Classical Guitarist
Prior to Covid-19 lockdown, I organised workshops several times a year and they took place in Dorking, Surrey. However, since March 2020, the workshops have become much more frequent and have been held over Zoom. They’re always enjoyable, worthwhile and a good source of inspiration!
It took a little getting used to at first, meeting over the computer screen, but the workshops proved such a success I ended up hosting more than usual! Practising in isolation doesn’t always yield the best results and whilst performing in front of the computer can seem odd, everyone enjoys hearing new repertoire, hearing how others have developed and sharing thoughts or ideas.
Beginners and advanced post grade 8 players all welcome. I tailor-make each workshop to ensure that everyone is comfortable, happy and challenged. Typically, if you attend several workshops a year, you will experience an opportunity to hear and play solos, increase your musical knowledge and meet like-minded souls. Occasionally, I invite a guest speakers to join us.
If your guitar society would like a workshop presentation, please feel free to contact me using the form below and we can work out a tailor-made session to suit the needs of your members.
“The concert and workshop were both brilliant.”
“I really enjoyed your workshop for the Banbury guitar society, especially your helpful comments on the solos played, and of course, the ensemble piece.”
“We became immediately aware that Fiona has a superb quality of tone and musical phrasing. This was also apparent in our workshop … where she focussed on phrasing in the finest of details.”
“Thanks for yet another enjoyable and inspiring workshop!
Putting us through our paces with singing and ensemble pieces, encouraging our listening skills with comparative listening and finally giving us a chance to perform solos in front of a friendly audience! Thank you for your time and encouragement, we are all the better players for it”
In June 2017 Jonathan Preiss led an engaging, high energy Brazilian workshop. Fast paced, packed with energy. Guitars, cavaquinho, seven string guitar and a vast array of percussion instruments. He used a simple layering of rhythms and textures ending in complex results, immersing us in Lundu, Polca, Maxixe and Choros.
Jonathan’s website: Jonathanpreiss.com/about
The guest speaker for the April 2016 guitar workshop was the fabulous Melanie Spanswick (pianist). She gave a brilliant workshop about sight-reading and memorisation and everyone took away a lot of ideas. Coupled with my talk on fretboard knowledge and strategies to learn the fretboard more thoroughly, everyone felt more comfortable with the prospect of sight-reading by the end! Hugely enjoyable.
Melanie’s website: Melaniespanswick.com
I invited Clare Cullen from the Ashtead Chiropractic Clinic, Surrey, to deliver a presentation at the latest guitar workshop in Dorking, June 2016. She spoke about posture, muscle use and the skeletal system and she highlighted what guitar players need to watch out for when practising or performing in order to keep the body healthy and functioning properly.
Clare’s website: Clarecullen.co.uk
Ashtead Chiropractic Clinic: Ashtead-chiropractic-clinic.com
The sensational flamenco artist, Francisco Antonio took us through rasguedos, the 12 beat compass and Alegrias. A start to the de-mystification of this Spanish Art.
Francisco’s website: Estiloflamenco.com
The brilliant Peter Stewart, teacher at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, gave us a talk on tone production and nail care.
The Royal Conservatoire: rcs.ac.uk/staff/peter-stewart/
Ending 2015 with a swing, my Dorking guitar workshop centred on popular music arrangements for classical guitar.
Having heard glorious singing to “What a Wonderful World!” in Louis Armstrong fashion, I had it humming around my head for days after!
Other highlights for me were a Russian song beautifully sung with guitar accompaniment and a simple yet extremely effective Bob Dylan arrangement of “Blowin’ in the Wind”.
Website designed & built by OH Creative