Options
| 1 x 60 mins, 2 x 60 mins or 3 x 60 mins performances |
Declan - Solo Guitar
Declan - Solo Guitar
Brilliant Solo Guitarist
- Highly Recommended
- Viewed & Approved
- UK Nationwide
With a keen passion for the classical guitar and an extremely easy-going and friendly personality, Declan will provide your event with an unforgettable array of music.
Declan graduated with distinction from the Royal College of Music in summer 2012 after completing the Master of Performance programme. He has since gone on to travel the world, giving concerts in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Turkey, and Bermuda. A recent career highlight was giving a concert in his Spanish hometown Andrés Segovia, where he gave numerous encores.
His unique style of playing - performing and composing repertoire that fuses traditional methods of classical technique with the recently innovated ‘percussive finger style’ technique – has seen him gain international acclaim.
Esteemed members of the classical and percussive finger style guitar communities, including Newton Faulkner, Thomas Leeb, Jon Gomm, Bridget Mermikides, and Milton Mermikides, championed Declan through their social media sites and aided in this success.
Declan was born into a musical family in Watford, England, in 1985. Throughout his childhood Declan dedicated himself to a diverse array of musical pursuits, including mastering the drums, saxophone, keyboard, and steel drums, and later exploring the art of classical sound recording.
Throughout all these pursuits he always maintained a close relationship with the classical guitar. He was taught for over 10 years at Watford School of Music by the classical guitarist Lee Sollory and, at the end of his time there, was awarded the Senior Guitar Prize in 2004.As previously mentioned Declan studied at the Royal College of Music, but prior to this he pursued a long-held interest in classical sound engineering alongside his studies of the classical guitar at the University of Surrey, and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Music & Sound Recording from the internationally acclaimed Tonmeister(TM) course. During his time there he worked and received credits on albums with Pink, Lang Lang, Katherine Jenkins, Elin Manahan Thomas, the Swingle Singers, Shlomo Minz, and every major UK orchestra. As a guitarist, during his time at the University he studied the classical guitar with Richard Wright and guitarist/composer Professor Stephen Goss, and gained recognition for his compositions and recordings centred around the classical guitar.
He got through to the final of UniS's Joyce Dixey Competition in 2006 where he received Special Commendation for a concerto he composed for guitar trio and string ensemble, and was awarded the prestigious AMS/Neve Prize for Most Natural Sounding Recording by the University when he graduated in 2008. Declan has since gone on to win a number of other prizes including First Prize in Backline(TM)'s 'The Big One 2010' in Guildford, and Third Prize in Rhythm of London 2011.
A fantastic musician who will give a unique twist to any event, sure to go down well with any audience and a must have for your function/event.
Declan graduated with distinction from the Royal College of Music in summer 2012 after completing the Master of Performance programme. He has since gone on to travel the world, giving concerts in Spain, Portugal, Brazil, Turkey, and Bermuda. A recent career highlight was giving a concert in his Spanish hometown Andrés Segovia, where he gave numerous encores.
His unique style of playing - performing and composing repertoire that fuses traditional methods of classical technique with the recently innovated ‘percussive finger style’ technique – has seen him gain international acclaim.
Esteemed members of the classical and percussive finger style guitar communities, including Newton Faulkner, Thomas Leeb, Jon Gomm, Bridget Mermikides, and Milton Mermikides, championed Declan through their social media sites and aided in this success.
Declan was born into a musical family in Watford, England, in 1985. Throughout his childhood Declan dedicated himself to a diverse array of musical pursuits, including mastering the drums, saxophone, keyboard, and steel drums, and later exploring the art of classical sound recording.
Throughout all these pursuits he always maintained a close relationship with the classical guitar. He was taught for over 10 years at Watford School of Music by the classical guitarist Lee Sollory and, at the end of his time there, was awarded the Senior Guitar Prize in 2004.As previously mentioned Declan studied at the Royal College of Music, but prior to this he pursued a long-held interest in classical sound engineering alongside his studies of the classical guitar at the University of Surrey, and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelors in Music & Sound Recording from the internationally acclaimed Tonmeister(TM) course. During his time there he worked and received credits on albums with Pink, Lang Lang, Katherine Jenkins, Elin Manahan Thomas, the Swingle Singers, Shlomo Minz, and every major UK orchestra. As a guitarist, during his time at the University he studied the classical guitar with Richard Wright and guitarist/composer Professor Stephen Goss, and gained recognition for his compositions and recordings centred around the classical guitar.
He got through to the final of UniS's Joyce Dixey Competition in 2006 where he received Special Commendation for a concerto he composed for guitar trio and string ensemble, and was awarded the prestigious AMS/Neve Prize for Most Natural Sounding Recording by the University when he graduated in 2008. Declan has since gone on to win a number of other prizes including First Prize in Backline(TM)'s 'The Big One 2010' in Guildford, and Third Prize in Rhythm of London 2011.
A fantastic musician who will give a unique twist to any event, sure to go down well with any audience and a must have for your function/event.
| Spanish/South American:- |
| Asturias (Leyanda) - I. Albéniz |
| Homenaje pour le Tombeau de Calude Debussy - M. de Falla |
| Millers Dances - M. de Falla |
| Capricho Árabe – F. Tarrega |
| Gran Vals - F. Tarrega |
| A Day in November - L. Brouwer |
| Deux Airs Populaires - L. Brouwer |
| Deux Themes Populaires Cubains - L. Brouwer |
| Felicidade - A.C. Jobim |
| Paçoca (choro) – C. Machado |
| Piazza Vittorio (Choro Maxixe) – C. Machado |
| Sambossa (Bossa Nova) – C. Machado |
| Dansa Brasilera - J. Morel |
| Sons de Carrilhoes (The Sound of Bells) - J. Pernambuco |
| Cinq Preludes - H. Villa-lobos |
| Popular Classical Arrangements:- |
| Clair de Lune - C. Debussy |
| La Fille Aux Cheveux de Lin - C. Debussy |
| Gabriel's Oboe (from 'The Mission') - E. Morricone |
| Canon in D major - J. Pachelbel |
| Gnossienne No.1 - E. Satie |
| Ave Maria - F. Schubert |
| Baroque/Early:- |
| Air on a G String - J.S. Bach |
| Cello suite No.1 (BWV 1007) - J.S. Bach |
| Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring - J.S. Bach |
| Lute Suite in E minor (BWV 996) - J.S. Bach |
| Prelude, Fugue and Allegro (BWV998) – J.S. Bach |
| A Fancy - J. Dowland |
| Hope Forlorn Fancy - J. Dowland |
| Sonata L.332 - D. Scarlatti |
| 20th Century Concert Repertoire:- |
| Six Balkan Miniatures - D. Bogdanovic |
| Koyunbaba - C. Domeniconi |
| Hommage a Villa-lobos - R. Dyens |
| Songe Capricorne - R. Dyens |
| Albino - T. Leeb |
| Sonatina Meridional - M. M. Ponce |
| Angel – E. Roche |
| The Per-U-Lator - E. Roche |
| Roundabout - E. Roche |
| Impromptus - Sir R. Rodney-Bennet |
| Scenes from the Wild West - G. Ryan |
| All in Twilight - T. Takemitsu |
| Sonata ("Omaggio a Boccherini") - M. Castelnuovo-Tedesco |
| Popular Folk/Jazz Arrangents:- |
| Down by the Sally Gardens – Trad. Irish |
| She Moved Through the Fair - P. Colum & H. Hughes |
| All you Need is Love - The Beatles |
| Wonderful Tonight - E. Clapton |
| Solid as a Rock – E. Fitzgerald |
| Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - J. Meyer |
| Three Times a Lady - L. Richie |
| They Can’t Take That Away from Me – G. Gershwin |
| Fly Me to the Moon - B. Howard |
| GUITAR/VIOLIN DUO REPERTOIRE |
| Baroque/Classical |
| Air on a G String - J.S. Bach |
| Ave Maria - J.S. Bach |
| Be Thou With Me - J.S. Bach |
| Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring - J.S. Bach |
| Piano Concerto in F Minor (2nd Movement) - J.S. Bach |
| Sheep May Safely Graze - J.S. Bach |
| Sinfonia (from Christmas Oratorio) - J.S. Bach |
| Minuet (from String Quintet) - L. Boccherini |
| Prince of Denmark’s March - J. Clarke |
| Trumpet Tune - J. Clarke |
| Pavane - G. Fauré |
| Panis Angelicus (O Lord Most Holy) - C. Franck |
| Caro mio Ben - G. Giordani |
| Processional (from Royal Fireworks Music) - G.F. Handel |
| Processional (from St. Anthony’s Chorale) - J. Haydn |
| Intermezzo (from Cavalleria Rusticana) - P. Mascagni |
| Wedding March - F. Mendelssohn |
| Rondeau - J-J. Mouret |
| Ave Verum Corpus - W.A. Mozart |
| Laudate Dominum - W.A. Mozart |
| Canon in D - J. Pachelbel |
| Pavane for a Dead Princess - M. Ravel |
| Ave Maria - F. Schubert |
| Waltz of the Flowers (from Nutcracker) - P.I. Tchaikovsky |
| Bridal Chorus - R. Wagner |
| Latin / South American |
| Tico Tico - Z. de Abreu |
| Quizas, Quizas, Quizas - O. Farrés |
| Luna Lunera - T. Fergo |
| Y Bolero - M. de Jesus |
| El Dia Que Me Quieras - C. Gardel |
| Agua E Vinho - E. Gismonti |
| Paçoca (choro) - C. Machado |
| Piazza Vittorio (Choro Maxixe) - C. Machado |
| Sambossa (Bossa Nova) - C. Machado |
| Evocation - J.L. Merlin |
| La Cumparsita - H. Pagano |
| Chiquilin de Bachin - Astor Piazzolla |
| Sway Quien Sera - P.B. Ruiz |
| Pablo the Dreamer (Adios Muchachos) - J. Sanders |
| The Peanut Vendor - M. Simons |
| El Condor Pasa - Traditional Peruvian |
| Cielito Lindo - Traditional Mexican |
| La Bamba - Traditional Mexican |
| La Cucaracha - Traditional Mexican |
| Estes Indiferente - Nevaldo Veranes |
| El Choclo - Á. Villoldo |
| Standards / Show Pieces |
| Blue Tango - Leroy Anderson |
| Spanish Harlem - J. Leiber & P. Spector |
| All of Me - S. Simons & G. Monks |
| More - R. Ortolani & N. Oliviero |
| In a Little Spanish Town - M. Wayne |
| Fiesta - Leonard Whitcup |
| Popular/Folk Arrangements |
| Skinny Love - Bon Iver |
| Down by the Sally Gardens - Trad. Irish |
| She Moved Through the Fair - P. Colum & H. Hughes |
| All you Need is Love - The Beatles |
| Wonderful Tonight - E. Clapton |
| Solid as a Rock - E. Fitzgerald |
| Heartbeats - J. Gonzalez |
| Yesterday - J. Lennon & P. McCartney |
| Slow Dancing in a Burning Room - J. Meyer |
| Three Times a Lady - L. Richie |
| They Can’t Take That Away from Me - G. Gershwin |
| Fly Me to the Moon - B. Howard |
Travel
UK Nationwide & Worldwide| BBC |
| Kings Place |
| London |
| Nokia |
| Mayor of London |
| Olympics |
| Guilfest |
| Henley-on-Thames Festival |
| Hop Farm Festival |
| Transport for London |
| Mayfair Hotel |
| London Southbank Centre |
| London Transport Museum |
| National Gallery |
| Patrón |
| P&O Cruise Liners |
| Royal College of Music |
| Victoria & Albert Museum (Norfolk House Music Room) |
| Wayne Hemmingway |
Declan is such a find! He played at the church, drinks reception and dinner for our wedding at the end of July. He is gobsmackingly excellent and we loved to see family members just standing and staring at him play. He is also such a lovely person and got a huge cheer from our guests when he came to say goodbye before setting off. He added to the atmosphere of the wedding and learned a new song for us without hesitation. We wholeheartedly recommend him.
We can't recommend Declan highly enough. He was a lovely bloke, an incredible talent and played beautifully at our wedding. Thanks so much Declan and all the best for the future!
Declan recently performed at my wedding at extremely short notice. He is a very competent musician and has a varied repertoire. I can definitely recommend him. You won't be disappointed
Brilliant musician and a real professional, thank you Declan for a great performance at our wedding. I highly recommend him.
Great music. Declan played for 4 hours at my wife's 40th birthday. Everyone raved about it. Fantastic background music.