Top guitarist promises Christmas cracker at church

VIRTUOSO concert guitarist Richard Durrant is presenting a candlelit Christmas recital locally that promises to be a treat for both the ears and eyes.

His appearance at St Peter's Church, Conisbrough, next Thursday, at 7.30pm, is the first in a series of 12 yuletide gigs up and down the country.

Durrant, after a busy UK autumn tour, will be playing festive music from all over the world and will be accompanied by stunning visual effectsfrom artist and animator Mark Charlton.

The projections will form the backdrop to classic works by JS Bach (Chaconne in D minor and Prelude in E), the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy by Tchaikovsky and carols from Finland, Catalonia, Paraguay and England.

Durrant will also be premièring a new work, The Polar Bear, which he has composed specially for this recital series, and a Christmas guitar suite by Phil Jewson.

Renaissance repertoire will feature, too, alongside pieces by legendary Paraguayan composer Agustín Barrios Mangoré, whose works Durrant has done so much to champion.

Described by Guitarist Magazine as "one of the world's most accomplished and experimental players", Durrant refuses to be pigeon-holed as a purely classical guitarist and is forever pushing the boundaries of his art.

Tickets for his St Peter's Church, Conisbrough, recital are available from the box office on 01302 342349. Mince pies and mulled wine will be served in the interval.

Watch Richard in action.

[xdelx]