A classical guitarist inspired by the great performers of the 1980s will return to Twickenham this weekend for a concert celebrating the most romantic music ever written for the instrument.
Louis Brett will perform at St Mary’s Church on March 21, marking his second appearance at the venue after a successful concert there in 2023.
His previous performance drew around 100 people, making it the most-attended event in the history of Twickenham Guitar Society.
Brett said: “There are 100 people that came, and before that, there had been maybe 50 people coming, but basically double the amount of people that would usually come to that concert.
“After the concert a lot of people told me it was their favourite one.”
The programme will feature Spanish, Latin American and Italian works from the romantic era, which he describes as both emotionally powerful and technically demanding.
Brett said: “I’d say it’s incredibly romantic.
“It’s mainly Spanish music, some Latin American music, a bit of Italian music, but usually all from the romantic era.”
He explained classical guitar demands an unusual level of coordination compared with many other instruments.
Despite the technical difficulty, he hopes the music will create a relaxed atmosphere for the audience.
Brett said: “To make a sound on the guitar, you’ve got to play multiple parts at once.
“You’re playing an accompaniment, the melody and everything in between, and you’ve only got four fingers on your left hand.”
“It’s an incredible display of talent while also making you feel like you’re on holiday at the same time.”
One of the highlights of the programme will be Reverie by 19th-Century composer Giulio Regondi, a rarely-performed piece famous for its difficulty.
The work uses the tremolo technique, in which rapid repeated notes create the illusion of a sustained melody on an instrument that naturally can’t hold notes for long.
Brett said: “Reverie is the hardest tremolo piece ever written for the guitar.
“Thankfully it’s not just hard, it’s also extremely beautiful.”
The acoustics of St Mary’s Church also play an important role in shaping the sound of the performance.
Brett said: “One weakness of the guitar is that it can’t sustain a note, but in a beautiful church like St Mary’s, the echo and reverb make it sound incredible.”
Music has been part of his life almost since birth as his father, a guitar teacher, introduced him to the instrument at a very young age.
By primary school he was already determined to pursue the instrument seriously.
Brett said: “I’ve got a photo of me playing when I was two.
“My dad was a guitar teacher and he’s been my inspiration since I was a kid.
“I remember asking my dad when I was about eight what it takes to be the best guitar player in the world.”
Alongside performing, Brett also teaches guitar and has been giving private lessons since the age of 14.
He now runs group classes at a community centre, helping younger players experience the instrument in an accessible way.
Although he performs occasionally, he deliberately limits concerts to focus on practice and improvement.
Brett said: “The thing that makes teaching worth it is helping people enjoy music.
“When they feel the emotion in the sound and they start to love playing, that’s very special.
“I tend to do only one or two concerts a year. The rest of the time I’m practising, making sure everything sounds absolutely brilliant.”
His long-term aim is to revive a style of expressive classical guitar that he feels has become less common in recent years.
Inspired by guitarists such as John Williams and Julian Bream, he hopes to bring romantic guitar music back to wider audiences.
Indeed, the goal of the concert is to allow listeners to escape everyday life for a while.
Brett said: “In the ’80s and ’90s this music was much more popular – I want to bring back those classics.
“It’s designed for the audience to sit back, relax and listen to some beautiful music.
“Music is about making people feel emotions.”
Feature image: Free to use from Unsplash
