Welcome to the Video & Audio Page
of Classical Guitarist, Brian Roberts
These videos are 'just sit down and play for a little camera' kind of recordings.
This guitar solo, 'Tempus Fugit', which I wrote, is dedicated to John Holmquist, my teacher and mentor for many years. I played this piece for John in person on January 4, 2019, at the Retrospective Concert given for him in Minneapolis, to thank him for the inspiration I feel everyday from his teaching. This is also a chance to hear the warm and singing sound of a guitar that I commissioned from Ivan Escobedo Querea. I received this guitar just a week ago, so I'm still exploring it's voice. (January, 2019)
Prelude from the 1st Cello Suite, BWV 1007 by Johann Sebastian Bach, played by Brian Roberts Recorded with a 'Casio Digital Camera 'EX-Z80', with the on-board microphones.
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Sarabande from the 2nd Cello Suite, BWV 1008 by Johann Sebastian Bach, played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal) Recorded with a 'Casio Digital Camera 'EX-Z80', with the on-board microphones.
Prelude No. 9 (Elegy) Written and played by Brian Roberts, Composed January 31, 2017, recorded February 25, 2017, 2008 Guitar by Stephan Connor
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Prelude No. 10 (Solidarity) Written and played by Brian Roberts, Composed January 29, 2017, recorded March 18, 2017, 2015 Guitar by Toby Rzepka
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'Un Dia de Noviembre' (1968) (A day in November) by Leo Brouwer, played by Brian Roberts Recorded with a 'Casio Digital Camera 'EX-Z80', with the on-board microphones.
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'Prelude No.7' (January 11, 2015) Written and played by Brian Roberts on a 2015 Toby Rzepka Guitar. Recorded September, 2015
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'Before Dawn’ by Brian Roberts. I wrote this little piece very early in the morning on September 12, 2006. Recorded with a 'Casio Digital Camera 'EX-Z80', with the on-board microphones.
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Here's an audio recording of 'Before Dawn' played on a 1984 Robert Ruck spruce guitar, No. 307. This was recorded in 2007, but I just found the file on an old hard drive in 2014. I no longer own this guitar, but it will always have a special place in my heart.
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'Prelude No. 4' (August 27, 2014) Written and played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 Stephan Connor Guitar. Recorded November, 2014
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'Into The Deep, Quiet Lake' (June 3, 2012) Written and played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 Stephan Connor Guitar. Recorded October 25, 2014
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'Turning 'Round' - Suite for Guitar Solo, I-'The White Night', II-'Song Of Peace' , III-'In Good Company' , IV-'Jubilation' . I wrote this little suite in December, 2012. It reflects some the feelings of the holidays.
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'Prelude No.1' (April 1, 2014) Written and played by Brian Roberts on a 1976 Masaki Sakurai cedar top guitar. Recorded October 6, 2014
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'Prelude To The Hope Of Spring' (March 23, 2013) Written and played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal). Recorded June 7, 2014
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'Flower In The Night Breeze' from 'Sketches' by Brian Roberts. This simple little Adagio was written on November 12, 2011, played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal) recorded with a 'Zoom Q3HD', with the on-board microphones.
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Gigue from the 2nd Cello Suite, BWV 1008 by Johann Sebastian Bach, played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal) Recorded with a 'Casio Digital Camera 'EX-Z80', with the on-board microphones.
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'Free At Last!' Here's a little driving piece for someone in their first or second year that works on the development of an agile direct exchange, first between 'm' & 'a' and then 'i' & 'm'. Enjoy feeling and listening to the sounds that are created from freedom of movement, making sure to swing the fingers easily with a relaxed follow through and no pulling up. Thanks for listening and joyful music making! Played on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal)
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'One Moment to Realize" This is a piece written August 2, 2013, because I was inspired by Robert Gruca's playing while he was visiting our house to receive Suzuki Teacher Training. I wrote this piece in two hours to hand to him before he left to go home. Recorded on a spruce Toby Rzepka guitar: http://www.tobyrzepka.com, with a Zoom Q3HD video camera, with the on-board microphones. Thanks for listening!
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'Of Things Past' by Brian Roberts. Written on August 27, 2011, played on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal) recorded with a 'Zoom Q3HD', with the on-board microphones.
Beginnings: Suite for Solo Guitar 1) The Spring of Autumn, 2) The Drifting Clouds of Autumn, 3) The Stars Reflecting in the Lake, 4) Movement in the Motionless Night, 5) Celebration, written and played by Brian Roberts in September, 2012, on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 38. (Red Opal) Recorded with a 'Zoom H4n' audio recorder with the on-board microphones.
'Farewell' by Brian Roberts. A Guitar Solo to say good bye to an old friend .... my guitar that I've owned since I was five years old and shared with my father. Written on March 3, 2013 played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal) recorded with a 'Zoom Q3HD', with the on-board microphones.
'One Winter Day' by Brian Roberts. Here's a little meditative piece that explores legato phrasing, syncopation and overlapping textures to express the feelings of being deep into winter. Recorded September 10, 2013, Written on February 13, 2013. Played on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal) , recorded with a 'Zoom Q3HD' with the on-board microphones.
Eleven Rest Stroke Pieces: 1-'Wandering', 2-'A New World', 3-'Celtic Dance', 4-The Golden Horse', 5-'Chimes', 6-'The Quiet Meadow', 7-'Into The Evening', 8-'Misty Morning', 9-'The Grand Entrance',10-'Larghetto',11-'By The Spring'. These pieces are designed to give students of all ages musical experience in their first few months of learning, while developing the technique of playing rest stroke with the fingers and free stroke with the thumb.They are varied in character, and would be also good for a more advanced student who wants to refine their rest stroke technique.
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Roberts Plays Roberts! 'The Awakening' written by Marylou Roberts, played by Brian Roberts on a 2008 cedar top, spruce braced Stephan Connor guitar, No. 138. (Red Opal) Marylou wrote this in 1981 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
If you would like to listen to a stream of about 45 minutes of the my pieces that I have audio recorded, go to: https://soundcloud.com/brian-roberts-ann-arbor. ~Enjoy!~
