Cawsand Bay Guitarfest 2021

An exciting classical guitar weekend by the sea on the stunning Rame Peninsula, with Craig Ogden, Eden Stell Guitar Duo & Alison Smith 10th - 12th September 2021. Following on from such a highly successful Guitarfest in 2019, we are returning with another exciting weekend combining great music in an area of outstanding natural beauty that inspires creativity. The stunning location by the sea makes for a perfect break from the hustle and bustle. 

There will be concerts, a master class, workshops, ensemble playing, artists interviews and question & answer session, informal playing opportunities, cream tea, sea view dinners and lots of fun in a friendly environment. The Rame Peninsula is a magnificent landscape of rolling hills, sandy beaches, tidal creeks and country parks. The concerts and classes will take place in the quaint twin villages of Cawsand and Kingsand (used for part of the filming of Mr Turner, a Mike Leigh Film) with it's charming narrow streets of colour washed cottages. One of the concert venues is by the rocks on the water's edge and the master class venue over hangs the sea and has a balcony for the coffee break! There will be time in the breaks to enjoy the area and if anyone wants to extend the weekend to be able to explore more, Alison (course director) will be around on Monday and there will be plenty on offer such as coastal walks, surfing lessons, coasteering, paddle boarding, a boat trip to Plymouth's historic Barbican (and National Marine Aquarium) segway adventures and much more.....including relaxing and chilling!

This is a weekend not to be missed with a superb line up of Classic fm chart topping Craig Ogden, one of the world's finest guitarists ( Head of guitar at the Royal Northern College of Music), Mark Eden & Chris Stell (Eden Stell Duo) internationally renowned for their dynamism, innovation and breathtaking virtuosity( teaching positions at the Royal College of Music, Birmingham Conservatoire) and Alison Smith , one of the UK's most exciting and lyrical guitarists, who often leaves audiences spellbound by her sensitive playing ( teaching position University of Plymouth and previously Royal Conservatoire of Scotland).

EXCITING NEWS

The celebrated guitarist and composer, William Lovelady, has written a stunning new work for Alison Smith titled Rame Head, inspired by the stunning local headland and the sea. 

Alison will perform the World premiere of this new piece in her lunchtime concert. William Lovelady writes for some of the world’s leading guitarists including Slava and Leonard Grigoryan, Xuefei Yang, Craig Ogden and Amanda Cook. His guitar and choral music have been performed world-wide, as well as being frequently played on Radio 3 and Classic FM. He has written and worked with musicians as diverse as Julian Lloyd Webber, Art Garfunkel, Shankar, and Hugh Masekela. He has had two top-ten hits in the commercial industry.

Bill also writes for television. He has done several David Attenborough programmes and was nominated for an Emmy for the National Geographic Film, “Flying Devils”. His film music includes the Disney film, “African Lovestory” and the film “Here Lies” which won Best European Independent Film in 2015.

Among other commissions he has written a piece for solo guitar for the memorial of the Omagh bomb and a Cantata, to the words of Psalm 104, for the Duke of Edinburgh’s 75th birthday which is regularly performed at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. An arrangement, by James Vivian, for 4 voices was performed at the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral on April 17th 2021. He has also written a Mass first performed at Westminster Cathedral as well as many chamber pieces. His "Concerto for Guitar, Violin and String Orchestra" was premièred in 2015 by Stratford-upon-Avon’s Orchestra of the Swan with soloists Craig Ogdon and Tamsin Waley-Cohen. www.williamlovelady.co.uk