SKU: BT.RSK200110

ISBN 9781789360851. English.

Rockschool Acoustic Debut is for candidates who have been learning a short time and have learnt the basic skills.

The 2019 Acoustic syllabus is a refreshed approach to acoustic guitar. The syllabus features six tracks for each grade that have been meticulously benchmarked to support students as they learn the instrument. At each grade two of the pieces ask the students to perform without backing track, exploring the sound and resonance of their instrument. The remaining tracks are session style backing tracks that include vocal accompaniment. We've also included the vocal melody lines in the grade books for students who sing and play at the same time.

• 6 newarrangements of iconic rock, pop, and contemporary music tracks from classic and contemporary artists
• A diverse selection of contemporary music ever seen in a syllabus making the Grades accessible to everyone without precluding any musical tastes
• Fact Files: band and artist background information with recommended listening
• Walkthroughs: in-depth guidance on every track
• Downloadable audio: easily access audio content online
• All the essential music theory and technique you need to pass your exams

SKU: DZ.DZ-4308

ISBN 9782898522253.

Following a recent experience on the jury of a guitar competition, I noted with great pleasure that Giorgio Mirto, with whom I had shared the role of juror, wanted to celebrate the experience of the competition - during from which we discovered that we had had a great affinity of thought - with something which could endure over time and not evaporate as often happens in short and occasional meetings between musicians. He did it as a true composer, which he is, and dedicated to me a very beautifully crafted Suite to which I allowed myself to collaborate at least formally, by suggesting titles for the four movements. This is how Suite n.1 was born, a piece that does not strictly respect the formal rules of the Baroque era, but reinterprets and reuses them in a new key. The work's obvious late Baroque inspiration led me to find titles that invited the performer to delve deeper into the work's aesthetic inspiration. So I suggested to Giorgio that he title the four movements with something that linked their content to four greats of the 18th century. German masters. The prelude has thus become from Eisenach because of its sometimes improvised Bach-like atmosphere, the second movement, vaguely toccata, speaks an organ language in the manner of Buxtehude (who lived in Lübeck), the slow movement has a Handelian quality - and Handel was born in Halle - and the last movement, far from being a true Chaconne, undoubtedly has the latter's taste for variation and ostinato, typical traits of Telemann who lived in Magdeburg. The cities that appear in the titles are therefore indelible to the authors cited. Furthermore, one should not think that the style of the work is in any way German, given that Giorgio Mirto expresses himself in a very joyful language that synthesizes modality with minimalism, all seasoned with a a nod to Pink's progressive rock Floyd. or a Mike Oldfield... The result of this mixture of ideas, inspirations and styles is a work that personally I never tire of reading and rereading, for the freshness that emanates from it and for the climate expressive which rises, nourishing itself with full efficiency. We ultimately cannot ignore that the note B, the one which marks in a minor way some of the most expressive works of the guitar repertoire, from the study of Sor which made generations of students fall in love with the guitar, until to that of Frank Martin's Four Pieces via La Catedral di Barrios, is the modal fulcrum of the entire Suite: it is true that the Prelude begins with a clear chord in E minor and lingers on an open ending in A minor , but it almost seems that the initial E serves as a launching pad for a continuation of the work in which the dominant, that is to say the B, is the true musical North, the pole star which guides us in the other three movements until the end of the Chaconne de Magdebourg. I wish Giorgio and our Suite great longevity and a favorable destiny in the complex and complex world of contemporary guitar composition. And I thank him again, flattered by his very kind dedication.

FRANCESCO BIRAGHI

Au lendemain d'une récente expérience au sein du jury d'un concours de guitare, j'ai constaté avec grand plaisir que Giorgio Mirto, avec qui j'avais partagé le rôle de juré, souhaitait célébrer l'expérience du concours - au cours de laquelle nous avons découvert que nous avions eu un grand affinité de pensée - avec quelque chose qui pourrait perdurer dans le temps et ne pas s'évaporer comme cela arrive souvent lors de rencontres courtes et occasionnelles entre musiciens. Il l'a fait en véritable compositeur, ce qu'il est, et m'a dédié une Suite d'une très belle facture à laquelle je me suis permis de collaborer au moins formellement, en suggérant des titres pour les quatre mouvements. C'est ainsi qu'est née la Suite n.1, une pièce qui ne respecte pas strictement les règles formelles de l'époque baroque, mais les réinterprète et les réutilise dans une nouvelle tonalité. L'inspiration évidente du baroque tardif de l'œuvre m'a amené à trouver des titres qui invitaient l'interprète à approfondir l'inspiration esthétique de l'œuvre. J'ai donc suggéré à Giorgio de titrer les quatre mouvements avec quelque chose qui reliait leur contenu à quatre grands du XVIIIe siècle. Maîtres allemands. Le prélude est ainsi devenu d'Eisenach en raison de son atmosphère parfois improvisée à la Bach, le deuxième mouvement, vaguement toccata, parle un langage d'orgue à la manière de Buxtehude (qui vivait à Lübeck), le mouvement lent a un Qualité haendélienne - et Haendel est né à Halle - et le dernier mouvement, loin d'être une véritable Chaconne, a sans doute le goût de cette dernière pour la variation et l'ostinato, traits typiques de Telemann qui vivait à Magdebourg. Les villes qui apparaissent dans les titres sont donc indélébiles aux auteurs cités. De plus, il ne faut pas penser que le style de l'œuvre soit en aucune façon allemand, étant donné que Giorgio Mirto s'exprime dans un langage très joyeux qui synthétise la modalité avec le minimalisme, le tout assaisonné d'un clin d'œil au rock progressif Floyd de Pink. ou un Mike Oldfield... Le résultat de ce mélange d'idées, d'inspirations et de styles est un ouvrage que personnellement je ne me lasse pas de lire et de relire, pour la fraîcheur qui s'en dégage et pour le climat expressif qui monte, se nourrissant de plein efficacité. On ne peut finalement pas ignorer que la note B, celle qui marque de manière mineure certaines des œuvres les plus expressives du répertoire de guitare, depuis l'étude de Sor qui a fait tomber amoureux de la guitare des générations d'étudiants, jusqu'à celle de Frank Martin Quatre Pièces via La Catedral di Barrios, est le point d'appui modal de toute la Suite : il est vrai que le Prélude commence par un accord clair en mi mineur et s'attarde sur une fin ouverte en la mineur, mais il semble presque que le mi initial sert de une rampe de lancement pour une suite de l'œuvre dans laquelle la dominante, c'est-à-dire le B, est le véritable Nord musical, l'étoile polaire qui nous guide dans les trois autres mouvements jusqu'à la fin de la Chaconne de Magdebourg. Je souhaite à Giorgio et à « notre » Suite une grande longévité et un destin favorable dans le monde complexe et complexe de la composition contemporaine pour guitare. Et je le remercie encore, flatté de son très aimable dévouement.

FRANCESCO BIRAGHI.

SKU: BT.RSK200115

ISBN 9781789360905. English.

Rockschool Acoustic Grade 5 is for students who have acquired the intermediate skills and techniques and have developed an increasing sense of stylistic conviction. This is demonstrated through instrumental techniques, increasing rhythmic complexity and convincing solo and improvisation work.

The 2019 Acoustic syllabus is a refreshed approach to acoustic guitar. The syllabus features six tracks for each grade that have been meticulously benchmarked to support students as they learn the instrument. At each grade two of the pieces ask the students to perform without backing track, exploring the sound and resonance of their instrument. The remaining tracks aresession style backing tracks that include vocal accompaniment. We've also included the vocal melody lines in the grade books for students who sing and play at the same time.

• 6 new arrangements of iconic rock, pop, and contemporary music tracks from classic and contemporary artists
• A diverse selection of contemporary music ever seen in a syllabus making the Grades accessible to everyone without precluding any musical tastes
• Fact Files: band and artist background information with recommended listening
• Walkthroughs: in-depth guidance on every track
• Downloadable audio: easily access audio content online
• All the essential music theory and technique you need to pass your exams

SKU: BT.RSK200116

ISBN 9781789360912. English.

Rockschool Acoustic Grade 6 is for students who have begun to develop advanced technical control and a competent grasp of stylistic techniques. At Grade 6 this is shown through mature stylistic conviction, execution of rhythmic complexity, creative and stylistic solo and improvisation work as well as a secure sense of communication and performance.

The 2019 Acoustic syllabus is a refreshed approach to acoustic guitar. The syllabus features six tracks for each grade that have been meticulously benchmarked to support students as they learn the instrument. At each grade two of the pieces ask the students to perform without backing track, exploring the soundand resonance of their instrument. The remaining tracks are session style backing tracks that include vocal accompaniment. We've also included the vocal melody lines in the grade books for students who sing and play at the same time.

• 6 new arrangements of iconic rock, pop, and contemporary music tracks from classic and contemporary artists
• A diverse selection of contemporary music ever seen in a syllabus making the Grades accessible to everyone without precluding any musical tastes
• Fact Files: band and artist background information with recommended listening
• Walkthroughs: in-depth guidance on every track
• Downloadable audio: easily access audio content online
• All the essential music theory and technique you need to pass your exams