Andrew Gough | Biography

Biography

As a soloist Andrew has performed extensively throughout the Midlands and nationwide. He is an orchestral guitarist with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and the Royal Shakespeare Company. Recently Andrew has performed at Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Berlin Philharmonie, West Dean International Classical Guitar Festival, London Coliseum, CBSO Centre and the Aldeburgh Festival. Andrew celebrated Rodrigo's centenary with an acclaimed solo concert in the Recital Hall at Birmingham Conservatoire. He has subsequently given numerous performances of Rodrigo's Fantasia para un Gentilhombre and Concierto de Aranjuez as well as performing Villa-Lobos and Vivaldi's concerti. As half of the flute and guitar ensemble Duo Mañoso, Andrew was a member of the Live Music Now! scheme presenting concerts and educational workshops. The Duo released their début album in 2003.

In 2012 Andrew and pianist Sarah Daniels will be performing a series of guitar and piano duo recitals (see home page for details) including works by Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Rodrigo, Beethoven and Boccherini.

During 2009 Andrew collaborated with sound engineer Matthew O'Malley to produce "Diffusion" a new album of contemporary guitar works in both surround sound and stereo formats. The works by Steve Reich, David Carroll and Gerald Garcia on this recording were given their premiere in 7.1 surround sound at the West Dean Classical Guitar Festival in August 2009 (see photograghs below). Colin Cooper, editor of Classical Guitar Magazine, wrote that it was "an engaging display of modern technology" and the performance in surround sound "improved the minimalist message" of Steve Reich's Electric Counterpoint. Andrew has also released a solo album which includes works by Albéniz, Rodrigo, Barrios and Myers.

Andrew is head of guitar and music theory co-ordinator at the Birmingham Conservatoire Junior Department, whilst also the guitar tutor at both King Edward's School and The Blue Coat School in Birmingham. In 2009 he founded the Central England Guitar Ensemble, a classical guitar group designed for adult players of grade five standard and above.

Since 2003 Andrew has been on the teaching faculty for the International Classical Guitar Festival and Summer School held at West Dean College, where he also directs the "Basically Guitar" and "Beyond the Basics" weekend courses. Andrew also has a thriving private teaching practice based in Birmingham.

He graduated from Birmingham Conservatoire in 2000 with BMus(Hons) and again in July 2002 for his Master of Arts Degree. In June 2010 Andrew was given Honorary Membership of Birmingham Conservatoire.

West Dean International Classical Guitar Festival 2010

Diffusion surround sound recital setup

AG with composer Dave Carroll after premiere of Pastoral

Gerald Garcia after AG's performance of Le Grazie

AG with sound engineer Matthew O'Malley