Ziggy and Miles

Multi-movement works have historically been at the core of classical music since its rise to the concert stage. Here, brothers Ziggy and Miles present a unique program of suites and sonatas, all arranged and adapted for guitar duo.

Beginning with their own arrangement of Debussy’s Suite bergamasque, the brothers will demonstrate the expressive strengths of the guitar duo while keeping true to Debussy’s vision. Nigel Westlake’s Mosstrooper Peak was originally for solo guitar but adapted for guitar duo in 2014 for the Grigoryan Brothers and stands as the only major guitar duo sonata by an Australian composer. Similarly, Brazilian composer Radamés Gnattali’s Suite Retratos was originally written for bandolim (a type of Brazilian mandolin) and strings but has undergone numerous adaptations since. The adaptation for guitar duo was the result of a request from the Assad Brothers and has become a staple of the guitar canon that has shaped and defined the musical language for the ensemble.

Australian guitarist brothers making history – The Age

Claude Debussy arr. Ziggy and Miles Johnston Suite bergamasque
Nigel Westlake Mosstrooper Peak
Radamés Gnattali Suite Retratos

This recital is part of the 2024 Sundays in the Sound Gallery series, showcasing exceptional artists in the intimate and acoustically superb David Li Sound Gallery.