Guitar France 2008

Guitar France 2008 with Gary Ryan and Craig Ogden 30th July - 4th August 2008

Building on the success of 2006 and 2007, the third annual summer Guitar France course will take place in the beautiful French spa town of Bagnoles de l'Orne in Southern Normandy, in the heart of the Andaine Forest.

www.guitarfrance.com

The course is run by Gary Ryan - Course Director (Royal College of Music, London) and Craig Ogden (Royal Northern College of Music, Manchester), two of the finest guitarists of their generation and both highly acclaimed performers and teachers based in the UK.

The course runs for four full days with a strong emphasis placed on performance. It is intended for intermediate to advanced players.

You will receive expert advice from experienced concert performers on playing in public, interpretation, technical development and practice. There will also be regular sight-reading and opportunities for ensemble work.

All participants receive a one to one private lesson and regular chances to perform.

All performance classes will take place in the stunning Château Hotel de Ville and its converted stables (pictured below) which are both set in a glorious arboretum overlooking Bagnoles de l'Orne.

Craig Ogden and Gary Ryan will be performing a mixture of solos and duos together at the Convention Centre (Centre d'Animation et de Congres) at 8.30pm on Saturday 2 August. The performance will feature the world premiere of Gary Ryan's new work for two guitars, `Bazaar'.

The student concert will take place on Sunday 3 August in the fantastic acoustics of Église Sacré Coeur.

The course provides a friendly and welcoming learning environment with discussions over dinner and the benefit of group feedback.

Bagnoles de l'Orne is an artistically inspiring location with great scenery and traditional French food and wine. The town carnival will take place on Friday 1 August and there will also be a boules tournament (petanque) and wine tasting for those who wish to take part! A wide range of other activities are possible in free time - there are several free evenings and time scheduled during the day for practice or sightseeing.

All participants will also receive a free copy of Gary Ryan's brand new CD `Visions and Vistas', featuring his acclaimed compositions for guitar solo, duo and trio.