Course Syllabus
Routine and Performance Anxiety
William Kanengiser discusses his daily and pre-performance routines and covers the delicate topic of performance anxiety.
14. Golondrinas (Swallows)
Golondrinas or Swallows is the fourteenth of twenty studies by García de León. The piece, dedicated to Ricardo Iznaola and Marc Teicholz, features a melody played primarily in the lowest voice accompanied by colorful arpeggios. García De León cleverly provides several arpeggio patterns, allowing the player to work on many finger combinations of the right hand. Join Grammy Award-winning guitarist William Kanengiser on this detailed lesson, covering everything from basic right-hand technique to dampening unwanted resonances and pivoting with the left hand to grab otherwise complicated chords.
17. Padre e Hija (Father and Daughter)
Each of Ernesto García de Leóns Twenty Studies op. 50 are dedicated to a figure of the classical guitar world. Along with historical figures such as Francisco Tarrega, Mauro Giuliani, and Fernando Sor, Ernesto also dedicated pieces to his good friends and contemporaries. Study no. 17, Padre e Hija (Father and Daughter), was written for William Kanengiser and his daughter. This beautiful and tender piece explores nearly every two-finger combination of left-hand slurs. Join Bill in this thorough and excellent lesson covering the mechanics of ascending and descending slurs, vertical and horizontal shifting, and the pros and cons of right-hand planting.
18. Luciérnagas (Fireflies)
Ernesto García de León's Luciérnagas (Fireflies) is an homage to Fernando Sor, imitating the opening of his Lesson no. 19 from opus 31. This piece is excellent for studying speed-bursts in the right hand as well as working on left-hand slurs. Luciérnagas is divided into two clear sections, allowing the player to focus on the individual techniques. Join Bill Kanengiser on another lesson from García de León's 20 Studies covering the right hand, slurs, avoiding squeaks, and playing legato in the left hand.
El Rió (The River) is dedicated to Scott Tennant, John Dearman, and Andrew York, who, along with William Kanengiser, formed the Los Angeles Guitar quartet that won a GRAMMY for their album Guitar Heroes. Ernesto Garía de León has written this study to feature a complex array of slurs. Join William Kanengiser on this excellent lesson on navigating the subtle left-hand motions necessary to articulate these passages.
Intro to García de León's Studies
Mexican composer Ernesto García de León, following the traditions of Fernando Sor, Mauro Giuliani, and more recently Leo Brouwer, composed his 20 Studies as pedagogical pieces for the guitarist. Subtitled as 'Musical Exercises to Refresh Your Technique,' each study focuses on a few technical issues to control and develop.
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