The classical guitarist is always seated, with the left foot slightly elevated by a footrest so the leg can provide support for the instrument.
The left hand fingers stop the strings on the neck to change the pitch of the notes, while the right hand activates the strings. The thumb provides a downward stroke, either activating a lower string or strumming several strings. The fingers pluck individual strings in an upward direction. This way, the guitarist can play both melody and chords. All of this is done by meticulously manicured fingernails - never with a guitar pick.
The guitar has never been considered an "orchestral" instrument. Similar to the piano, it can provide melody and accompaniment all in one package. And, also like the piano, a lot of music has been transcribed for the guitar giving a whole new insight to works by composers such as Bach, Chopin, Debussy and others.
More works are now being composed specifically for the classical guitar. This is what the Made in Canada concert will feature: new guitar works created by living Canadian composers.
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