2017

Sunday 25th June
Annual meeting of the Federation of Guitar Societies in Bournemouth

About a dozen CGO members travelled down to Bournemouth for a great day out. The day included short showcase performances of each individual participating society, as well as a massed orchestral session with everyone.

The Federation's website has some pictures.

Saturday, 24th June
Concert at St Bartholomew's, Great Gransden

Our first concert with Valérie conducting. We had a great audience (which included Chris Dumigan and Mark Houghton, who composed some of the pieces we performed).

There are some videos of what we played on the "Our Music" section of the website.

2016

Saturday, 19th November
Concert at St Mary's, Great Dunmow, with Alma Guitar Trio

Rowan McConkey, an old CGO member, joined us as part of the Alma Guitar Trio to play for the first half of the concert, while CGO played the second half.

This was the last performance with Peter Ruefffer as our Musical Director; see Tony's YouTube channel for some videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5Tr57Z0Nrf36W6HX6P7Z7A .

Sunday, 10th July
Short afternoon concert at St James
To end the 'rehearsal year', we gave another short concert at the end of our last rehearsal of the year.

We played two pieces by Mark Houghton (Ouverture and Grand Jig), English Idyll by Chris Dumigan, and Peter Rueffer's arrangements of two Debussy preludes (Les danseuses de Delphes and Bruyeres) and of three movements of Grieg's Holberg Suite (Prelude, Air and Rigaudon). The concert also featured Peter and Martin playing as a duet.

The retiring collection raised £74 for the Church.

2015

Sunday, 12th July
Guitars on a Sunday afternoon
A short concert at our usual rehearsal location following on from the rehearsal. We played some of our current repertoire (Debussy, Tchaikovsky and Granados, arranged by our Musical Director Peter Rueffer), plus a work by Mark Houghton written for the Cambridge Guitar Orchestra. There was a retiring collection in support of the Church.

Saturday, 28th March
Concert at St Mary's, Buckden
Our first full length concert for some time, with valuable support from Lydia and Peter, who introduced each of the two halves with a solo. Here is the programme:

2014

Saturday, 29 November
Joint concert with Moonlight Mandolins
Back at Histon Baptist Church for yet another delightful concert of classical music for plucked instruments, including, of course, various types of guitars and mandolins.
Here is the poster giving the programme:

2013

We were asked back! The programme included music by Purcell, Scarlatti, Bach / Marcello as well as some more modern pieces by Dumigan and Page. Here is the poster:

Our regular annual play-together with HAGO was back at St Edward's Church, here in Cambridge.

Weekend 20-21 April 2013
CIGOW: Cambridge International Guitar Orchestra Weekend

<Phew> We managed to put on (and survive) a weekend of hosting Alegria from Belgium and Guitar'Essonne from France. Everyone seemed to enjoy it (or everyone was very polite ....).

CGO in St Luke's on Saturday

Here (by way of reminder) is what we had planned: CIGOW pre-information .

The Cambridge International Guitar Orchestra Weekend was supported by Arts Council England, John Lewis, Central Language School Cambridge, Cambridge Strings, and we gratefully acknowledge their support.

2012

Sunday, 25 November 2012
Mini-concert at John Lewis, Cambridge

We played at John Lewis as part of their "Preparing for Christmas" events. An unusual occasion (and location), and the accoustics were not ideal, but we enjoyed it, had plenty of friends listen in and the regular John Lewis customers seemed to appreciate it as well.

Saturday, 10 November 2012
Joint concert with the Moonlight Mandolins in Histon

Popular joint concert where we tried to demonstrate that guitars sound better than mandolins - and the Moonlights tried to demonstrate the converse ... click here for the poster.

Saturday, 23 June 2012
Concert with HAGO in Portsmouth

Our annual joint concert with the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra, 2012 back in Portsmouth.

It was HAGO's 100th concert, so a great occasion for them - and we were delighted to help them celebrate that milestone.

HAGO's web site has got some pictures, videos, various helmets and an article in the local paper.

Saturday, 9 June 2012
Music for a Summer Evening": Concert at Hilton Methodist Church

A packed audience, great atmosphere. It would be lovely to be asked again.

Friday to Monday, 27-30 April
Visit to Belgium, for joint concerts with Alegria and Guitar'Essonne
Great trip!

Saturday was based in Waregem, and included a lecture by Dierk De Hertogh on history of lute and early guitar, a reception at the Council (where we signed the "Livre d'Or" - the town's guest book), and a concert at the Academy of Waregem

Sunday we were off to Gent for a concert at the Parnassus Cultural Centre, followed by a great buffet lunch. Some came back to Cambrideg Sunday afternoon, the rest of us had a tour of Gent.

Monday back home for the rest of us - after a spot of sight seeing and shopping for chocolate in Brussels.

The pressure is on us to organise a return visit ...

2011

Saturday, 16th July
Concert at St Mary's Church, Buckden
The concert was part of St Mary's Music 2011 season, and it took place in the beautiful, ancient Parish Church. Of course, many of us know Buckden from the Cambridge Guitar Weekend, and this was a great opportunity to visit this lovely village again.

Saturday, 11th June
Annual Concert with the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra (HAGO) in St Edward's Church, Cambridge
We have been doing joint concerts with HAGO for several years now, and this year it was HAGO's turn to travel, while we looked after the marketing and logistics arrangements (mainly food and drink ...). Looking forward to Portsmouth in 2012!

Saturday, 7th May
Joint concert with HuMS, Concert in Godmanchester, St Mary's Church
This concert was a slightly different venture for us, as it was a joint concert with singers of the Huntingdonshire Music School Singers. The HuMS singers sang a variety of solos and duets, and we played some of our repertoire, ending with us accompanying the singers for "May each day ...".

Here is the programme, kept for posterity.

Saturday, 15th January
"Winter Concert" with the Moonlight Mandolins at St Edwards Church, Cambridge
This was our third concert with the Moonlight Mandolins, back at St Edwards Church, Cambridge. There was a great audience, some people even seemed to be standing at the back - or maybe they were just trying to keep awake ... ;->

We did notice that the Moonlights were acquiring some more guitarists, including guest guitarist Michelle Nelson from Melbourne, who had composed several of the pieces they played. Her piece "Capricorn Light - Dances on Water" featured flautist Mayuko Tanno and was particularly memorable.

2010

Saturday Oct 16 to Oct 18
Concert with the Orchestre Guitar'Essonne and Acord'Ensemble in Juvisy-Sur-Orge, just South of Paris
One of the many highlights of the year was the trip to Paris to take part in the 8th International Guitar Festival. Quito De Souza, who organises the event, kindly invited us, so 13 of us braved the strikes against French pension reforms and went for a memorable weekend playing with our French hosts and the Portuguese Acord'Ensemble.
The programme for the weekend is in a PDF file here (you will need Acrobat reader to read it), and the pictures below give a bit of an idea of what the weekend was like. They do not expand, but you can see more pictures (and bigger versions of these pictures) at the slide show, courtesy of Colin and Picasa.

Saturday June 26
Concert with the Hampshire Guitar Orchestra (HAGO) in Portsmouth
Our annual concert with HAGO took place at the lovely St George's Church Southsea, Portsmouth. We had a good audience thanks to hard work by HAGO and they provided us with some lovely grub. Derek Hasted was presented with his namesake, Derek The Duck, for services to the guitar world and subsequently with a "berm" (do I hear Inspector Clouseau?) for services to the world of bad jokes. Nevertheless, he kindly posted a clip of the CGO encore on YouTube.

For more pictures and different jokes, visit the web site of our friends at HAGO!

Saturday April 24
Concert at St Neots Parish Church
We were invited to play here by the organist of the church, Lloyd Barnett. Again there was a very good audience and again a considerable sum was raised for the church's charity. Everybody enjoyed the concert (including the audience as we have been asked to come back and play there again, something we are very happy to do). Thanks Lloyd!

Saturday February 6
Joint Concert with the Moonlight Mandolins
This was the return concert with the Moonlights the first having been in April 2009. The Moonlights hosted this at the Histon Baptist Church. They worked hard and assembled a very good audience indeed and the concert was a great success, raising a considerable sum for their charity. The concert ended with the two groups playing a joint piece - The Vivaldi Double Concerto for Two Mandolins. This was great fun. Both groups agreed that these joint concerts should become a regular feature. Watch this space!

2009

Saturday April 4
Joint Concert with the local group Moonlight Mandolins
St Edwards Church Cambridge
This was a lovely concert with a good turnout. It was the first time we had played with the Moonlights. They made a fantastic contrast to our guitars. We will be doing a "return"" concert with them in February 2010.

Sat June 20
Joint Concert with Hampshire Guitar Orchestra

As usual this was really fun concert. We are still trying to find out who writes Derek Hasted's jokes as he needs to be locked up to prevent risk to the public. This photo depicts pictures drawn by members of HAGO and some of their younger family members in an attempt to capture the very essence of Peter Rueffer. We think they have been rather successful!

Take a look at Hampshire Guitar Orchestra website for a gallery of fun photos taken at this concert.
It's hard to believe we have been doing these joint concerts for around 5 years and hopefully they will continue well into the future.

Saturday July 11 - Hitchin Festival
Concert St Marys Church Hitchin

This was a very special occasion for us. It was an honour to be part of this Festival. St Marys is a beautiful venue and quite the best acoustic we have played in. We do hope to be asked back there again!

Saturday, November 7 2009
Concert - Arlesey Music Club Edgeworth House Arlesey (nr Hitchin)

2008

Saturday May 31 - Concert in Norwich
Proceeds went to charity in aid of cerebral palsy. Shared with other performers in front of some 500 people. Unusually for CGO this was held in a nightclub which presented its own problems of noise and lighting. The original signed photo of CGO is available to the highest bidder (for charity) and includes the signature of Len Davidson.

Saturday June 21st - Concert in Portsmouth
with Hampshire Guitar Orchestra. This was held in a lovely church with the best acoustics we have encountered. It is always great fun to play with HAGO.

Saturday December 6
Joint Concert in St Ives Cambs with the Hemingford Ladies Choir.
Played before a capacity audience raising money for the restoration of the market hall, this was a most enjoyable concert where we also performed a joint Carol(e) - Silent Night (arr. Rueffer) featuring a short electric guitar solo by Len Davidson.

2007

March 25th
Joint Concert with Hertfordshire Guitar Orchestra Bushey, Watford. This was our second collaboration with HGO.

June 23rd
Joint Concert with Hampshire Guitar Orchestra St Edwards Church Cambridge.

This was an excellent concert with a good audience and two different styles of repertoire. HAGO present a superb “show” with great humour.

When they come to Cambridge, HAGO stay at a nearby hotel.
They are joined after the concert by a number of CGO-ers and a good party ensues.

2006

March 25th
Joint Concert with Hertfordshire Guitar Orchestra Emmanuel United Reform Church Cambridge.

July 8th
Joint Concert with Hampshire Guitar Orchestra in Portsmouth

December 10th
Concert in aid of church funds St James Church Cambridge

2005

June 11th

Joint performance with with the HAGO in St. Edwards Church, Cambridge to a completely packed audience (more appropriately referred to as "sardines" as we had to sit people in the church aisles). The HAGO provided a lively and contrasting programme of shorter pieces under the direction of, and with much humour from, Derek Hasted.

The CGO performed pieces from Albeniz, Boellman, Debussy and Metheny arranged and directed by Peter Rueffer.

Being gluttons for punishment the CGO then spent the following day in Holy Trinity Church, Weston recording these pieces for their second CD.

2004

May 16th
The Orchestra performed as part of Cambridge Summer Recitals Series of Spring Concerts in Emmanuel United Reformed Church Cambridge.

10th July
The CGO gave a joint concert with the Havant Area Guitar Orchestra (HAGO) in All Saints Church Portsmouth

2003

March 29th
The Orchestra gave a joint concert with the Cambridge Poetry Society. The combination of alternating orchestra pieces and poetry readings worked extremely well and was very well received!

Saturday June 14th
Following the success of the joint concert with Hago in Portsmouth in 2002, the CGO hosted a similar event with Hago as guests. This was held in St. Edward's Church in the heart of Cambridge. The packed church was treated to music that stretched from the Gothic Suite by Boellman, to The Rythm of Life and Palladio (Karl Jenkins)!

25th October

Concert and workshop with a Belgian group of young guitarists, Alegria.
The group shared a concert with us and we hosted a day long workshop with them the following day.

2002

April
The CGO gave a joint concert with the Havant Area Guitar Orchestra (HAGO) in the beautiful surroundings of St. Agatha's Church in Portsmouth. The concert featured music from 1571 to 2001 and drew an audience of upwards of 200 people.

July 13th
The orchestra gave a concert in St. Edward's Church, Cambridge.

July 14th
The orchestra gave a concert in Godmanchester.

8th December
The orchestra again took part in the National Guitar Orchestra competition held in Kirklees near Leeds. Fourteen orchestras took part in the competition which was adjudicated by Graham Wade, Chris Susans and Lynda Pyatt. The orchestra played Peter Rueffer's arrangement of Suite Gothique by Leon Boellman and was awarded joint second prize. Peter's arrangement won the Arrangers Prize.