Stephen taught guitar and conducted guitar ensembles at Dartington College from 1982 - 2002 (giving the European premiere of Steve Reich’s Electric Counterpoint with the college guitar ensemble) and Exeter University from 1995 - 2005. He has also conducted guitar ensemble classes at the Welsh College of Music and Drama, Tilburg and Groningen Conservatoires (Holland) and from 1993 - 2002 at the Internationally renowned Iserlohn Guitar Symposium. Stephen has given solo recitals at festivals in the UK, Holland, France and Germany.
Stephen founded and directed the Prussia Cove Guitar Seminar, the pioneering Summer School for guitar and guitar ensemble. The 10th anniversary of the Seminar was celebrated by commissioning Stephen Dodgson to compose a substantial work - The Selevan Story - for guitar duo, flute, violin and guitar orchestra. This work was premiered in Penzance, conducted by the composer, with Stephen Gordon and Gerald Garcia as guitar soloists. Further performances were given at the Dartington International Summer School and Iserlohn Guitar Symposium after which Stephen Gordon went on to conduct it in Holland before recording the work along with the majority of Stephen Dodgson’s guitar ensemble output .
In 1994 Stephen founded ESG Music to publish Stephen’s guitar ensemble arrangements of orchestral music. This has now developed into a substantial catalogue of music, used by guitar ensembles worldwide with arrangements ranging from Mozart for guitar trio to complete baroque concertos for 10 guitars. ESG music also publishes the ‘Don’t Press Too Hard’ series, the popular guitar tutor by Stephen Gordon and David Cottam.
Stephen was associate lecturer of music at Exeter College from 1995 - 2003. During this period he conducted Teignmouth Choral Society, Exeter College Choir, Orchestra and Chamber Orchestra. Under his directorship the chamber orchestra was invited on three occasions to perform in the Royal Festival Hall as part of the Music For Youth Festival. Stephen also works playing continuo on Arch lute and has developed workshops for classical guitarists introducing baroque improvisation and the realisation of figured bass.
]]>- Holy Trinity Church, archlute continuo with Collegium Musicum and
Belsize Baroque (Handel - Dixit Dominus)
Oct 3rd 2009
- St. James Piccadilly, archlute continuo with Belsize Baroque
July 4 2009
- Waterloo, archlute continuo with Morley College Choir and Belsize Baroque (Bach B minor mass)
May 29 2009
- St. Mary’s Church Penzance, NOP concert.
May 23 - 30 2009
- NOP project at Bolitho School Cornwall (May 25 - 30)
- Weekend ensemble course - Bolitho School Cornwall (May 23 - 25)
March 21 2009
- One day ensemble workshop, Exeter
Feb 15 2009
- Ensemble workshop with Exeter Guitar Ensemble
Jan 18 2009
- Ensemble workshop with Exeter Guitar Ensemble
Jan 17 2009
- St. James Piccadilly, archlute continuo with Belsize Baroque
Dec 14
- Concert Friends Meeting House Exeter with Exeter Guitar Ensemble
Nov 16
- Ensemble workshop with Exeter Guitar Ensemble
Nov. 8
- St. James West Hampstead, archlute continuo with Belsize baroque
Oct 19.
- Ensemble workshop with Exeter Guitar Ensemble
Oct 15
Performance class and figured bass workshop Royal Welsh College Music and Drama.
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