It’s that time of year. Long summer days are winding down. Everyone is planning last minute getaways and get togethers. As people return to the city after a summer spent in the mountains or on the coast, we return to our routines. Preparations are made to made to return to work and school.
Temperatures are lowering and the leaves are starting to change colour, signalling the beginning of Autumn. We all know that the change in weather brings with it colds and flu and right now that is a bit of a stressful scenario!
This particular September may cause anxiety for some with questions raised about how schools and offices will handle the return amidst the pandemic. At Shine Music School we are fortunate to offer our students classes both from our studios in Barcelona and online lessons.
Teaching students online offers a learning experience that is anxiety free, not only can you stay safe at home, but online lessons can be convenient, economical and intensive, students can accomplish more in a shorter space of time and have the flexibility to learn on the go from anywhere in the world.
How is Catalunya tackling Covid-19?
The Spanish Government has announced measures to minimise the transmission of Covid-19 as everyone returns to work and school. These regulations are applicable throughout Spain with the rules implemented by each autonomous region’s education authorities. Here in Catalunya, the minister of Education, Josep Bargalló has made opening schools a priority. Despite the inherent difficulties caused by the novel corona virus, the government understands the importance that schools play not only in education but also as essential services.
So how does it work?
Face masks will of course be obligatory for all over the age of 6. And smaller children will also be encouraged to wear them. A physical distance of 1.5 m should be observed with everyone outside of your household. Regular hand washing and sanitising of hands and surfaces should be observed. Temperatures will be taken in certain institutions to monitor fever rates. Where possible, outdoor activities will be encouraged.
Schools where group learning takes place will follow “Bubble” guidelines, where interactions with other groups are minimised. Covid 19 will be monitored through the use of apps and a co- ordinated effort between CAPs. Both staff and students will be responsible for maintaining these regulations and their health. If a student or teacher finds themselves unwell they will stay at home and if they show Corona symptoms, they will be subject to a PCR test.
If any tests come back positive all persons in the group or bubble will need to quarantine for 14 days at home. If more than one case is reported at a school, it will close temporarily.
Get Prepared!
Purchase a pack of masks, and small refillable hand sanitiser gel that you can keep with you at all times. Practice healthy and safe social distancing, and remember that you are protecting not only yourself but also your loved ones and colleagues.
At Estudio Shine
Our music lessons are one-on-one and each lesson takes place in separate classrooms. Each room has hand sanitizer gel and students and teachers are expected to wear masks where applicable. We expect all our staff and students to be responsible when entering the school and respectful of each other. During this time we are encouraging online learning in order to protect our teachers and students. We are also implementing measures to reduce foot traffic in our Barcelona studios.
Our teachers are fully equipped to deliver superb one-on-one online music lessons as well as group lessons. We will also start offering online master classes and courses. Shine also offers rental instruments to students who wish to study at home and can help to facilitate buying instruments as well.
Our online school concert was exceptionally successful and we will continue to maximise our online learning experience for the time being.
If you are feeling at all anxious about your music lessons at either of our studios, we encourage you to start learning online with us. Not only is music a proven method to reduce stress, but studying music exercises your brain, helping us to become adaptable, stable and smarter humans.
Don’t let worry or the Corona virus disrupt your life, but make the right changes to improve your situation so we can enjoy music together! Contact the school with any questions you may have!
* What was the first thing that made you interested in music?
Music has always represented a fundamental factor in my personal training since I was little. The search for new albums and artists meant broadening my horizons as a person and as an artist. Learning how to play was a natural consequence of my interests.
* Who inspired you to make music? Any famous musician or idol that you admire?
I started with English rock and my first reference artists were Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Pink Floyd and I soon discovered Jazz with artists like Miles Davis, Charlie Parker and John Coltrane. Always in search of something new, I discovered through a friend some songs by Paco de Lucía and since then I have always devoted myself more intensely to Flamenco that fascinated me so much.
* Where does your passion for flamenco come from?
As one of my teachers said: Flamenco “has land”. It is a music that has its history and its geography, its sounds so peculiar and unique. Its harmonies and rhythms are not only the expression of a culture, but they are almost unique within the western music scene. For a guitarist it is a visceral challenge.
* Who did you study with?
I started studying flamenco in Lisbon and Paris with private teachers, and after a few years I traveled to Jerez de la Frontera and Seville where I was able to study with great names in flamenco such as Manuel Valencia, Augustin De la Fuente, Antonio Rey, Niño de Pura , Eduardo Rebollar, Pedro Sierra, Rafael Riqueni and many more.
I studied at the Christina Heeren Flamenco Foundation in Seville, and did the Master in flamenco guitar interpretation at the Esmuc in Barcelona with Rafael Cañizares.
* What is your favorite flamenco guitar piece?
I don’t usually have favorite pieces, nevertheless “Orate” by Diego del Morao and “Tauromagia” by Manolo Sanlúcar are among the records that have fascinated me the most.
* Where to see the best flamenco in Barcelona and (Spain)?
Here in Barcelona there are many quality tablaos but also a more “underground” world, highly developed.
* How would you describe the music you usually do?
I work especially with traditional flamenco and Argentine tango. Lately I am dedicating myself a lot to popular music, thanks to another band that I have in Italy and I also do some “experimental research”.
* How is your creative process?
I work a lot analyzing topics that I like to understand and be able to reproduce the elements that are most interesting to me to feed and structure what comes from inspiration.
* How has been your experience as a guitar teacher at Shine?
Since I started working at Shine I have grown a lot as an artist and as a person. Students give me an opportunity to see the many faces of music and how it moves each one. The environment in the School is also very pleasant and favorable to the exchange of knowledge between students and teachers.
* What do you think has been the greatest contribution you have made to the students you have worked with over the years?
It is very difficult to answer this question, it would be interesting to know the response of the students … I would say that my classes have the purpose of getting students closer to the music that they like the most through the guitar, and of course of working to be autonomous in understanding their favourite themes and be able to interpret them.
*Photography: Fabio Toschi
* How do you think the Internet has impacted the music industry?
It has made it possible for many to come into contact with new music and meet distant artists with relative ease.
On the other hand, music streaming platforms have made it more complex for an artist to earn their salary from recordings. It is a complex problem where costs and benefits must be considered. Something that I really do not share in the contemporary situation is the excessive attention of the public and of the musicians to the social networks that turn the love for music into a phenomenon of Voyeurism (for the public) and of exhibitionism (for the artist). Many times musical success no longer depends on the quality of the content but on the way in which one manages to teach it.
* If you could change something about the music industry, what would it be?
In general, I think the most urgent thing is to resolve the artist’s constant precarious situation. I think it is a priority to reconsider the salaries for artistic services (classes, concerts and bowling) and also that the value of an artist is measured in its real production and musical quality and not so much in the number of followers.
* What upcoming musical projects do you have in mind?
I’m in a new stage of composition with my Italian band “Rayuela” with which we create “new popular music” and I’m also gathering ideas for a more Jazz-Rock project without any rules, we’ll see …
* Any advice or tips for those who want to study the guitar and enter the world of music?
I would say that it is important to lose your fear of studying music, students who do not doubt their possibilities are those who tend to advance more and with more serenity. Do not think that it is something unattainable at any age. Knowing that time spent on music is quality time that you spend on yourself.
The guitar is a very versatile instrument, with which you can play songs from different musical genres. Flamenco, which is very popular in Spain and throughout the world, is one of them and flamenco guitar is one of the most popular varieties of Spanish guitar.
The origin of the word “flamenco” is inexact. It is believed to come from the cultural tradition that gypsies introduced to Spain during Arab domination since before the 15th century. However, it was during the 18th century when flamenco was recognized as a musical genre and elevated its artistic expression from the cultural fusion of Muslims, Gypsies, Spaniards, Africans and Caribbean that at that time coexisted in Andalusia.
The first historically documented flamenco guitarist dates from the year 1850 known as Francisco Rodríguez “El Murciano”. However, the oldest record of flamenco music dates from 1774 in the book Las Cartas Marruecas by José Cadalso.
In general, when we talk about flamenco we refer to the result of a harmonic mix of different cultures and musical styles that has an artistic expression of deep feeling through cante (singing), dancing and toque (the way the guitarist plays the flamenco guitar). Over time, other instruments such as the flute, cajon, and violin have enriched this music, which has allowed it to renew melodies and shape the flamenco that we know today.
The flamenco guitar is similar to a classical guitar but with thinner parts and less internal reinforcements. It usually has nylon strings and is used in toque.
This instrument is often equipped with a kick plate (pickguard), commonly made of plastic, whose function is to protect the guitar body from rhythmic beats.
Flamenco guitars are normally made of cypress wood, a material that brightens the sound and adapts very well to the characteristics of this musical style. In addition, it has a narrower box so that the sound is smaller and does not overshadow the singer’s voice.
Perhaps the main difference between a classical guitar and a flamenco guitar is that in the last one, the harmonic bars are located in a different way, which generates a more percussive and brilliant sound.
Regarding posture, the flamenco guitarist often crosses his legs and supports the guitar he is highest on, while the neck keeps it almost horizontal with respect to the ground.
Since 2010, flamenco has been considered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible heritage of humanity.
Some of our teachers offer recommendations for those who are interested in studying flamenco guitar:
César Munuera, graduated in flamenco guitar from the Conservatori del Liceu, assures:
“Paco de Lucía is the benchmark for any flamenco, but then there are Vicente Amigo, Gerardo Núñez, Tomatito, etc., who are from a later generation but equally great.
In my opinion, in flamenco there are no specific works that are essential … the most important thing, beyond listening to guitarists, is listening to cante and the more traditional flamenco to understand the rhythm and singularities of each palo. You have to listen to a lot and, above all, study a lot of technique in the most meticulous way possible … Since this genre develops specific guitar techniques that do not exist in any other style. “
The director of the Shine School of Music and expert in classical guitar, Milos Sajin, mentions some important works:
Our music school is located in Barcelona, a place historically recognized for being one of the first spaces where flamenco flourished in Spain between the 19th and 20th centuries.
Have fun studying music with us! The classes we offer are personalized and for all ages. Although you are a beginner or already have a more advanced level, do not worry, our music courses will always be adapted to your needs and interests.
Branislav Grbic teaches classical violin and world music violin. At the Shine School of Music in Barcelona, he teaches students of all levels, specializing in Balkan, Sephardic, Irish as well as Turkish music. He was born in Belgrade (Serbia) in 1970, to a family of musicians. In 1991 Bane arrived in Barcelona, and began a new era in his professional life. He was a notable student at the Conservatori Superior de Barcelona in J. Pamiès’s class and until 2002 he performed in 4 chamber orchestras and 3 symphony orchestras in Catalunya. He regularly plays with his band Los Moussakis. He has also collaborated with international artists such as Goran Bregovic, Rebecca Horn, Sara Montiel, Gloria Gaynor and Azúcar Moreno. We asked him some questions about his interest in music:
* What was the first thing that made you interested in music?
The fact that I was born into a family of professional musicians in the field of classical music, made me start very early learning the art of music, and later I dedicated myself to the violin for life as my work and passion.
My grandfather was a violinist, composer, choir and orchestra conductor, teacher, and theologian. Studying in Prague in the 1920s of the last century, and on his return to the homeland, he made a great reform in Serbian culture, dedicating his life to the prosperity of classical music in many fields. He has published 7 books on the violin methodology, the most famous “Zlatne Stepenice”. In 1954, the municipal music school of about 600 students in his hometown Valjevo was named after him “Zivorad Grbic”.
My father was also a violinist, concertmaster of the Belgrade National Opera Orchestra and professor at the Belgrade Higher Conservatory. My mother was an opera singer, two aunts were piano teachers and her children, my cousins, are also professionally dedicated to music.
I spent my childhood running through the corridors of the Belgrade National Opera building, from one dressing room to the other, then to the stage, orchestra pit, chicken coop, machinists, hairdressers… let’s say this building was my playground, along with endless trips with the whole company to European countries, Italy, France…
This was what made me interested in music, and stage art in general.
*Who inspired you to make music?
It was my parents who initially inspired me to make music. At home, music was heard at all hours, my mother singing opera and traditional songs, or my father playing and studying difficult passages of classical, symphonic, opera or chamber music…. We also had and listened to a very good record player, and the very extensive vinyl collection that is still preserved.
Then, at 16, I started playing as first violin, concertmaster, in a Young Symphony Orchestra of Belgrade, and the inspiration to make the music also came from the other 80 best young musicians in Serbia, who together played great musical works in concerts in the entire territory of the former Yugoslavia, including trips to other European countries.
* How would you describe the music you normally make?
I have had different stages in my life of exercising music. As a classical professional violinist, 18-33 years old, I have worked in numerous philharmonic, symphonic or chamber orchestras … Therefore it was an experience of making music already written, looking for textures and ensemble color, playing in the halls and auditoriums where the public is sitting and listening.
From 33-48 years old, I ventured into traditional-popular music from the Balkans, with Los Moussakis. This type of music is something very personal and different from what I did before. It requires another type of energy, presence and personal dedication in a group of only 6 people. Many times, there were no scores either, and therefore more freedom in expression, especially in solos, the atmosphere was very festive and danceable and the audience actively participated with the band.
At the moment, I’m very interested in “techno” electronic music, combined with real sounds and musicians, also in “mystical” and microtonal music… .. At home I am playing classical, balkan, klezmer, tango,… ..also, as I have many scores, sometimes I open any book and read it, I play… to discover that it is in the sea of notes. The excitement of translating written notes into live notes is very nice, which you see and hear the first time!
* What is your creative process ?
I’m really passionate about “turning” the songs. I use the traditional-folk songs of the Balkans and changed their speed, harmony and rhythm, giving them a new life in the different form of vertical musical arrangement. Let’s say I like to keep the old melody, with new elements “inside” in the structure. Many times, or almost always, in this creative process other musicians intervene with their knowledge and personal intuition.
* If you could collaborate with any musician, who would it be?
I have had the opportunity to play with many musicians of international stature, such as Goran Bregovic. Collaborating with any musicians of this stature always carries a special magic and learning in different aspects. I would have liked to play with Stevie Wonder, without a doubt! I love the way violins treat their songs. Especially “My Cherie Amour” or “For Once in My Life”. I would also like to play with the Jamiroquai, the string arrangements are very danceable. Bill Withers, Quincy Jones … … there are many teachers. I would also be just as excited playing with a band of gypsies from Serbia or Macedonia in a few days long pantagruélica party, in the countryside! And the Berlin Philharmonic, I can’t even mention, it would be the best!
* If you could choose to open any musician’s show, whose would it be?
Maybe “Gogol Bordello”, “Kultur Shock” or Emir Kusturica & “No Smoking Orkestra”. Besides hoping that they invited me to play the gig with them, we would have a good party after the concert all together.
*Do you sing in the shower?
Yes, I sing in the shower, although before morning coffee it doesn’t sound very lively. Also, I always change songs… lately I’m with “Brother to Brother” by Gino Vannelli!
* Of your concerts, which one have you most enjoyed and why?
Ugh, it is impossible to highlight a specific concert. All the performances are a journey and experience of a set of things, absolutely unrepeatable. It is always enjoyed when there are good conditions to act, especially good sound and good vibration among the musicians. Each concert has a magical moment, and it is good to remember it. I think in music there is a fact that whenever you try to play a song in the same way, it never comes out the same, and it will sound different. It is the mystery of the unknown … is this version the best?
* Where would you like to do a concert?
I have had the opportunity to play with different formations on the most prestigious and beautiful stages, theatres and auditoriums in Spain and in other European countries.
Theatres, auditoriums, outdoor stages….But what would really be science fiction, and who wouldn’t enjoy it? To play in orbit, of course! When I started with the group Los Moussakis in 2002, one of my dreams was to play the New Year’s Eve 2024/25 on one of these space tourist flights. Surely the honor will be given to Brian Eno.
* What famous musicians do you admire?
Ugh, another question where I can’t give a concrete answer. I admire all musicians, good and bad, famous or not, boring and innovative, slow, fast… .All musicians are sometimes famous. I don’t know, to say one… ..Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, is he famous?
* What has been the best advice you have been given?
There have been many tips received and well taken and digested, I’m still open to hear the odd tip that can lead one to practical wisdom.
* How do you think the internet has impacted the music industry?
I think that above all it has impacted the methods of selling music. Basically, now music is not sold in any physical medium. In the past, the musician also earned a continual bonus in the sale of CDs. K7s or vinyl were also objects that in themselves were art and reflected the style of music you found inside and added to the whole package. Downloading-buying a CD from some sales platform seems to me as if it had less weight …. I don’t know, I’m a romantic for these things …. hehe.
* If you could change something about the music industry, what would it be?
From the point of view of a spectator and a musician, I think that in general, cities have too few small-medium spaces( with capacity for 50-150 people) for live music. The public and private sectors should come together to create subsidies for opening new spaces or expanding on local permits, this could provide sustainable work for an entire army of musicians and the various sector companies that work alongside live music in the area.
* Regarding the violin. Do you think it is a popular instrument today and why?
Yes, I think it is still a very popular instrument. There are public figures that still make it more popular, such as Ara Malikian. Also Anne-Sophie Mutter or Stephane Grappelli. My favorite violinist is David Oistrakh. Also the crazy violins of the Romanian fanfare bands, such as the Tarafs of Haidouks, have made the violin popular as an instrument. Violin has magic …. you have to work hard at it, but then it has a nice reward.
* Virtual teaching. Yes or no?
Of course a big yes! As long as it is combined with the face-to-face classes. Virtual classes take advantage of the student’s tranquility in their environment, they are less distracted or tired. Personally, with my students, I take advantage of these classes to work on “boring” things like scales, arpeggios or studies … At the moment, the double notes on violin, by the ZOOM, sound pretty bad. Another thing about virtual classes is that it is very important to have good electronic devices, or a quality external microphone and sound card.
The recent Black Lives Matter protests in the US and all over the world have triggered a positive interest in educating ourselves on understanding racism and acknowledging its prevalence in our societies. Knowledge of our history can empower us all to make the right changes to move forward and build a world that is equal, and that celebrates different cultures.
The history of music is no different, and it is impossible to not recognise the genius of a multitude of black musicians, or ignore their contributions and advancements of the art. Despite this, in the past 200 years, many black composers have almost been forgotten or overlooked, and struggled against the odds to be heard. Even now, their symphonies and operas, concertos and quartets are often ignored, and remain underperformed.
Shine Music School made its start in post apartheid South Africa, and we are well aware of the institutionalised inequalities in our everyday lives. Even so, we still have a long way to go in educating ourselves. Let’s stop being silent, stop standing by and advocate for change! Let’s uplift and support black musicians and composers. In today’s article, we look at 6 fascinating musical composers and highlight some of their works.
Listen to their music, play and perform their pieces, and applaud their contribution!
Our first composer is non other than Chevalier de Saint-Georges (1745-1799). If you are a music history buff you will have heard of him. This guy led an extraordinary life. Full of swashbuckling adventure, politics, kings, queens, drama and last but not least music! It’s the stuff of movies! Born in the French Caribbean, the son of a wealthy plantation owner and a 16 year old female slave; Joseph Bologne, or Saint-Georges (as he is better known) was brought to France at a young age by his father, where he continued to spend most of the rest of his life.
St-Georges grew up in French high society but his heritage restricted him in many ways. He was both unique because of his colour and status, but for the same reasons was never able to marry and although his musical expertise was recognised, he was not allowed to take on certain appointments, such as the director of the Académie royale de musique, the Paris Opéra.
He made a name for himself as a champion fencer, even fighting off four men in an attempted assassination for his political involvements. At one point he lived in the same house as Mozart, and indeed may have influenced his younger counterpart. He was a prolific composer (with a multitude of operas, violin concertos, symphonies and numerous chamber works under his belt) and talented violin player. Saint-Georges even played intimate concerts for Marie Antoinette, and a performance of of his second opera, La Chasse was performed at her request at the royal chateau at Marly. He became a colonel in the French Legion during the Revolution. After the Revolution shattered France, St-Georges was forced out of the army with little to show for his accomplishments, he returned to his music, and continued to compose and perfect his violin playing. He died at the age of 53 from what seems to have be gangrene. Read more about his music and fascinating escapade here.
Harry Lawrence Freeman (1869 – 1954) was the first African-American to write an opera (Epthalia, 1891) that was successfully produced. He was a composer, musician, conductor and music teacher and founded the Freeman School of Music and the Freeman School of Grand Opera. During his lifetime, he was known as “the black Wagner.”
Around 1908, Freeman moved his family to the Harlem neighbourhood of New York City where the Harlem Renaissance was just getting into swing. Freeman’s work was already well renowned and sometime in 1912, ragtime composer Scott Joplin, who was then living in New York, asked Freeman to assist in revising his three-act opera, “Treemonisha,” production of which had halted the previous year. Freeman opened a music school in New York.
Freeman composed a number of operas and other musical work, most famous, his opera Voodoo.
“The last couple of decades of his life he struggled to get any performances of his work. Almost all of his music was unpublished at the time of his death, and no recordings of his work have ever been released commercially. Twenty-one of his operas, as well as many of his other works, survive in Freeman’s own manuscripts, and are kept in a collection of his papers at Columbia University” (source)
Scott Joplin (1868 – 1917) was an American composer and pianist. Nicknamed the King of Ragtime, he was most renowned for his ragtime pieces, including his most famous composition “Maple Leaf Rag” which today would be considered the Billboard all time number one hit of ragtime. He was a prolific composer, and wrote two operas, although these were less popular, and he struggled to become recognised for his classical compositions. He taught piano, and although his popular hit helped to support him for the duration of his life, he frequently found himself in financial straits and the score to his first opera, A Guest of Honor, was confiscated in 1903 with his belongings for non-payment of bills, and is now considered lost. (source) None of his operas were performed in his lifetime, and ragtime music died with him. He was posthumously awarded a Pulitzer Prize in the 1970s, and Treemonisha was finally performed. His ragtime compositions have influenced jazz and big band swing music.
Florence B Price (1887-1953) was a classical composer, pianist, organist and music teacher. She became the first African American woman to have a work played by a major orchestra. In 1933 the Chicago Symphony performed her Symphony in E minor for the first time. Although she is considered to be successful in her life time, her numerous compositions are rarely played today. If you consider the era when she was writing and performing music, her accomplishments are enormous.
Florence grew up in the American south. Her family was well to do and she was a whip-smart, valedictorian of her class. She escaped some prejudice by identifying as Mexican during her studies in Boston, but later returned to the south and married only to move again during what is known as the Great Migration to escape Jim Crow conditions in the deep south. The Price family eventually settled in Chicago. Despite the odds of being black and a woman, she studied composition, orchestration, and the organ with the best teachers in the city, and published four pieces for piano in 1928. Her marriage fell apart and Florence worked hard to support herself and her children. Price made considerable use of characteristic African-American melodies and rhythms in many of her works. (source) She won various musical awards and wrote numerous pieces for Orchestras, and for film and advertising under a pen name. Despite this she was almost forgotten until “in 2009, a substantial collection of her works and papers were found in an abandoned dilapidated house on the outskirts of St. Anne, Illinois.These consisted of dozens of her scores, including her two violin concertos and her fourth symphony. As Alex Ross stated in The New Yorker in February 2018, “not only did Price fail to enter the canon; a large quantity of her music came perilously close to obliteration. That run-down house in St. Anne is a potent symbol of how a country can forget its cultural history.” (source)
Her work has currently received some more airplay and recognition:
Francis “Frank” Johnson (1792 – 1844) was another prolific African-American composer during the Antebellum period. You can read more about that time period in our article on The Banjo. African American composers were scarce in America during this period, but Johnson was among the few who were successful. This guy could do it all! Performing on the (now rare) keyed Kent bugle and the violin, he wrote hundreds of compositions in a multitude of styles— Operatic airs, Ethiopian minstrel songs, patriotic marches and various dances. Johnson was the first African American composer to have his works published as sheet music. His dance music was published and played at balls across the country. Only his manuscripts and piano transcripts survive today. He even performed for Queen Victoria. He also was the first African American to give public concerts and the first to participate in racially integrated concerts in the United States.
Since no actual recordings of his work exist and critic of the day did not go into much details, historians surmise that Johnsons work included many details which are not recorded on the actual publications of his transcripts. According to wikipedia:
“Available accounts show that his composition and playing must have had qualities which cannot be reconstructed from the surviving manuscripts. Historical accounts suggest that his performances infused stylistic rhythmic changes, differing from the written versions, which were either inferred by performers or instructed verbally. This is presumed to be similar to the improvisations made by jazz musicians today, although the current practices and idioms are probably vastly different from the ones used by Johnson. He was able to create interesting music, harmonies, and effects that differed from the diatonic harmonies and triadic melodies that were popular at that time.”
His performances must have been something to see!
And finally George Walker, (1922 -2018), was the first black American classical composer to be awarded the Pulitzer prize for music (for Lilacs, a piece for voice and orchestra, in 1996) while still alive. Walker balanced a career as a concert pianist, teacher, and composer. He was a man of firsts, first black instrumentalist to appear with the Philadelphia Orchestra, first black instrumentalist to be signed by a major management, the National Concert Artists. He became first black recipient of a doctoral degree from Eastman School of Music and the list goes on! Walkers’ body of work included over 90 works for orchestra, chamber orchestra, piano, strings, voice, organ, clarinet, guitar, brass, woodwinds, and chorus. However, for all his accomplishments, he still remains a cult figure in the world of contemporary composition. (read more here)
The guitar is a very versatile instrument, with which you can play songs from different musical genres. Flamenco, which is very popular in Spain and throughout the world, is one of them and flamenco guitar is one of the most popular varieties of Spanish guitar.
