This month’s Video-of-the-Month is one that gives me hope for my future.

Andres Segovia, who pretty much single-handedly brought the modern guitar out of obscurity and put it centre-stage for classical music lovers all over the world, recorded this tune in his native Spain fairly late in his life. (He died in 1987 at the age of 94.)

While he is certainly not at his best in this video, his lifetime of virtuosity is in full view. As I understand it, he suffered from severe arthritis in his hands by this point in his career, and yet he was still able to keep his audiences enthralled.

I just hope that if I live that long, I’ll still be able to play for my own enjoyment – let alone someone else’s!

Wikipedia: Andres Segovia

As is my custom, I will be doubling up on videos-of-the-month for the summer months, when it is a bit harder to sit in front of a screen writing about playing guitar when I could be outside playing guitar. The second video-of-the-month for July features a young duo from Texas…

Fragile Balance consists of two young guitarists who met in high school two years ago, Nick Cooper and Cruz Lujan. So far, they have released two full length CDs and have shared a stage with the likes of Antoine Dufour and Michael Chapdelaine.

Here they are playing “Elements of Emotion”:

Once again, I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for these talented young men…

Fragile Balance’s website: www.Fragile-Balance.com

Fragile Balance’s YouTube channel: www.YouTube.com/user/fragilebalanceband

Summer is here, so in keeping with past tradition I will start presenting two videos each month to try to offset my reluctance to sit at my computer writing new posts during the summer weather.

The first video-of-the-month for July features classical guitarist Maja Radovanlija. Following my post about the lack of female guitarists, Maja wrote me a note suggesting that, at least in the classical world, there are more female guitarists than many of us realize. She suggested that it may be that women just aren’t as aggressive at promoting themselves.

Here Maja plays “Lento from Jazz Sonata” by Dusan Bogdanovic:

Originally from Serbia, Maya is a faculty member at the University of Minnesota School of Music.

Maja’s Fandalism (a FaceBook affiliate) page: www.Fandalism.com/mayaradovanlia

Maja’s YouTube channel: www.YouTube.com/user/folkofolkas

Maja’s website was down at the time of writing, if it’s back up, it should be here: www.MajaRadovanlija.com

For June’s original Video-of-the-Month we go to Sweden, where we find Salomon Jakobsson.

I have been able to piece together that Salomon is about 17 years old and only started playing when he was thirteen.

Here he is playing his original composition, “Battle of the Brave Frog”:

I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds…

Salomon’s FaceBook page: www.FaceBook.com/pages/Salomon-Jakobsson/202188176493954

Salomon’s YouTube channel: www.YouTube.com/user/salomon9595

Doc Watson (1923-2012)

I have pre-empted my regularly scheduled Video-of-the-Month to pay tribute to one of the great guitarists of all time, Arthel Lane “Doc” Watson, who passed away on May 29th at the age of 89.

Having lost his eyesight at an early age, Doc first learned to play the banjo on an instrument that his dad made. He switched to guitar while attending a school for the blind. He went on to become one of the great “flatpickers” of all time.

This video (actually, audio only) is from the Newport Folk Festival, 1963, where Doc caught his first “big break”. Here he plays two of his signature pieces: “Doc’s Guitar” (a.k.a. “Tickling the Strings”) a fingerpicking tune, and “Black Mountain Rag” a flatpicking tune.

Rest in peace, Doc.

(The original Video-of-the-Month for June will appear on June 15th.)

Wikipedia: Doc Watson

May’s Video-of-the-Month is another German guitarist, Timo Brauwers, who I discovered when Adam Rafferty posted a video link of Timo’s on Facebook. At the time of writing, the English version of Timo’s website did not yet have his biographical information and I don’t read German particularly well, so I can’t tell you much about Timo, other than that I really enjoy his playing.

Here he is playing “Breathe Deeply”:

Incidentally, I recently tried the same model guitar that Timo uses in this video – it may well be my next guitar!

Timo’s website: www.timobrauwers.de (English version – click on German flag at far right of navigation bar for German)

Timo’s YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/user/dabooti

“Classical Gas” by Mason Williams is easily the most popular and successful instrumental guitar tune ever written. Written during a weekend break from his day job as a writer for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, the tune was released in February 1968 and climbed to the top of the charts, winning three Grammy Awards that year. It has since been performed by countless people and ensembles playing a wide variety of different instruments.

Years ago, my guitar teacher tried to teach me how to play “Classical Gas”, but I was more interested in 3-chord rock at the time. Years later, after hearing Lisa Simpson playing it on an episode of The Simpsons, I decided that it was time to revisit the tune. Its not wildly difficult, but the timing is tricky as it changes time signatures several times throughout the piece.

Here is the original recording:

And here is Tommy Emmanuel’s take on the tune (note the nods to the Ventures and Elton John mid-way through):

And here is the official “Classical Gas” website:  ClassicalGas.com/home.html

Just a personal plug…

On Sunday May 6th, I will be the guest host of the York Region Fingerstyle Guitar Association monthly Open Mic. We meet at the Cornerhouse Restaurant in Stouffville (6403 Main St.) from 1:30 pm until 5 pm. I will be presenting a short workshop and there will be a feature set by D’Arcy Wickham.

I’m still trying to decide on a topic for the workshop. I’m thinking either “Working with a Metronome” or “Practicing Without Your Guitar”. Thoughts or suggestions?

Today is International Women’s Day. Unfortunately, that has very little to do with guitars. For whatever reason, women do not seem to be drawn to play guitar. I don’t have official statistics, but anecdotally, I would guess that less than 10% of guitarists are female. (I am pleased to report that fully half of my students are female.)

In the past, I have featured a couple of female guitarists on this blog – notably, Macyn Taylor and Muriel Anderson. Today I give you someone that I’ve just recently discovered, Eva Beneke:

Eva was born in East Berlin and studied guitar at the Berlin University of Arts and the Franz Liszt Hochschule in Weimar where she graduated in 2007. She released her first CD, “Coming Home” in 2010.

A question for all of you women out there: Why don’t you play guitar? Or, if you do play guitar, why do you think that other women don’t?

Eva Beneke’s website: www.EvaBeneke.com

I recently read a great blog post from Adam Rafferty which describes his process for building a set list. He also talks about the importance of melody and some of the pitfalls to avoid when composing new tunes or adding repertoire. You can read the post here.

Adam Rafferty is a solo fingerstyle guitarist from New York City. He was featured in September’s Video-of-the-Month.