Colin Davin

To help celebrate Benjamin Britten’s centennial this year, Colin Davin discusses his long-standing relationship with Britten’s only work for the solo guitar, Nocturnal (after John Dowland), Op.70. Conveniently, the piece was written for Julian Bream, who is also celebrating this year, both his eightieth birthday and his receipt of the Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award. Davin also brings us a new commission, with Dowland and Britten in mind, from Pulitzer Prize Winner Caroline Shaw. Having just recently debuted Shaw’s work Come Again (Again) written for Davin and singer Estelí Gomez, Davin was kind enough to send All Strings Considered an excerpt from the premiere. If your interest hasn’t yet been piqued, Davin gives us some great sight-reading advice, you’ll hear some great selections from his debut CD, The Infinite Fabric of Dreams, and he describes his impressions of being the youngest guitarist to reach the finals in the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Competition. Finally, Colin shares his experiences serving as guest artist-faculty at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music, and discusses their current need for guitar faculty.