Archive for category: News

Dear Friends,

A very Happy New Year to you all. I hope you’ve had a fantastic Christmas and here’s to a fun-filled and fulfilling 2017!

To kick off the New Year I’ve decided to send out a questionnaire, I hope you don’t mind! Please read on.

Following the recent success of my Ukulele Circuit Training courses and the French Guitar Adventurers residential summer school, I’m launching a new venture, the Richard Durrant Guitar and Ukulele Academy.

Using the online resources offered by the Academy, this will enable me to teach and share music with fellow musicians from around the world.

I aim to explore the physicality of playing an instrument by looking at different playing styles and repertoires. I’m also particularly keen to help musicians alleviate stress and to avoid any anxiety associated with playing or performing.

And here’s where I need your help. I want to make sure that the Academy is welcoming, interesting, helpful and inspiring. Therefore, whether you currently play or not – after all, this could be just the spur you need – please spare a couple of moments to complete this short survey:

Many thanks for your time…and I’ll keep you posted as things progress. In the meantime here’s some of our events planned for 2017 – but rest assured many more will be added as the year unfolds!

Best wishes,

Richard

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A new book containing eleven, previously unreleased, beautiful new guitar pieces plus the story of how a number 26 Brighton bus took a musician all the way to Paraguay has now been published. 

Richard Durrant’s amazing, colourful and intriguing new book is called The Number 26 Bus to Paraguay.

Richard explains:

“As a kid I used to catch the number 26 bus every Wednesday night from where I lived on a council estate just outside Brighton to guitar lessons in Hove. 

I loved that bus ride; I’d sit all alone on the upper deck, gazing out at the Sussex Downs watching the changing seasons. I made that journey for years, regular as clockwork. It was a musician’s journey, full of dreams.

I also remember one hot summer’s afternoon, just back from school and playing in the garden under the open kitchen window. My Mum had put my favourite Alirio Diaz record on the family radiogram and the music of Agustín Barrios was blaring out of the house.”

Agustin Barrios, 1922

“Many years later I was living nine miles along the coast in Shoreham by Sea, with children of my own.  And one of those No 26 bus ride dreams had come true: I was living the life of a full time musician.

Then one day in early 2011 – whilst working on a collection of recordings of music by Barrios – the phone rang. It was a man with a strong South American accent:

“Would you consider travelling to Paraguay to play some concerts and launch your new album?”.

I smiled: “OK”.

There remained just one important question: 

What to call the album?

The answer was easy:  The Number 26 Bus to Paraguay.“

In April 2011 Richard arrived in Paraguay for the first time and a new musical adventure began. Over the next few years he returned to this fascinating land which inspired some of his finest work, amazing tales, three albums, awards and accolades.

In this beautiful book, guitarist and composer Richard Durrant tells his story in music, pictures and words. With artwork by Mark Charlton, photos from Richard’s tours and a vibrant cover illustration by Miranda Vincent 

The Number 26 Bus to Paraguay is available now in its limited first edition from this website. It will also be on sale at live shows.

Hear Richard Durrant and Paraguayan harpist Ismael Ledesma live in concert 11-16 October in London, Shoreham-by-Sea, Crawley, Edinburgh, Scopwick and Swindon.

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Catch internationally renowned concert guitarist and composer Richard Durrant at some great venues this September with some fantastic music, storytelling and all round entertainment.

“Brimful of technically impressive guitar playing on the folk/ classical cusp, with nimble runs, deft arpeggios and quicksilver fingering.” – The Independent

Firstly, in the intimate, candlelit setting of the Chapel at Bailiffscourt on 16 September a completely acoustic recital to include music by JS Bach on his unique four string tenor guitar alongside favourite solos on his six string concert guitar.

Chapel at Bailiffscourt

There is also the opportunity to enjoy a delicious three course Spanish tapas dinner following the concert. You can even stay the night at this magnificent venue to make a really special weekend break.

A week later on 24 September Richard is back in his home town of Shoreham-by-Sea with another chance to listen to these two beautiful, new instruments in the round at the Ropetackle Arts Centre – This will be Ropetackle at its most intimate.

“Durrant never lets his stunning technique overshadow this wonderful, timeless music” – The Sun

Richard at the Ropetackle

And finally this month on 28 September, Richard is performing at the lively Hurst Festival in the lovely West Sussex village of village of Hurstpierpoint. Catch up with Richard’s latest South American musical adventures (this time in Peru) and treat yourself to an evening of exotic musical offerings from Spain, the Americas and the Sussex coast.

“Extraordinary virtuosity… A simply unmissable treat” – Classic FM Magazine