to 20 in each and I had to produce ensemble music for these too. I soon found that even very simple pieces in 3 or 4 parts could sound beautiful, even with a beginner ensemble.

In your orchestral arrangements you include two requintos, four guitars, a bass guitar and a bass. Can you talk us about this combination and about requintos, bass guitar and bass?

I wanted to extend the range of the guitar ensemble, especially with larger groups, so that parts remained clear. A bass guitar was an obvious choice and I started with one electric bass, suitable amplified and with the tone controls adjusted so as to fit in as well as possible with the classical guitars. Eventually we could afford 2 classical basses which sound great with the ensemble.

At the top end, I chose requintos to extend the range up a fourth. I also found that not many were needed since their tone cuts through the ensemble easily. I hadn’t heard of the Niibori instrument range at this stage but I feel that requintos, standard tenors and classical basses cover the range well.

In your arrangements or your CDs, instruments like electric guitar or electric bass don’t appear. Could requintos be replaced by electric guitars and bass by electric bass or do you think the music may become unbalanced?

I have heard guitar ensembles playing my arrangements entirely on electric guitars and electric bass. Though it wasn’t how I originally conceived the sound, I have heard some enjoyable performances.

Where the ensemble has been mixed, then the electric guitars have to be reined in so as not to drown out the acoustic ones since balance becomes a problem.

I have also arranged several pieces for unusual combinations of instruments e.g banjos, mandolins, classical guitars and rhythm guitar. These have been fun to do.

Did you work with a group like a Niibori Orchestra? Do you know anything of his music and education philosophy?

No, I had never heard of them till I chanced upon the Niibori website at

http://english.niibori.com/index_e.html

I realized immediately that this was someone who was aware of the problems of clarity and range in larger guitar ensembles and so started to rearrange most of my guitar orchestra pieces for these ensembles too.

How did you develop your ability to arrange music? How do you organize the process?

Initially, I started with no formal musical training, using just my guitar and attempting to play all the parts at once! I’m still somewhat untrained though I have studied basic musical theory since I started arranging.

When I began to use computer software to aid in producing scores and parts, I soon found out that I had to rely completely on my inner ear and imagination. Pieces that I knew worked with ensembles often sounded thin on computer and also what sounded great on a computer often failed to satisfy with a real ensemble. I think that was the most important lesson I had.

Firstly, I keep an ear out for suitable material: much of the music out there is not suitable for guitar. I feel that it’s not worth doing unless a guitar ensemble can produce something (in theory at least!) which is worth listening to and not just a weak copy of the original instrumentation.

Secondly, I work on the parts trying at all times to make all the parts make musical sense and be interesting to play - perhaps I don’t always manage this but it seems important to keep all members of the ensemble happy.

I play through as much as possible on one guitar; sometimes I may record some parts to see how they sound. Then it’s time for a print-out which I think it important to make very clear; I’ve found that sight reading is much improved if the player can see the material easily. Then it’s off to a local ensemble to try it out for real.

In the Niibori method I saw the tremolo technique was used in a very unusual way. You ask for tremolo to be played in some of your melodies.  How do you want it to be played?

For my arrangements, unless otherwise specified, I assume the use of ‘pami‘  for the tremolo and leave it up to the interpreter to control the amount of stress the thumb gives to the beat.

Do you manage a group? How do you work?

At the moment, the York Guitar Quartet and also York Guitar Society are my areas for group activity. The Quartet can cope anything I give them but for the society I try to make sure there is a good range of difficulties in the parts.

Do you teach ensembles? How do you organize the work? What are your goals with these groups?

I’m no longer teaching though I do run occasional workshops in North Yorkshire.

These are full day events but I normally send on scores and parts a month or so before so that the players are reasonably familiar with what is involved.

I feel an ensemble usually benefits from having a different director/conductor for a day since new ideas and concepts bring an extra dimension to their performance.

You have arranged numerous works from all periods of history but with your quartet, York Guitar Quartet, you have focused more on contemporary works. Do you think is essential to introduce contemporary music to ensembles in teaching from the very beginning?

The Quartet started out playing mainly classical and baroque works since this was what was available. We also have done quite a few Spanish and Latin American pieces. We then went through our ‘Eastern European‘ phase enjoying Bartok, Stravinsky and Janacek among others. Now we have been spending more time writing our own material and also commissioning new work from local composers.

With respect to teaching contemporary material from the beginning, yes, I certainly include it. As long as the music is good, a young player will appreciate it without knowing where nor when it is from!

Regardless of the value of an ensemble as a source of pleasure in itself I think it has tremendous pedagogical power as the basis of a good musical education. What do you think? What pedagogical value does playing in ensembles have in the learning process from the beginning?

For guitarists (and I definitely include myself here), keeping in time and playing with others is often a problem since the guitar works so well as a solo instrument. For the first 10 years of my musical life I never really had an opportunity to play with others (apart from a brief adventure with a rock band that never quite got off the ground). It was difficult to appreciate how important it is to play with others; as a soloist I had been a bad listener - in fact I listened more to what I thought I was playing than the sound I actually produced. Now I would say it’s the most important style of playing there is since it’s all about communication.

There are three cds released by York Guitar Quartet in which there is great originality in the choice of repertoire ranging from arrangements of your works to Janacek, Bartok and Stravinsky. What would you highlight above all and why?

We were aware that there were many trios and quartets out there playing baroque, classical, Spanish and ‘modern’ styles of music but had not come across anyone delving into the wealth of material from Eastern Europe. Each member of the quartet had a different musical background and with separate interests (rock, blues, flamenco, classical etc) I’m sure we all have different favourites. I still like some of the Bartok we do best.

On your website we can find a collection of the best ensembles of guitars worldwide. Who do you think stands out from them all?

Many of the ensembles I have never heard since they have only sent me information. However, I have followed links to their sites sometimes and recently I have enjoyed listening to…

- Guitarstrophe - from Australia

- Orquesta de Guitarras del Conservatorio Simón Bolívar

 

- Glendale Community College Guitar Ensemble (USA)

and this quartet I think are lovely but I can’t figure out who they are (South Korean I think)….




What must an ensemble have to stand out? What criteria do you think a quality ensemble should have?

Apart from the obvious requirements of technical skill and general musicianship, the members must listen to each other, keep a tight ensemble and have a good agreement over interpretation. With larger ensembles (say over five or six) a conductor is needed since only someone outside the ensemble can clearly hear the balance of the parts and control changes in tempo and dynamics.

For people who don’t know your website, can you tell them what can they find there?

As it says on the front page …

It offers a range of music composed or transcribed for guitars and other instruments. It encompasses a range of styles and levels including guitar ensembles for schools, amateur groups and for more advanced performers.

The pieces (and parts) are graded in difficulty using the general levels used by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, London and of Trinity Guildhall, London. I am (slowly) adding sound files of many of the pieces - either that people send to me or as links to performances or slightly amateurish versions produced by myself.

There is also a survey site where I add information about guitar ensembles worldwide with URLs and an indication of instruments used. This I hope is a useful resource for people arranging guitar ensembles so they can see what types of guitar ensemble exist.

 

Besides your superb website, what resources can you recommend for guitar ensembles?
Well, I’ve put links to a lot of interesting sites on my links webpage, but there are ever more sites appearing with guitar resources. For source material (that is out of copyright) I frequently use the IMSLP Petrucci Music Library.

 

 AndrewForrest website