The end of 2017 is in sight, and what a year it’s been!  We saw the introduction of the CGA guitar ensemble in April, followed by some very entertaining performance classes later in the year.  It’s also been great to have lots of new students sign up for lessons, particularly the younger ones.  It’s reassuring to see that the classical guitar is still an attractive instrument to learn and provides so much enjoyment to the younger generation (yes, I’m aware of how old I sound).  I’m also delighted to welcome a number of adult students who show a real hunger to improve their classical guitar playing.  It makes my job a real pleasure.

We hosted our first performance class in October and followed it up with another in November.  It was so good to see everyone perform their pieces in front of a small audience.  I know how useful this can be as preparation for larger scale performances so I’m hoping those involved feel they gained some valuable experience.  I plan to host more performance classes in the future so stay tuned for more details.

The ensemble was a big hit when it was introduced.  For many guitarists, this was their first foray into group playing and it proved to be an eye-opener for some.  Timekeeping and rhythmic awareness have improved massively for many of those participants.  I want to keep this going in the new year, as the benefits this has on solo playing are huge.

I’ve been encouraged by the number of new students who have signed up for guitar lessons this year.  We’ve helped several young students take their first steps into the world of classical guitar, and reacquainted a few mature students with a passion from years ago.  When I first set up the CGA back in 2015, I had no idea it whether or not it would take off.  However, I’m delighted to say that we’ve gone from strength to strength and are now a fully established guitar school with our own studio in Derby.

Thanks to everyone for working so hard this year.  Thanks also for getting involved in the ‘extra-curricular’ activities such as the ensemble and performance classes.  I’m very much looking forward to another exciting year ahead!

All the best,

Ed