Mark Ashford

RAM Reunion 2010

Mark — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:20:16 +0000

The Royal Academy of Music’s Guitar Department is now 50 years old! To celebrate Michael Lewin organised a reunion at the RAM. It was a fantastic afternoon catching up with old friends some of which I’m sure you will recognise.

Permission was kindly given by the photographer Rita Castle to reproduce the images below.

[View with PicLens]

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Guitar Circus Training Day & Concert

admin — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 17:02:50 +0000

GUITAR CIRCUS will be running its first TRAINING Ensemble on Monday 26 July 2010 at Southampton University.

The event, WYGF-EXTRA, is jointly promoted with the World Youth Guitar Festival and Southampton Music Service, and in addition to the GUITAR CIRCUS Training Ensemble, there will be other young guitarists being put through their paces under the expert eyes of tutors including: Mark Ashford (Director of GUITAR CIRCUS Birmingham), Chris Stell, Mark Eden, Frank Gerstmeier and Helen Sanderson.

Go to http://www.guitarcircus.org/ for further information and to apply online.

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London Hand Therapy

admin — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 14:43:12 +0000

A great new website for any musicians suffering with hand problems. http://www.londonhandtherapy.co.uk/

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Teaching Forum

Mark — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:09:44 +0000

I have started a forum on my teaching page for students, (young or old) to ask any questions regarding their own studies. Whether it be a question about technique, repertoire or just a general question, ask away. It doesn’t matter if you just play for fun or if you think it’s a bizarre question, I’ll do my best to answer it.

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Winchester Guitar Festival

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:40:11 +0000

Join Mark this year at the Winchester Guitar Festival from 23rd-25th July. Mark will be performing at the Milner Hall, Winchester on the Friday night and giving classes and workshops all weekend alongside Canadian guitarist Dale Kavanagh. Go to http://www.winchesterguitarfestival.co.uk/ for more information.

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GUITAR CIRCUS – Free Taster Sessions

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:08:24 +0000

The Birmingham branch of GUITAR CIRCUS are offering two FREE sessions in June and July for guitarists aged 12-18 who are grade 5 standard or higher.

Want to train with the UK’s top guitarists?

GUITAR CIRCUS is a monthly ensemble scheme for young guitarists aged 12-18 who are Grade 5 standard or higher.

Our Birmingham branch, led by the internationally acclaimed guitarist Mark Ashford, is holding 2 FREE taster sessions in June and July: so come along and find out what it’s all about.

Date: Time: Location:

Sunday 20 June or Sunday 11 July, 2010 10.30 AM – 1.30 PM

Birmingham Conservatoire, Paradise Place, B3 3HG

For further details and to book your place please contact GUITAR CIRCUS on 01962 860192 or email: info@theartscircus.com

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Behind the scenes with Vida GQ

admin — Wed, 12 May 2010 10:31:45 +0000

A fun look at what goes on when the quartet are away on tour. This was filmed at festivals in the UK and Germany in March 2010. Look out for the very talented iphone Ocarina playing!

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Focal Hand Dystonia

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 10:32:08 +0000

Every week I get emails from around the world asking me about the condition ‘focal dystonia’. It is a very difficult and frustrating process to recover from, which requires absolute comittment, determination and above all else patience! I have uploaded a few articles by leading specialists on the subject. Katherine Butler was my specialist who has done a great deal of research into focal dystonia amongst musicians. The best advice I can give is that you do have to retrain the brain’s messages to the fingers, so you must take things very slowly and please, please be patient! It took me nearly six years to completely recover and start giving concerts again. Please feel free to contact me if you have any related queries.

Click on the links below to download as a pdf file;

Focal Hand Dystonia Affecting Musicians. Part I: An Overview Of Epidemiology, PathoPhysiology And Medical Treatments

Focal Hand Dystonia Affecting Musicians. Part II: An Overview Of Current Rehabilitative Treatment Techniques

Slow-Down Exercise for the Treatment of Focal Hand Dystonia; Page 1

Slow-Down Exercise for the Treatment of Focal Hand Dystonia; Page 2

Slow-Down Exercise for the Treatment of Focal Hand Dystonia; Page 3

Slow-Down Exercise for the Treatment of Focal Hand Dystonia; Page 4

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Gramaphone recommend Vida magic!

admin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:45:23 +0000

“VIDA Guitar Quartet’s debut recording is impressive indeed. Why? Because it’s so easy to imagine you’re listening to an entire orchestra and not merely to four guitars.”Gramophone March 2010 RECOMMENDS the VIDA GQ’s CD ‘Love, the Magician’ BGS118.

“Throughout, the Quartet succeeds in bringing out the narrative and dramatic…..qualities implicit in the music through a combination of exquisite tonal and dynamic control, super-tight ensemble and unerring musical instinct. Listen to the confident sweep of rapid figures in the frenzied “Danza del terror” from El Amor Brujo and the beautiful transparent “Romance del pescador” from the same; or the beguiling sensuality of the “Habanera” and virility of “Toreadors” from Carmen Suite. There’s only one word for it: magic”

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Classic FM give Vida 4.5 stars

admin — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:07:29 +0000

Classic FM (Feb issue 183) magazine has awarded VIDA’s new CD ‘Love, the Magician’ (BGS118) a magnificent 4 and a half stars out of 5.

” The members of VIDA conjure up an orchestral palette of colour and effects from four regular classical models. Sticking to tried-and-tested guitar transcription material, they play with technical brilliance and precise ensemble, creating alternately smoky and glittering colours in Falla’s El amor brujo that suit the gypsy heart of the music so well. They are high spirited in The Three Cornered Hat dances and their Carmen Suite arrangement is done with verve.”

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