Tom Parsons launches The Guitar Project at Clarendon Muse

4:12pm Friday 9th May 2008

GUITAR tutor and director of the Hertfordshire Guitar Orchestra Tom Parsons is actively seeking new musicians to take part in The Guitar Project, a series of free fortnightly sessions at Watford School of Music's new venue, Clarendon Muse, Rickmansworth Road, on Wednesday evenings.

Tom, who has been teaching guitar for more than 25 years, emphasises that the group is open to all types of guitarist providing they have grade 2 standard or above.

He says: "The idea is that because the standard is not so difficult or exclusive we can meet up fortnightly and there won't be a lot of heavy practice. It's not improvisation, but there's room to be as flexible as possible."

Tom's experience as a musician is the result of lifelong learning, firstly in bands in his teens and later with professional tuition.

"Although I've been involved in music all my life, I wasn't able to do it at school. It was not an option because my parents didn't consider it important. My junior school reluctantly let me have a recorder when I was six but really the only musical outlet I knew of was the church choir.

"Luckily my choirmaster offered to teach me, but the recorder was regarded as almost a child's toy. He said I should get a proper instrument like a clarinet or a flute. My parents said it was out of the question as they couldn't afford it."

Up until his late 20s, Tom tells me he played in several bands, "in bent up old vans going up and down motorways earning a crust but not achieving much", but he persevered.

"By accident I discovered classical guitar. I went to evening classes in Bayswater to learn folk guitar and my teacher, who was a BBC banjo player, took me aside after the second lesson and said I've been watching you, it's something about your hands'. He gave me a book called World's Favourite Solos for Classical Guitar and he'd marked a couple of pieces for me to have a go at them. I'd never heard of classical guitar but I learned them in a week. My teacher said: I thought so. This is what you're looking for'. I still have that book on my shelf and it changed my life."

Tom, who now has six guitars at home, went on to study music under Oliver Hunt at the London College of Music.

"A number of people I knew in the business said to me don't be ridiculous, you can't take up an instrument at 30 and get to a professional standard' but I thought it's never too late. Nothing is impossible."

Tom has set out to make his group open to as wide an age range as possible.

"Personally, I don't like to start them under seven, as it is quite a physical instrument. Younger children find it difficult and you could put them off for life."

So far, The Guitar Project has attracted more than a dozen people from all styles of guitarists from acoustic to electric.

"Recently we did a Japanese piece, some of my own composition, a Latin style piece and Mellow Yellow by Donovan.

"Someone brought along a dobro guitar, which is all metal and that featured on the Japanese piece on the main part of the melody. It's all about experimentation and what we do is driven by the people there."

The Guitar Project runs fortnightly. The next one is on Wednesday, May 14.

Details: Tom on 01923 245559 or Watford School of Music on 01923 225531

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