CGR 100-Middle Fork
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Middle Fork, a composition by Leo Welch, was commissioned in the fall of 2005 through a grant offered through the Wolf Trap Foundation Scholarship for Performing Arts Teachers. The work was premiered by the Robinson Secondary School Guitar Ensemble under the direction of Glen McCarthy as a part of the mid-Atlantic Guitar Ensemble Festival that was held May 13, 2006 in Fairfax County, Virginia. Middle Fork is about five minutes in length, and is inspired by the Middle Fork of the Williams River in the Cranberry Wilderness Area of West Virginia. It is written specifically to be at the level of a more advanced high school guitar ensemble.

CGR 101-Divergent Rondo
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Divergent Rondo, a composition by Jeff Tanner, was written to teach 7/8 time in a high school ensemble comprised of beginning through advanced players. The parts range in difficulty from easy to more advanced, with the lower parts in first position and the upper parts utilizing fifth, seventh and ninth positions. The song follows the standard rondo form and is to be played with energy and rhythmic drive.

CGR 102-Summer Suite
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Summer Suite, a composition by Romana Hartmetz, is about regaining a sense of wonder by seeing the world through the eyes of a child. The slides (glissandi) should be relaxed, reminiscent of the sound of a lap steel guitar. The piece closes with a setting of an Appalachian fiddle tune, The Wind that Shook the Barley, a bittersweet melody for the end of summer.

CGR 103-Shades of Light
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Shades of Light, a composition by Leo Welch, is a four-movement work of about 8 minutes for advanced three-part guitar ensemble or trio. The work was written to provide guitar ensembles the opportunity to perform a sophisticated multi-movement work where the four movements are integrally related to the whole. The work explores the many coloristic resources of the guitar, which makes the work challenging and rewarding to play. Tone color changes, rest and free strokes and percussive techniques are utilized throughout the piece.

If practice time is an issue, several different movement configurations may be used. However the piece is best understood when all four movements are performed consecutively with the transition sections.

CGR 200-Back to Basie/Blues Hues

The inspiration for Back to Basie and Blues Hues comes from the tradition of blues and improvisation. During the 30’s the Count Basie Band dominated the dance halls with its eighth note underpinning and syncopated rhythms. But “swing” is better described by the way people danced to the music. Light-footed, smooth seamless transition, coordination and balance, high energy; these descriptions apply to the dancing as well ato the music. Keep this in mind when learning and performing Back to Basie. Guitars I and II in particular should as pproach the melody with a light touch in order to execute the more difficult passages in the bridge but not lose intensity and bright tone needed for the melody. Pay close attention to articulations and dynamics.

CGR 300-Vivaldi's Concerto in C
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This piece, arranged by Stephen Cornelius, is appropriate for an intermediate guitar ensemble, and is an excellent example of Vivaldi's concerto style. Parts one and two are more advanced and frequently move from first position; parts three and four are simpler rhythmically and stay in the lower tessitura of the guitar. The first movement is lively and accented. The tempo should only go as fast as students can perform the notes with accuracy. The A, C, and E sections require close attention to the indicated articulations. The tempo does not slow at the end. The tempo of the second movement is slow and free. The third movement is in the same style as the first. The tempo is constant and should feel dance-like.

CGR 301-Vivaldi's Concerto in G
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The Concerto in G Major by Antonio Vivaldi, arranged by Carlos Silva, was originally written for string orchestra with solo violin and is more advanced than the CGR 300 Concerto in C Major. This version is arranged for 5 guitars with the solos violin part arranged for guitar 1. The three movement work is about 12 minutes in length, and it is suitable for an advanced guitar ensemble. It is especially appropriate if your ensemble includes a variety of ability levels as the lower parts are easily performed while the first and second guitar parts require good technique and the ability to perform passages in upper positions. The work is a wonderful example of Vivaldi’s style with exciting passage work and a stirring final jig movement.

CGR 302-Haydn's String Quartet in A Major
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The String Quartet in A Major by Franz Joseph Haydn, arranged by Adam Foster, was originally written for string quartet. It is a great vehicle to introduce your students to one of the great masters of the Classical era. The quartet is arranged for four guitars, and while the first part is the most advanced, all parts interact thoroughly throughout the expansive work. It is full of Haydn wittiness—from rhythmic displacements of the theme to clever jokes passed around the ensemble in the Minuet. The entire work is about 18 minutes in length, but any of the movements stand well by themselves. Careful attention has been given to the arrangement so that the guitar parts are idiomatically written and easily performed by an advanced guitar ensemble.

CGR 302 String Quartet in A Major (Haydn) Available electronically, call 800-440-1914.