To get you into the weekend mood, here's a little melody from north-west China that I included in my Xinjiang Fantasy on 'Guitar Favourites.'

📀https://open.spotify.com/track/1bXQCGvmWmffUSNAVLVn0n

I’ll be back at the beautiful Binham Priory on August 9th! Here’s of a clip from the rehearsal on a previous visit. I’ve chosen this clip to share as today is the birthday of J.S.Bach! To celebrate, enjoy my arrangement of the jolly allemande from his third cello suite (BWV 1009).

Tickets for Binham: https://www.songkick.com/concerts/42458063-xuefei-yang-at-binham-priory

Toi qui me suis quand le jour tombe
Vers l'étang que la lune irise ;

Toi qui becquètes mon bras frêle
Comme une sœur encore mutine
Et dont le baiser me rappelle
L’ongle pointu d'une main fine.

#frenchlanguage #frenchlanguageday #cecilesauvage #belleepoque #guitar

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To mark French Language Day, here is the start of Héloïse Werner Music's setting of a beautiful poem, Mélancolie, by French poet Cécile Sauvage (1883-1927).
The piece was written for me; and the single, which features on my upcoming album, was released two weeks ago. Listen to the whole track here :
https://platoon.lnk.to/melancolie
Keeping the French theme, even my guitar is French - made by French female luthier Amélie Bouvret.

Mélancolie, ô ma colombe
A l'œil tendre, à la plume grise,

Enjoy the video clip, and listen to the whole track on the platform of your choice : https://platoon.lnk.to/gnossienne-no-1-transcr-for-guitar-by-francis-kleynjans

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#gnossienne

Another new single for you to enjoy today, on our journey towards the launch of my next album !
Today it's the beautiful, mysterious Gnossienne No. 1 by Erik Satie !
Originally for piano, I find that the subtle colour palette of the guitar brings something fresh and moving to the piece.
Today is also #WorldSleepDay - the meditative Gnossienne No. 1 is perfect evening listening to help relax your mind and soul and get a good night's sleep.

Today I worked with a third grader on multiplication. I told him that zero was an easy one to remember because it made all other numbers turn to zero. 4 x 0? Zero. A million times zero? Zero. I said, "Zero is a bully that way."

He said, "But in addition, zero never gets anywhere. It doesn't change a number at all. I think that's how it became evil; the wretched origin of zero." (yes, he really said that)

I said, "That sounds like a great story to write.

His eyes LIT UP and he said, "Please can I write that story?" When I agreed, he said "THIS is why I LOVE going to Bronwyn!"

The story is barely started but includes the lines:

“Zilch had a wretched soul because nobody wants to be zilch”

(That was because it doesn’t change the number in addition)

"But one day he discovered ’times’ and what it can do” (change all the other numbers to zero)

And then zilch laughs an evil laugh.

As the sun broke through the mist today here in Glastonbury. I though the sun really made the stone of Glastonbury Abbey glow while the sky remained overcast apart from a gap where the sun broke through.

BTD 1921 King of Tango, Astor Piazzolla. Enjoy this clip from his beautiful Milonga del Angel. I love playing his work on guitar - there's so much space to express the music within the framework of the tango/milonga. #piazzolla #tangoargentino #milonga

A reminder of our last concert at Wiltshire Music Centre ! We'll be back there tomorrow for another great night of music and dance ! Hope to see you there !
https://www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk/event/xuefei-yang-maria-vega/
Maria Vega Dancer Askonas Holt

Happy birthday to Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos who was born this day in 1887. His preludes, études and chôros feature in the repertoire of most aspiring guitarists. Prélude No. 1 seems to be a favourite to play in masterclasses, and a piece that most of us have tried at some point. Here's the closing section played on my Kohno guitar - it's the instrument I played for many years. It still sounds great and the sound reminds me a lot of Fleta guitars.

Nice to revisit the Valses Poéticos - a beautiful work written by Granados. Sometimes I video myself practicing as it gives useful feedback. Here's one from earlier today.
I recorded this piece many years ago on a Fleta guitar. Here's the link : https://open.spotify.com/track/4WfjpBdmm3XoqR1EK603vh

I'll also be playing this piece at the concert with Maria Vega Dancer at Wiltshire Music Centre this Friday night !

Wiltshire Times BBC Wiltshire Embajada de España en Londres- Embassy of Spain in London #spain #spanishdance #guitar

Join us at Wiltshire Music Centre this Friday, for an evening of Spanish music and dance. I love playing this program with Maria Vega Dancer whose dance adds a visual dimension to the music. As a musician, Maria's footwork also contributes percussion to the musical performance. Maria is also giving a flamenco workshop before the concert for those who want to give dancing a try. Complete novices welcome. Join us for an evening of Spanish music and dance !

https://www.wiltshiremusic.org.uk/event/xuefei-yang-maria-vega/

I had a great time in Washington DC. What a nice warm audience at the concert. Happy to see delegates from the Chinese Embassy giving Chinese New Year gifts to the audience too. There was a back stage emergency when the zip on my dress went just twenty minutes before going on stage. Thanks to the Marlow Guitar International team for the emergency repairs. The show must go on!

I'm in Washington, spending some time this afternoon getting used to this guitar by Swedish luthier Thomas Fredholm, kindly lent to me by Danielle at Marlow Guitar International. One piece in today's concert has a very different tuning to normal, so I'll be playing this guitar (pre-tuned) for that piece. Let me know in the comments how the guitar sounds.