SOP is the title of a book of songs based on the poetry of Wang Wei, written between 2013 and 2016 whilst at Birmingham Conservatoire. All except number 3 have been recorded here. Instrumental parts are available online at www.samleithtaylor.com but vocal parts are only available on demand as a songbook from Sam.

SOP 10 - 'The Wang River Sequence'

Shannon-Latoyah Simon (b.1992) is a Classical Guitarist from Northamptonshire.
Shannon likes to experiment with new music and audio-visual art, thanks to her godfather Dave Lewis – MA lecturer of Photography and Anthropology at Goldsmiths University and UCL and is consistently working on a series of projects which feature her playing new solo guitar works that she has commissioned whilst controlling live electronics and film clips. 
 
As well as performing regularly as a soloist, Shannon thoroughly enjoys participating in chamber music and is part of many mixed chamber ensembles. She has started studying the Baroque Guitar with Elizabeth Pallett and has found she enjoys continuo playing in early music and contemporary performances. She has a keen interest in performing contemporary music and in 2015 she won first place in the Philip Bates Prize with her performance of Sam Leith Taylor’s piece  ‘SOP two, twice  – cool air’. A year later she won first and joint second place in the Philip Bates Prize with her performance of a selection of Sam James's songs from his debut album Sleep.
 
Shannon started playing the guitar at the age of 9 under the tuition of Nicole Alderson and John Draper and has recently completed a BMus Degree under the tuition of Mark Eden and Mark Ashford at the Birmingham Conservatoire. She has performed in many master classes with established guitarists such as Xuefei Yang, Stephen Goss, Gary Ryan and Graham Anthony Devine. In September 2017 Shannon will be starting a Masters Degree at the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.
 
 
Shannon’s Education is supported by the Edna Newell Trust and the Gordon Robison Memorial Foundation.

SOP 10 - 'The Wang River Sequence'

samltaylor