Sir,
I am just coming
down to earth after what was for me the highlight of the Summer Festival
concerts last night: the guitar Summer School tutors and students performing at
the Hatchery Lawn.
An ensemble of
fifteen advanced guitar students under the baton of John Couch, the school's
Director, played one of Brahms's Hungarian Dances in a fantastic arrangement
which blew the socks off an enthusiastic and knowledgeable audience. And that
was just one item from a two-hour concert featuring tutors from the world
circuit, and students rapidly approaching a similar master
standard.
But, our enjoyment
was dampened by the inadequate sound quality provided for these beautiful
acoustic instruments.
I am a great
admirer of the Festival's contribution to our enjoyment of summers here in New
Plymouth; the sound quality at electronic concerts is usually first-class. But I
cannot understand why it seems beyond the wit and resources of the Festival
management to provide the same standard of sound reproduction for acoustic
music. One fifteen-instrument ensemble sounded like a couple of primary school
children tinkering with ukeleles. And year after year it has been the same:
inadequate equipment or advice for acoustic music.  |
| Sydney Guitar Trio |
Please let's have an
improvement in this one area; let's hear acoustic music as it sounds when played
in local churches or the Fourth Wall Theatre!
Frank
Gaze
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