Christmas Guitar Ensemble music
Check out my Christmas Guitar Ensemble music - some of the music is on special offer when you click to see and hear it (thank you to the shop for arranging all that for me!)
derek-hasted.co.uk
Derek Hasted's News...
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- My Music to buy page...
140+ pieces for sale : 1-6 guitars and flute & guitar
GREAT for School Guitar Teachers
GREAT for ensembles with limited chances to rehearse - My Videos page...
Now with videos of fusion in concert
November 2019
fusion in concert
My quartet played in community music concert in Bursledon at Greyladyes Arts Foundation (GAF).
There was a wonderful variety of music on display - it was great to be part of it.
October 2019
fusion in concert
My quartet played in a massive concert in St Paul's Ashford Hill - £1000 raised for charity! Here we are playing Jim Croce's "I'll Have To Say I Love You In A Song"
Pachelbel's Carol - 5 or 6 guitars (or large ensemble)
Most people know Pachelbel's Canon - the sequence of chords of which magic is woven.
Well, now there is more magic - this is Pachelbel's Canon as an accompaniment to The First Nowell!
I have published versions for guitar quintet (or large ensemble) and for guitar sextet (or large ensemble).
Both are really easy and they'll amaze your audience!
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Trinity College Guitar Exams
I am so pleased to be able to tell you that one of my solo compositions (Regular Reggae, which was published in the Solo Now Preparatory book) has been chosen by Trinity College to be part of the 2020-2023 Grade 2 syllabus.
Patapan - 4 guitars
Patapan - sometimes know by its English translation "Willie, take your little drum".
This is an easy quartet arrangement (also suits a large ensemble!) of a piece first published in 1720.
There are 2 versions in the same download!
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
September 2019
When Santa Got Stuck Up The Chimney - 4 guitars
This is an easy quartet arrangement (also suits a large ensemble!) of a wonderful piece of nonsense with some lovely harmonic progressions. There are two "tune" parts - you can play either (or in a large ensemble, some of each), to suit the ability of your ensemble.
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Calling all teachers & ensemble players!
I don't really want to start going on about Christmas so early in the autumn, but those who teach guitar in schools might already be having a panic about what to play in their Christmas concerts. And a lot of adult groups like to play festive music too.
So here's a little trailer of some of the Christmas music that I've arranged. All the ones on the video are for 4 guitars (or a large ensemble), and there are many more that I didn't have space to include, which you'll find under the red Christmas tabs on this page...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Mary Had A Baby - 6 guitars
This is a Christmas arrangement for 6 guitars (although the sound is even more exciting with several players on each line!). It's Spiritual from the 19th century.
The verses contain the phrase "and the train done gone" - a reference, it is widely believed, to the Gospel Train taking people to a better life. What a great excuse to underpin the music with the sound of the pistons and whistle of a steam engine!
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
The Trap (the London Marathon music)
This is an arrangement for 6 guitars (although the sound is even more exciting with several players on each line!)
Written by Ron Goodwin for the film "The Trap", it's been made even more famous by its use on television coverage of The London Marathon.
The piece is unusual for the repeated key changes which lift the mood time and again - it's a real delight to listen to!
Click or tap the image for more information...
Here's a snippet of the sound and the score...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
August 2019
Süßer die Glocken nie Klingen (German folk tune and Christmas Carol)
This is an easy arrangement for four guitars (or a large ensemble) of the charming Thuringian folk tune "Never sweeter the bells than at Christmas time".
This edition has two versions of the tune - one in first (or second) position, and one an octave higher (entirely in VII position) - you can play either (or in a large ensemble, both!)
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Leontovych "Carol Of The Bells" (Ukrainian folk theme Shchedryk)
This is an easy arrangement for four guitars (or a large ensemble) of the hypnotic "Carol Of the Bells". The music includes notes on how to use ligados or campanella to make this piece postively blossom...
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Grieg's "The Cowkeeper's Tune" (theme from The Woodentops)
This is an intermediate level arrangement for four guitars (or a large ensemble) of a charming pastoral piece by Edvard Elgar. As well as a lovely string version (in voices), there is also a piano version which was used as the opening music to the BBC TV Children's puppet show "The Woodentops".
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Mobile-first website
I've converted most of the site now to a new "mobile first" set of web pages.
What does that mean? Simply that if you use a mobile to browse this website, the formatting information that gets sent to you is leaner and faster than the version sent to a desktop.
In short - faster loading, especially if you have a 3G connection...
Downloadable Music
Another busy month so far for sales of my Accessible Contemporary Ensemble Music - accessible arrangements of modern pop items - easy to play and with a real audience appeal.
The latest addition to my catalogue is that powerful melody "All Out Of Love"
July 2019
Workshop Summer Concert
My Guitar Workshop Summer Concert raised £504.38 on the night, and a subsequent donation of £20, which all went to the Daisy Garland, a charity for children with epilepsy - thank you to everyone who made that amazing total possible....
Student Summer Concert and Social
Last night saw my Annual Student Social - music, food and drink - a lovely end to the academic year!
Downloadable Music
Sales of my downloadable music have got off to a very impressive start this month - obviously lots of groups getting ready to practise over the summer!
Student Summer Concert and Social
The first Saturday in July sees my Annual Student Social - we have more students coming this year, and a great selection of solo and duet pieces, plus copious amounts of food and drink!
June 2019
Air Supply's "All Out Of Love" - guitar duet and flute/guitar duet
This delightful piece fits wonderfully, capturing the guitar part that opens the original recording.
At one time, it held the record for the longest pop-song male voice sustained note, but there's nothing strenuous in this very playable arrangement.
Click or tap the image for more information...
For the flute & guitar duet, click here
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
May 2019
Elton John's "Basque" - 3 versions - 2 guitars, 3 guitars, flute & guitar
This Grammy Award-winning instrumental by Elton John is a curious piece - just one recording has been released, and at the time of this news item, just one other piece of sheet music (which only contains part of the original).
I've arranged versions for 2 guitars, for 3 guitars and for flute (or oboe) & guitar.
A fantastic piece to add to a concert!
Click or tap the image for more information...
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Guitar Lessons
At the moment I have no vacancies at all for the Summer Term from Easter to July.
Check out my teaching website for vacancies as they arise.
I Giorni - Guitar duet
This is a beautiful, reflective piece and it fits two guitars beautifully - it's in the same key as the original and the two players take it in turns to switch between tune and accompaniment.
A fantastic piece to add to the middle of a concert!
Click or tap the image for more information...
See & hear a sample on the SMP website
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements
Adele's "Set Fire To The Rain"
I've arranged two different versions of this classic piece (in different keys) one version is for two guitars and the other is for flute and guitar.
Read more about the guitar duet version here - it's set in Am and uses well-known shapes while staying faithful to the original.
The flute and guitar version uses a Capo on fret 5 to bring the music close to the original key and to move it into the sweet spot of the flute range. Read more here.
Feedback from my music in Classical Guitar Magazine
Tom writes
Thank you for sharing the sheet music for your composition "Captivation" in Classical Guitar News "Music to Play"!
"Captivation" is an upbeat piece easily accessible for both the guitarist and the audience.
Congratulations on 50 years of musical success!
The Darktown Strutters' Ball - Guitar quartet or large ensemble
Over the years, I've been asked to arrange this for an intermediate quartet on more than one occasion - and here it is - a version of Shelton Brooks's "The Darktown Strutters' Ball" with a Dixieland-jazz-style final chorus.
Click or tap the image for more information...
See & hear a sample on the SMP website
See a list of all my downloadable contemporary arrangements