Wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
As you know, I run the Hampshire Guitar Workshop, and we're back to holding concerts in aid of local charities.
Our concert this year was on December 8th and raised over £460 for "Young Lives vs Cancer"
November was the busiest month yet for the sales of Christmas ensembles from my shop.
There's just time to publish one more Christmas arrangement for your Christmas concert or event - it's Ding Dong Merrily On High, a gloriously busy (but very playable) arrangement that begins with chimes and peals of bells and ends with ... Big Ben.
$4.99 Intermediate level
More fun Christmas Music here...
This beautiful, haunting, Catalan carol makes a really moving yet very accessible concert piece.
Read more about my flute and guitar and my guitar duet arrangements here
$4.99 Intermediate
See also version for Flute & Guitar
This lovely video has recenty appeared on YouTube playing my arrangement of Cinema Paradiso
Read more about my arrangement of Cinema Paradiso here...
This arrangement is based on a real crowd pleaser that was played by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra - a real foot-tapper.
It's a little tougher for Guitar 1 than many of my arrangements, but there is an alternative for the hardest 8-bar section which is easy to play.
Read more/see/hear Rhythm Of Life here ...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See / hear / buyMy easy-to-play arrangement by Ukrainian composer Leontovych is currently my fastest selling piece.
If you teach or lead an ensemble, this Christmas piece comes together really quickly, so there's still time to squeeze it into your Christmas Concert!
$4.99 Beginner level
See / hear / buyThis arrangement is based on a real crowd pleaser that was played by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra - a real foot-tapper.
It's easy to play, and the optional fifth guitar part would suit a beginner guitarist or a bass instrument (it's supplied in treble and bass clef versions).
Easy to put together, it makes a massive wall of sound!
Read more/see/hear La Bamba here ...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See / hear / buyThis exciting piece, written by Charles Williams (I've also arranged his glorious "Dream of Olwen") is hard to play at full speed, but makes a wonderful concert piece.
Due to copyright restrictions, my arrangements may not always be available in every country worldwide...
Read more about my flute and guitar and my guitar duet arrangements here
This arrangement is based on a real crowd pleaser that was played by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra - a real foot-tapper.
$4.99 Intermediate level
See / hear / buyHere's a very accessible and comfortable arrangement of this famous Christmas piece and at a great price too. Ideal for a large ensemble too, and the parts are suitable for those with limited experience of guitar.
Read more/see/hear O Holy Night here ...
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See / hear / buyThis arrangement is by popular request! It's a very accessible and comfortable arrangement of this lovely modern Christmas piece.
Read more/see/hear Mary Did You Know here ...
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See also version for flute & guitar
I'm pleased to announce THREE downloadable compilations of lesser-known Christmas pieces...
Christmas Crackers for 3 Guitars - Volume 1 (6 pieces)
Christmas Crackers for 3 Guitars - Volume 2 (6 pieces)
Christmas Crackers for 4 Guitars - 6 more different pieces
This arrangement of the well-known piece (often called Little Drummer Boy) suits 6 guitars or a large ensemble, and it's not at all taxing to play!
Guitar 6 requres 6=D but is suitable for a player with limited experience. The other lines are slightly more busy but are early intermediate standard.
This piece builds and builds!
Read more/see/hear Carol of The Drum here ...
$4.99 Early Intermediate
See / hear / buyIt's been a busy month just gone for sales of my Accessible Contemporary Ensembles, and I've also been busy adding to the number of arrangements you can play.
You can see and hear a little of each arrangement before you buy an instant download, to make sure it's ideal for your ensemble.
This arrangement suits 6 guitars or a large ensemble, and it's not at all taxing to play!
Guitar 6 is supplied in treble and bass clefs, so it can be played on guitar, bass guitar or double bass, or on a mixture.
The piece is early intemediate (the top line is perhaps intermediate), but more experienced players will find that a slightly faster tempo helps the tune's sustain. There are plenty of dynamics and these make the piece come alive.
$4.99 Early Intermediate
See / hear / buyI'm reducing stocks of 3 titles in my printed books range - your chance to pick up 3 popular titles at half-price or less!
Visit my shop, pick the area of the world where you live (so we can calculate postage), and look for the red SALE flags...
First published in 1907, this is a real crowd-pleaser in concert - ideal to close the first half or as an encore.
It suits 2 advanced-intemediate guitarists, more for the speed than the notes.
My arrangement, in the same keys as the original, is deliberately straightforward so that the piece works and can be played with the confidence and volume that the original demands.
This will be a concert item the audience doesn't forget!
$4.99 Advanced Intermediate level
See also (easier) quartet version
These pieces were originally only available in printed form. Now, by popular demand, here they are as instant downloads - a total of 12 less-familiar Christmas pieces.
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See also 6 different pieces for 3 guitars
As the weather here in the UK starts to feel distinctly autumnal, many Guitar teachers are already preparing for their Christmas concerts by trying one or more of my Christmas Ensemble arrangements ...
Especially popular is "Carol Of The Bells", the tune of which is a Ukrainian folk tune, and it's made August my busiest month for music sales so far in 2022.
Thank you all - I hope your concerts go well!
$4.99 Beginner level
See / hear / buyRIP Raymond Briggs, prolific author, and famous for writing The Snowman, the basis of the now classic Christmas film.
One of my first published arrangements was "Walking In The Air" - a fantastically popular and haunting Christmas piece.
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See / hear / buyMade famous by Mike Oldfield, this traditional Hornpipe was actually first published in 1701. My arrangement sneaks in a little bit of "What Shall We Do With The Drunken Sailor" and makes a spectacular concert item, running to about 5 minutes and building up as the piece progresses.
Read more/see/hear Portsmouth here...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See / hear / buyTurlough O'Carolan, the blind Irish Harpist, wrote arguably some of the finest melodies one can enjoy.
Here are three of his pieces - Planxy Irwin, Planxty Sir George Brabazon and the wonderfully titled Planxty Sir Festus Burke. Together they form a contrasting suite - three distinct moods, and all at the early intermediate to intermediate standard.
Read more/see/hear Planxty Three here...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See / hear / buyWritten by Paul Simon when he was in New York without Art Garfunkel, this slightly poignant song makes a wonderful guitar and woodwind duet.
My arrangements are somewhere between Early Intermediate and Intermediate.
Read more about (and hear an excerpt of) my flute & guitar (and clarinet & guitar) arrangements here.
At the time of writing, my catalog has over 270 items. Check back here for future additions...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See also clarinet & guitar duet
Sometimes called "A Musical Joke", I've arranged an abridged version of the fourth movement of Mozart's suite for 3 guitars.
But if you live in the UK, you might know it better as being the basis of the theme to TV's "The Horse Of The Year Show".
Read more about my guitar trio arrangement here
$4.99 intermediate level
See / hear / buyThis lovely piece features in the mockumentary film "A Mighty Wind", and it truly is a high spot in the film!
Read more about my flute and guitar (and clarinet and guitar) arrangements here
$4.99 Easy Intermediate level
See also clarinet & guitar duet
Chi Mai has proved to be one of my most popular arrangements, so I'm pleased to re-work it for flute and guitar duet and open up this lovely music to yet more players...
Here are the other versions on sale...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See also guitar duet version
Following some great feedback at fusion's concert in May just gone, I've re-worked the versions of "Fields of Gold" that I have on sale - all of them are now the full-length Eva Cassidy version, complete with the instrumental break in the middle.
Here are the versions on sale...
$4.99 intermediate level
See / hear / buyMy easy-to-play arrangement of The Muppets Theme is back - originally withdrawn from sale when copyright permission was retracted, it's now back on sale with revised copyright permission, so download and you're good to go!
$4.99 Early Intermediate level
See / hear / buyMy arrangements of Elton John's Basque (for flute and guitar and for guitars) are amongst my best sellers. And now I've added an arrangement for oboe and guitar.
The characteristically haunting, emotional, sound of the oboe is limited to a modest range of pitch, so my oboe arrangement is pitched in a different key. The guitar part is capo 2, so that the arpeggio shapes are accessible to those players of even quite modest ability, though more experienced players will enjoy the rich sound that comes from their guitar.
Read more/see/hear "Basque" here ...
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See also version for 2 guitars
Here's a "blast from the past" - my arrangement of the tune made famous by Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
Read more/see/hear "Spanish Flea" here ...
$4.99 early intermediate level
(but intermediate if played fast!)
Here's one of the ten pieces we played in fusion's lunchtime concert at St Faith's Church Havant on May 25th - Adagio by Rolf Løvland
This arrangement - based on the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra's version, which audiences always enjoyed - is an intermediate quartet (also suits large ensemble). A toe-tapping crowd-pleaser, there's a funky bass-line to die for!
The soundclip features HAGO playing a snippet of this piece live in concert.
Read more/see/hear "Flingel Bunt" here ...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See / hear / buyThis arrangement can be played as an intermediate quartet (or large ensemble), but also comes with an optional descant line for a 5th guitar. The descant line mirrors the violin accompaniment in the film "Scent of a Woman" and can be played high up the neck (advanced intermediate) or on the main part of the neck (intermediate ability).
Read more/see/hear "Por Una Cabeza" here ...
$4.99 Intermediate level
Not currently on sale ?My latest arrangement is the well-known traditional folk song . It makes a rumbustious concert item for an intermediate guitar trio or a large ensemble. With multiple verses arranged in different textures and shared between the players, there's something for everyone here, and at a bargain price too - the edition contains individual parts and a full score too.
Read more/see/hear "Oh Dear! What Can The Matter Be?" here ...
$4.99 intermediate level
See / hear / buyThis glorious piece, sung by Calum Scott, finds new life in my arrangement that takes the original voice & piano and fits them onto flute & guitar, to make a full-length piece that builds and fades away like the original.
$4.99 Intermediate level
See also guitar duet version
My publisher has migrated all my music for sale to a new platform. The music's absolutely fine but some of the descriptions on the SheetMusicPlus website have become incorrect - changing Classical Guitar to Electric Guitar for instance (a known bug, it turns out, with no immediate fix).
Apologies - it's created a nightmare for me that I'm still working on so that the new site presents my works more accurately...
All the descriptions here on this site are correct, so it's best to view and purchase via my website rather than theirs!
I've just added an easy John Dowland arrangement (for 3 novice guitars) to my collection of free ensemble music - click the link here to go and visit and help yourself!
Almost everyone knows this catchy Mexican Folk Tune, though not many know that it translates to "The Cockroach".
My arrangement for 3 guitars is ideal for a school concert or a whacky encore in a concert - it's easy to play, and the three parts are slightly different standards - from novice to intermediate.
Read more/see/hear "La Cucaracha" here ...
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See / hear / buyAndrew Gough (Birmingham Conservatoire and West Dean Guitar Festival) has just sent me a recording of his school guitar orchestra playing my arrangement of Viva La Vida...
Have a listen! The dynamics are fantastic....
To download the score, click here...
I've put together a little 3-minute video to showcase some of my trio arrangements...
You can see and hear 10 pieces from my range of over 200...
Two days ago, the Guitar Workshop celebrated our 34th birthday.
We've been meeting fortnightly in term time since 1988!
Visit our Guitar Workshop website to read more...
We welcome new joiners, but if you live too far away you can download some of our music instead!
Here's a wonderfully gentle but haunting piece - my arrangement of Nino Rota's melody, as featured in The Godfather film
Read more/see/hear "Theme from The Godfather" here ...
I've also arranged the theme for flute and guitar duet ...
$4.99 Early Intermediate level
See also flute & guitar version
My latest new arrangement for sale is a boisterous crowd-pleaser, based on the version performed by the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra.
$4.99 Intermediate level
See / hear / buyHere's a second wonderful piece of calming music in these troubled times - my arrangement of Rolf Løvland's haunting melody, as featured on the Secret Garden album. See also Nocturne, below
$4.99 Intermediate level
Not currently on sale ?Here's a wonderful piece of calming music in these troubled times - my arrangement of Rolf Løvland's haunting melody, as featured on the Secret Garden album.
Read more/see/hear "Nocturne for 3 Guitars" here ...
I've also arranged the music for flute and guitar duet ...
$4.99 Intermediate level
See also flute and guitar version
Here's a blast from the past, a real foot-tapping crowd-pleaser arranged to suit an early intermediate quartet or large group - a great concert piece for those with less experience and fun to play whatever one's ability!
$4.99 Early Intermediate
See / hear / buyThis delightful Welsh Lullaby, arranged here for an Early Intermediate group, makes a reflective and beautiful interlude in any concert.
Read more/see/hear "Suo Gân" here ...
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See / hear / buyThis famous Ragtime piece for an Early Intermediate group is a real crowd-pleaser that any audience would enjoy.
Read more/see/hear "The Entertainer" here ...
$4.99 Early intermediate level
See / hear / buyHere's a date for your diary - "fusion" are playing a lunchtime concert in Havant on Wednesday May 25th - more details nearer the time!
This haunting piece by Tchaikovsky makes a wonderful contrasting item in any school concert or adult recital.
Originally for piano, I have produced 4 arrangements
$4.99 Intermediate level
See also easier Quintet version