Just a few days to go until the first of Richard Durrant’s concerts of Midsummer Music…
A solo concert of jaw-dropping musicianship from the man dubbed The Guitar Whisperer. Sit back and relax to the sound of Richard’s beautiful, acoustic music.
https://www.richarddurrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/unnamed-2-e1718615204553.jpg6781150adminhttps://www.richarddurrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/unnamed-11-296x300.jpgadmin2024-06-17 09:01:502024-06-17 09:07:12Just days ’til Midsummer Music
Two of the concerts will be performed entirely acoustically in churches standing in significant points in the English landscape. First Wilmington Church in Sussex will host Richard on the Summer Solstice at the feet of the Long Man of Wilmington.
Then in July, very close to the White Horse of Uffington, Richard will perform in Baulking’s St. Nicholas Church in Oxfordshire.
“I dug deep into the virtuoso classical guitar repertoire for these concerts and have chosen some truly mind blowing music. The sublime Villa-Lobos Etude No.7, Bach’s E major fiddle Prelude and Barrios’ La Catedral are amongst my all time favourites included in these special gigs.“
Says Richard
The concerts at Brighton Open Air Theatre and Ropetackle Arts Centre will be amplified and on a larger scale but will contain the same solo repertoire plus a totally unmissable folk finale played by Richard with his old mates Tom Arnold on accordion and Nick Pynnon fiddle and dulcimer. Nick, Dick & Tom re-united!
https://www.richarddurrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/unnamed-11-scaled.jpg25602525adminhttps://www.richarddurrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/unnamed-11-296x300.jpgadmin2024-05-21 10:50:492024-05-21 11:01:30Sumer is icumen in
It was recorded at the Knepp – the trailblazing rewilding project in Sussex – late one Spring evening. Richard gently strummed Bach on the ukulele and was joined by five Nightingales singing along.
“‘It was all a bit quiet at first but after a couple of phrases of Bach we heard a few solo twitters and trills and then one thing led to another and a chorus of Nightingales sang along to the gentle, woody, plucked notes of my uke.’
Richard’s connections with Knepp begun in 2018 when he was invited to join singer Sam Lee at a Nightingale led event. As a keen environmental campaigner Richard was inspired by, and used field recordings from Knepp on his 2020 album Rewilding.
Best-selling author and joint founder of Knepp Wilding project Isabella Tree describes Richard’s Rewilding as ‘Beyond beautiful…’and played a track from it during her recent appearance on BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions.
The ukulele used to record Bach and Tweet was made by the world renowned luthier Pete Howlett. The extremely rare and environmentally significant wood which Pete chose to make this famous instrument is Biscuit Cedar rescued from the infamous Oregon, Biscuit Creek forest fires that raged in 2002.
Check out some of Richard’s great concerts coming up this summer with two UK tours…
Things begin on Midsummer’s Day (Friday 21st June) in Wilmington Church Sussex with an incredible programme of guitar favourites including the not unrelated Bach Prelude in E (BWV 1006.1) and Barrios’ La Catedral.
Two days later the show can be heard once again at Brighton Open Air Theatre but this time with a fantastic Midsummer finale played by Richard with his longstanding folk sparring partners Nick Pynn (fiddle and dulcimer) and Tom Arnold (accordion, percussion and hammond)
The music continues on Friday July 19th at Ropetackle Arts Centre with more solo guitar greats and a rip-roaring finale by Richard, Nick and Tom.
The No 26 Bus to Paraguay
From September Richard will once again take his ever popular Paraguayan themed show out on the road.
Tickets for 10 dates are already on sale.
Richard’s regular visits to this fascinating and magical part of South America have earned him accolades and awards whilst his concerts and trilogy of Paraguayan albums have uncovered the richness of guitar music being written in the region today.
‘I have never heard anything like it. Durrant seems to be having fun with each measure, with each phrase and passage…’
Carlos Author of ‘El Inalcanzable’ and authority on the life of Barrios
Richard is now widely recognised as one of the world’s leading interpreters of the music of Agustin Barrios. In these concerts he uncovers the beauty of Paraguayan music and shares stories from the central southern cone of South America. He also explains how all this began for him on a number 26 Brighton corporation bus.
https://www.richarddurrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/unnamed-11-scaled.jpg25602525adminhttps://www.richarddurrant.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/unnamed-11-296x300.jpgadmin2024-03-29 14:19:302024-03-29 14:20:31A Tale of Two Tours
Richard is hitting the ground running in 2024 with some fantastic events.Here are some highlights…
French Guitar Adventurers
22-28 April 2024
Join Richard in the Spring sunshine in the south of France for his annual residential guitar course. Set in a stunning, secluded location in the Charente, this course is designed for players from Grade 5 to advanced level.
FGA, with space for up to 10 guitarists (plus partners), will help develop technique and broaden musical skills. There is plenty of time to practise, an open mic night and the week ends with a public concert packed full of solos and ensemble music.
A few places remain for FGA 2024!
Summer Music Concerts
Although there will be no Cycling Music Tour this year Richard will still be marking the middle of summer with a handful of special solo concerts in and around Sussex.
These will include Summer Solstice concerts at Wilmington Church on 21st June and Brighton Open Air Theatre on 23rd June.
The No.26 Bus to Paraguay
Autumn Tour 2024
A highlight of 2024, tickets are already on sale for this amazing Paraguayan flavoured tour. Richard brings his South American adventures to life in a revival of his acclaimed show which features the music of Agustín Barrios alongside projected artwork, photography and film. Richard’s visits to Paraguayan began in 2011 and inspired some of his finest work.
‘…something of a love letter to Paraguay…’
Norman Darwen RNR
Candlelit Christmas Tour
December 2024
Richard and band bring a unique twist to the end of the year with the ever popular candlelit Christmas concerts. There is something about this wintry musical feast which seems to strike just the right midwinter tone with its less commercial acoustic vibe, the unique reworking of familiar carols and songs plus the stunning new material provided by every member of the band.
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