Four Moments for Solo Guitar

IV. Time Resumes (Ghosts)

As a fun project with a few of my young beginner guitar students, I asked each student to fill out ("compose") four lines with eight notes per line in our lesson. The plan was that I would realize and record their "compositions" and send them to their parents as Christmas gifts. The compositions were created from the notes that they carefully and artistically selected. These are Christmas gifts from them to their families and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. They were recorded quickly and simply on my iPhone so the quality is not top notch. Maybe later I will re-record with compositions from other students.

Christmas Songs for Students

The Christmas Song Without Words

Koala Jazz

Annabelle's Birthday Song

Here’s a piece I wrote for my daughters called “Three Sisters.” I hope you enjoy it. Guitar: 1998 Thomas Humphrey cedar/Brazilian millennium.

Three Sisters

This piece began as an improvised liturgical meditation a few years ago. I think I remembered most of it and added a bit more. I hope you enjoy it. Guitar: 2004 Steven Walter.

Meditation

That piece for solo guitar I started for my son and will expand soon.

Beginnings Of A Boy

My improvisation on a well-known advent hymn played on a 1998 Thomas Humphrey cedar/Brazilian millennium.

Advent Improv

Found some old tapes (yes, actual tapes) of student recitals from my undergrad days in the early 90s. Here is Richard Rodney Bennett's "Impromptus" warts and all from these ancient archives.

Ancient Archives

Impromptus (Bennett)

I found some old tapes (yes, actual tapes) of student recitals from my undergrad days in the early 90s. Here is Johann Kaspar Mertz's "Gebeth" warts, warbles, hiss and all from these ancient archives.

Senior Recital

Gebeth (Mertz)

Award-winning guitarist/composer Joseph Shields has performed throughout the United States.

Joseph Shields Music