Much of 2018 has been focussed on composing and arranging music for classical guitar while gradually bringing to completion my album 'The Selwyn Recital'. Unfortunately there was no time for concerts until late in the year.
Here is a list of activities that kept me busy in 2018...
Quartet composition 'Kia Kaha' for Christchurch based ‘Guitar Otautahi’ (first performed for the Christchurch guitar society in November 2018.)
Freelance composing - solo works for classical guitar.
Completion of “Finchdean” arranged for viola and guitar. This was performed by guitarist Jane Curry and violist Donald Maurice at St Andrews on the Terrace, Wellington on 9th May 2018.
Completion of a new version of “Finchdean” for two guitars.
Collaboration with Wellington guitarist Gunter Herbig for his forthcoming NAXOS CD release.
‘The Selwyn Recital’ CD completion. Editing, mastering, artwork design and album production.
September 28th CD launch celebration Alberton
October 28th concert - Alberton
November 1st private house concert
November 9th Concert and CD launch - Blenheim
Highlights of 2018 included the New Zealand Guitar Quartet's premiere performances of my Creative NZ commissioned quartet 'The Art of Sound and Movement' in New Zealand, Australia and the United States. The NZGQ tour ended with a well received performance for the Guitar Foundation of America.
2018 has also proven to be the year of finger problems. The inconvenient loss of a fingernail a month before my CD launch concert was manageable. It's a common problem classical guitarists have to put up with now and then. However, a torn finger tendon is a different matter. A week after my November concert in Blenheim I injured my left hand index finger ending up with a condition known as 'mallet finger'. It puts a stop to my usual guitar playing for at least three months. I'll have to see how the recovery goes before scheduling concerts. The good news is finger tendons do heal in time.