Festive Fizz – WYGF’s first recording

WYGF’s first recording

Before WYGF’s conception, Artistic Directors Mark Eden and Christopher Stell, Eden Stell Guitar Duo, had recently returned from performing in Australia where they met John Casey, Musical Director of the extraordinary youth guitar ensemble from Perth, Guitarstrophe! The ensemble had made quite an impression on the duo previously, winning the Calderdale Guitar Ensemble Competition which the duo had adjudicated.

Whilst in Australia the duo performed Richard Charlton’s ‘Rhapsody’ for two guitars and guitar ensemble at the Sydney Guitar Summer School which had been originally written for Guitarstrophe! and the ZOO Duo. Mark and Chris felt that this piece could provide the perfect collaboration between them and Guitarstrophe! and so, when plans for WYGF 2007 got underway, Guitarstrophe! were invited over as special guests.

Not ones to do anything by halves, Mark and Chris soon expanded this invitation to include making a CD recording after the festival and to compliment Guitarstrophe! WYGF invited some of the UK’s finest home-grown talent in the shape of the National Youth Guitar Ensemble (NYGE) to perform and record with them.  NYGE’s musical director Gerald Garcia had written ‘Lorca Concerto’ for the Eden Stell Duo some years before, performing it at the Penzance International Guitar Festival and the Iserlohn Guitar Symposium in Germany, and this was the perfect opportunity to record Gerald’s piece.

The ensembles also recorded other works (see list below) culminating into a wonderful mix of styles.  Don’t believe us? Then have a listen to the mp3 samples below and judge for yourself.