A one-to-one lesson with John Mills
A performance in the Dora Stoutzker Hall at RWCMD
The RWCMD Guitar Ensemble maintains a busy concert schedule
A masterclass with John Williams, March 2016
Julian Bream is a longstanding supporter of the College
The guitar department at RWCMD offers students the opportunity
to be part of a dynamic community of guitarists which includes some
of the world’s leading teachers and players. Under the leadership
of John Mills for twenty years, the department established a
reputation as one of the largest and most successful conservatoire
guitar departments in the UK.
The training covers a wide solo repertoire as well as other
important works including concertos and chamber music, enabling
students to build a secure foundation upon which to establish a
rewarding career in this increasingly competitive musical
field.
Course Leader, Helen Sanderson, provides weekly tuition
supported by regular performance classes with Visiting Guest
Artists Zoran Dukic, Chris Stell and John Mills.
The department enjoys longstanding support and input from some
of the world’s most eminent guitarists. Students have recently
performed in masterclasses with John Williams, Sean Shibe, Gerald
Garcia, Ian Watt and Richard Wright amongst others. Julian Bream is
a longstanding supporter who has contributed a large number of
guitar scores, a valuable collection of lute scores and treatises,
a large part of his art collection, and a concert guitar for use by
the department.
Idiomatic general musicianship classes with Stephen Gordon
include opportunities to explore performance styles from the 16th
century onwards, including figured bass and ornamentation on
baroque guitar and theorbo. Guitarists may also apply for tuition
on the lute and vihuela.
The department has a number of ‘period’ instruments which are
available on loan, these include copies of a baroque guitar,
vihuela, romantic guitar, lute and theorbo.
In addition to regular opportunities to perform in the College’s
own venues as part of a vibrant in-house concert programme, the
department has also established strong connections with local
community arts centres and guitar societies offering further
performance opportunities.
The John Mills Guitar Prize takes place annually in the summer
term, and the Stuart Cohen Award for Classical Guitar is presented
each academic year in recognition of one student’s outstanding
contribution to the department.