After a brief stint with a 40 Euro made-in-China guitar that I first played on in Granada (which i sold for 20 before leaving), I am now the proud new owner of a beautiful classic guitar, an “étude” of the Canadian makers laPatrie (www.lapatrieguitars.com)

The primary focus right now are Christmas carols, as there is nothing that ups the musical adrenaline like trying out a freshly learned song on a friendly Christmas-party crowd while hoping they sing loudly enough to drown out my less-than-clean transitions between chords :)

It’s so enjoyable, and so different from the classical musical education I had on the piano.  This time there are no rules and no musical conservatory program to follow (not that I disliked piano, in fact I loved it and still love it, but the learning process with teacher, exams, competitions and the whole shebang was much more strict!).  This time around I can be as liberal as I please, drawing upon what has proven to be  the very useful music theory and harmony that I took that “transposes” beautifully to this string instrument.

I’m loving it.  “Feliz Navidad” (simple, quick and fun), “Deck the halls” and the slower, although a personal favourite of mine, the “Merry Christmas (war is over)” John Lennon tune.

Here’s to music, not just listening, but making it!