els of guitar: Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced, and Artist. While there are challenges for school counselors to schedule students appropriately, this leveling system has improved instruction exponentially.


Money can also be a challenge. I probably spend between $700 – 800 per year on strings alone. It is also important to build a library of music. Since students often stay in the program for up to four years, I try not to recycle music more than every four years. This can get expensive quickly when you have four levels for which to provide music. I have been fortunate on this end. While the school system provides an instructional allotment, I get further support from our Heri- tage Music Boosters. I’m not sure what I would do with out the support of this parent/student organization.


What Guitar Ensemble published collections do you like to work from?


There is an ever-growing body of literature for guitar en- semble and I cannot say that I stick to one collection for multiple years in a row. Mel Bay has published many col- lections that I have used that have been arranged by Donald Miller, Glenn Caluda and Alan Hirsh. I enjoy the Signature Series published by Class Guitar Resources with compos- ers Leo Welch, Romana Hartmetz and Jeffrey Tanner. Ev- erything that Jeffrey Tanner (Funky Bear Music) publishes is brilliant. My students love Jürg Kindle’s


and Miroslav


Lončar’s compositions published by Les Productions D’Oz. D’Oz/Doberman-Yppan has a multitude of music for guitar ensemble, so I’d strongly recommend browsing their web- site. Another wonderful resource is www.guitarcurriculum. com which is hosted by the Austin Classical Guitar Society. If you purchase their online membership, there is a plethora of graded ensemble pieces that you can print and customize.


Your thoughts of “classical guitar seating position” or “right knee” for your groups?


I don’t believe in “classical guitar seating position”, I believe in a healthy position no matter what style of instrument one plays. In most cases, if you think about a marriage between physiology and physics, the guitar will be angled at about 45 degrees. In order to do this, the traditional manner has been to place the left foot on a footstool. While this works well, there are many guitar supports that will allow the guitarist to keep their feet flat on the floor, which helps to prevent back strain. While many of my students use footstools, I have a growing number of students who use one of the many guitar supports available today.


It is important that the ensemble sit consistently for vari- ous reasons. If some hold the guitar on the right leg while others on the right, guitars will be banging into each other.


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What are some performing opportunity highlights that your groups participated in?


Every other year, my students have performed for the Yale Guitar Extravaganza at the Yale School of Music. In 2012, students from Loundoun County Public Schools performed the world premiere of Shiki: Seasons of Japan composed and conducted by Shingo Fujii with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet as the solo ensemble. We also did the world premiere of Cascade by Omid Zoufonoun which was commissioned by the Guitar Foundation of America (2013). Our school system created video documentaries of each of these events, please visit: http://www.loudoun.k12.va.us/Page/132986


Additionally, if the ensemble holds the guitar at an angle, the soundboard will project to the audience. If students hold the guitar on their right leg, the soundboard is usually facing the side.


Your thoughts on finger-style rest strokes or the use of guitar pick (plectrum) within your groups?


Rest stroke, free-stroke, and picks all produce a different musical effect. All can be useful. I think of the orchestration of the ensemble. If everyone member of the ensemble plays with the same tonal characteristic, it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the various parts. While a part’s range can make a distinction, timbre is also a useful tool for orchestration. The director needs to listen carefully and study the score to make sure that the proper balance is in tact.


All approaches to plucking a string are valid, but need to be chosen for musical reasons. Consistency in each section is important. If the director chooses for once section to use rest stroke just behind the sound hole, all students in that section should do this. If the director decides that all students in a particular section should play ponticello free strokes, all students should do so. Tonal inconsistency in each section is what is most important. Whether using a pick for a tremolo or a soft tasto rest stroke for a beautiful melody, musical decisions must be made and executed consistently.


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