RECORDER & GUITAR

                                      ANDREW COLLIS  RECORDERS   

                                         GRAHAM ROBERTS  GUITAR

Formed in 1989 the virtuosic duo has successfully performed throughout the United Kingdom.  Known for creative and imaginative programmes we impress audiences with our exciting and versatile performance.  Our playing combines a wide variety of genres and styles of music for this combination of instruments.


"The concert was BRILLIANT!..I loved so much of it......." 

                                                                  Jenny Kaluzney 




The music ranges from Medieval/ Renaissance to Contemporary and Jazz with original works for Recorder and Guitar, transcriptions of Baroque sonatas / Early pieces and music originaly written for other instrumental combinations.

We approach composers to write for us broadening the repertoire for recorder and guitar. "Ember/Kindle" by Paul Burrell  had its debut performance in September 2006 and "Just A Minute" by Steve Marshall (2007).

"The virtuosic performance of this varied repertoire....."

"These two instruments really complement each other...I look forward to their next recital with anticipation...." RECORDER MAGAZINE 

Next Appearances      (see Diary Page for further details) 

 We released  a new C.D.Fusion with music by Handel, Castello, Piazzola, Challinger.... See Fusion page for more details.
 

You can see and hear a live performance of some of the tracks featured on Fusion  by clicking on these links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViqyTNm6sxg 

Vamo Nessa Machado Track 7

http://www.youtube.com/user/corrie1414#p/a/u/1/TngQeHhUmao 

Cafe 1930 Piazzolla Track 2

To hear Sound bites click on :

//www.andrewcollismusician.com/cdata/7160/docs/2236867_1.mp3

FOR THE LATEST REVIEWS  GO TO  REVIEW PAGE


 

GRAHAM ROBERTS began his studies with Richard Cobby at the Northampton Guitar Studios before studying with Michael Lewin in London.  He then attended The Royal Academy of Music where he graduated with honours and won the Julian Bream Guitar Prize.He has been invited to play as a concerto soloist with many leading orchestras, and has also worked with numerous orchestras including the BBC Symphony Orchestra(Last night of the Proms) London Sinfonietta, English Chamber Orchestra, Bournemouth Sinfonietta and National Symphony Orchestra. Graham has also played with a number of chamber ensembles such as the Tetra Guitar Quartet and Carlos Bonell Ensemble and opera companies such as Scottish Opera, Royal Opera House and Broom Hill Opera and also adjudicates at festivals for the Federation of British Festivals.  In 2001 Graham was appointed an Associate of the Royal Academy of Music for his distinguished work in the profession.

"...a clean striking tone, an uncluttered but highly efficient technique." Classical Guitar magazine 

 The official website for Graham Roberts is:

www.grahamrobertsguitar.com

  The Duo have performed at venues including the Barbican, Bretton Hall and West Midlands Arts Centre.

We use varied programmes and entertaining dialogue to engage the audience in the music.  The choice of pieces highlight the diversity of pieces written for the instruments and we offer either a wide ranging programme or one based on a particular theme.

Our solo repertoire ranges from Early to very contemporary pieces.

We also arrange and adapt music originally written for other instruments (flute, oboe, violin).

  In September 2006 we gave the first performance of "Ember/Kindle" a work specially written for us by Paul Burnell.  A guitar featured Ember conjures up a tai chi/oriental mood with the tenor recorder producing breathy sounds as if blowing on a flame to keep it alive.  Kindle is a fast rhythmical piece full of descant recorder energy and percussive guitar...a great sucess for performers and listeners.

"Just A Minute" by Steve Marshall was written in 2007 and contains seven movements lasting all of a minute.  Each movement has it''s own title and description.  A variety of recorders are used and the moods and styles change.  An attractive work of an entertaining nature.  

 Virtuoso music from the 19th Century Ernst Krahmer captures the salon music of the day with a set of variatios on a simple theme showing off the composer and instruments ability.A work for recorder and guitar by the English composer Andrew Challinger has a jazzy feel with difficult rhythms and interplay between the players.The german composer markus Zahnhausen has written acollection of works depicting the seasons.I will play Summer Sounds which uses a mixture of traditional and avant-garde sounds.

The music of Piazzola is associated with Argentina and we are playing one of the movements from "The History of The Tango" entitled Nightclub 1960.

With music by Telemann we have a master of recorder composing, his F minor sonata being a great piece for the instrument.Our French set includes music by Debussy Poulenc and Ibert where the wit and emotion of their music is captured in the delicate scoring and mood.Our Brazillian music is by Machado a versatile musician who captures the rhythmic vitalitiy of latin american music in his choros and sambas.  

 REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS:

St.Marys Church Perivale   6th September 2003

"This tiny 12th century church was an ideal venue for a spectacular duo...."

"Exciting playing of Ibert''s Entr''acte......"

Wat Zal Op Avond Doen..."a very demanding piece..."

"The guitar came into its own with the two Spanish pieces..."

"The second half was just as good as the first..."

Sommerklange "very challenging and demanding modern piece..."

Rondo Hongrois "...very tuneful and beautifully played..."

" I look forward to the next recital with anticipation...BRAVO!..."

                                 Henry Lawry  age 13. Recorder Magazine 

OTHER ACTIVITIES

The Recorder and Guitar Duo also gives recitals aimed at a younger audience where the repertoire performed has styles from the serious to the popular.  The different sizes of recorder are used from the smallest to the largest with audience participation a major part of the programme.  Guitar solos are also included in the performance.

Repertoire includes:   

Spanish/Hugarian Music    Medieval       Latin American

Ragtimes    Jazz/Blues     Popular Classical     Disney

SEE REVIEW PAGE FOR THE LATEST CHILDREN''S CONCERT REVIEW...

RECENT REVIEW HIGHLIGHTS:

SEE REVIEW PAGE FOR FULL DETAILS

PRINCE MICHAEL HALL CHELTENHAM  30th September 2006:

"...two players with technique and musicality."

"The range of pieces we heard was considerable...."

"Andrew''s audacious performance....barnstorming."

"...playing a class (challenging) programme...without dumbing-down."

                                    Steve Marshall Recorder Magazine 

RIVERHOUSE BARN WALTON  29th October 2005:

"The interesting and well devised programme.........the guitar and recorders complemented each other well and there was excellent rapport".

Canarios.."Graham produced some beautiful shades of tone....superb control in the Asturias"...

"Andrew demonstrated a large controlled dynamic range..impressively executed glissandi...a beautiful and haunting tone on the tenor."

Rondo Hongrois..."a truly virtuoso performance by both players"......

Big Baboon..."great fun ...baboon-like grunts whuch Andrew clearly relished.".....

"This is one of the best things I have heard at the Barn"...

                         Jenny and Bernard Barton.  Recorder Magazine 2006

 SAMPLE PROGRAMME:  

 Sonata in A minor                        G.F.Handel

  Allegro Moderato                        F.Poulenc

  Piece en forme de Habenera            M.Ravel

 Sonata                                    J.Francaix

 Entr''acte                                 J.Ibert

 Wat Zal Men Op Avond Doen            Van Eyck

 Canarios                                   G.Sanz

 Asturias                                   I.Albeniz  

 Daido (1993)                              P.Leenhouts

 Sonata BWV1033                         J.S.Bach

 Histoire duTango                         A.Piazzola

 Sound of Bells                            Trad Brazilian

 Choros No. 1                                           V.Lobos

  Rondo Hongrois                           E.Krahmer

OTHER REPERTOIRE:

Sonata Prima                              D. Castello

Sonata in F minor

Partita in E minor                         G.P Telemann

 New World Dances                       J.Golland 

Round Dance (1990)                      A. Challinger

 Toward The Sea (1981)                 T.Takemitsu  

 Sonata in C Major                        F.Barsanti

  La Follia                                  A.Corelli

 Recarcada                                  D.Ortiz  

 Spanish Folk Songs                         Anon. 

 Distribuicao de Flores                      Villa-Lobos

 Solfeggio Detta La Stravaganza            F.Durant

Dowland Variations                           T.Moore

Pavane                                        M.Ravel

Canzona detta LaBernadinia                  G.Frescobaldi

Mouvements Perpetuals                        F.Poulenc

Entr''acte                                      J.Ibert

Round Dance                                  A.Challinger

Brazillian melodies                            Machado 

Le Petit Negre                                C.Debussy

Introduction and Theme and variations       E.Krahmer