Week 1: Path to Completion!
End of the Year Challenge: "Finish Strong!" 
As the year comes to a close, it's the perfect time to look back on your guitar journey, celebrate your progress, and set the stage for a powerful finish! Whether you've been steadily refining a piece all year, revisiting past favorites, or holding onto that "one day" project, now’s the time to bring it to life. Let’s wrap up this year with a final push, together!
Challenge Theme: Complete, Conquer, and Celebrate!
Goal:
Choose one guitar piece or project that has been on your list this year. This might be a piece you’ve been working on in lessons, something you’ve always wanted to learn but never started, or a performance you’d like to polish. Dedicate the final weeks of the year to bringing it to completion—whatever "finished" means for you!
Challenge Options:
Complete a Piece: If you’ve been working on a piece throughout the year, let’s aim to bring it to the finish line. Focus on refining tricky sections, memorizing it, or even recording it as a performance!
Start & Finish a New Piece: Is there a piece that’s been sitting on your "someday" list? Dive in! Start fresh, put in dedicated practice time, and see how far you can get by the end of the year.
Polish for Performance: Got a piece you can already play but want to perfect? Use this time to iron out the details and maybe even perform it for friends, family, or the tonebase community!
Challenge Guidelines:
Set Your Goals: Decide on the piece or project and set a few concrete goals (e.g., "play smoothly at tempo," "record a full video," or "memorize all sections").
Share Your Journey: Post your progress, questions, and reflections with the community! Let us know what you're working on, why you chose it, and any hurdles you’re overcoming.
Celebrate the Wins: At the end of the challenge, share your "finished" version! Whether it’s a recording, a progress update, or simply sharing your reflections, let’s celebrate together.
Dates:
This challenge runs from now until December 30th. Finish the year with a sense of accomplishment and the motivation to take on new pieces in the coming year!
Why Join?
This isn’t just about completing a piece; it’s about proving to yourself what you can achieve with focus and support. Join us for a fun, collaborative way to end the year on a high note. 
-
I have just transcribed Schumann's Winterzeit II op.68.39. So my initial project will be to polish Winterzeit I (from the previous challenge) and work up Winterzeit II.
I am also hoping to finalize the Prelude from BWV 1009.
I had better leave it there for now. Besides, I will be leaving the country for 3 weeks on Dec. 17 so I only have a month to work on these.
-
Jack Stewart that Bach suite is so beautiful. Looking forward to hearing you finalize the prelude. (How do you finalize any Bach piece?)
Can’t wait to hear your Schubert transcription.
-
Blaise Laflamme Winterzeit I is pretty close now. However Winterzeit II is still a work in progress. I think I will have to memorize that one to keep all the sections straight. BWV is also pretty close - though it has been pretty close for a while.
-
joosje I have had the BWV suite in my repertoire off and on for years (decades!). It has laid dormant for at lest 10-15 years so I brought it back out a few months ago (a previous challenge) but never quite 'finalized' it (agreed - when is a Bach piece ever finalized?)
The transcription piece is actually by Schumann from his Album fur die Jugend op. 68.38 - 39.
-
-
Hello all.
I’m in the process of learning a Vivaldi sonata (original cello, transcribed by David Russel). I’ve recently memorized Saudade no. 3 by Roland Dyens, and now trying to get it more energetic and convincing for open performance.
-
joosje Which Vivaldi Sonata you're looking for, I've bought some time ago a book of them transcribed by Stanley Yates, I don't know how good they are tho. Saudade #3 is also on my working list, I plan to add it to a concert program, I can't wait to hear you play this!
-
Blaise Laflamme it’s sonata no. 6, cello and continuo. David Russel’s transcription for guitar solo is excellent but it’s difficult to give full attention to both cello part and continuo. Hard work. I love the saudade, but it’s quite expressive and extrovert music, which is a bit of a challenge for me.
-
joosjeI am really looking forward to hearing your progress on the Vivaldi. Was this in your cello repertoire? I would think that would be fascinating to k now it it both versions. I usually reference a transcription to its original instrument for interpretation ideas. (ie. cello recordings of the BWV 1009). To be able to play it on the original instrument would be wonderful.
-
-
After reading what everyone is working on, I think this will be an outstanding guitar month for all of us.
-
My end-of-year challenge is to play Recuerdos de la Alhambra smoothly. I’ve already memorized the piece, but I want to perfect it by the end of the year. This goal feels especially meaningful since I’ll be visiting the Alhambra—the palace that inspired the piece—at the end of the year. Here’s a video of my current progress.
-
Raul Guzman Vidal This is a very solid beginning, Raul.Having the piece memorized is an accomplishment I itself. Looking forward to hearing your progress.
BTW, I went to visit the Alhambra last year. It is a beautiful place. Allow plenty of time as it is quite large with many gardens and buildings.
-
Jack Stewart Thank you for the encouragement! I’ll definitely plan for extra time at the Alhambra—did you see any guitar shops in the area?
-
Raul Guzman Vidal I didn't actually look into that. I didn't have a 'working' repertoire memorized so I didn't feel I had anything to explore guitars with, if that makes sense.
-
Jack Stewart I totally understand. I have heard there are many guitar makers near the Alhambra. But that is something that shouldn’t be rushed when looking into guitars.
-
Raul Guzman Vidal Hola, I just visited the Alhambra and it was fantastic. Be sure to purchase tickets in advance. Also there are many luthiers in Granada and two on Cta de Gomerez on the walking street up to the Alhambra. Also, if you are in Madrid, check out luthier Juan Alvarez, located in Barrios Letras. An excellent luthier. I bought a guitar from this shop in 1978 from the father.
-
Dale Needles Thank you for the advice! I’ll keep an eye out for the luthiers on the way to the Alhambra, and I’ll definitely check out Juan Alvarez when I’m in Madrid.
-
-
Hi all, I've been learning for the past month the Prelude in C Minor by Barrios Mangore, I love the piece and would like to polish it . It's a melancholic, sad maybe piece , hopefully wont ruin the mood of the end of year party.
-
Calin Lupa That's a gorgeous piece. I'd played it in one of the previous challenges. Of course, you're not gonna ruin the mood, it's gonna be great to hear you play.
Btw, Zoran Dukic played it on YouTube Altamira home concert. Helpfully, he's given some handy tips on how to play it. He described it as a miniature masterpiece. You can check it out to get some ideas if you like. All the best.
-
Nijwm Bwiswmuthiary thank you for pointing me to Zoran's recording. Agree with him that this is a miniature masterpiece, he even repeats the first part "to make it last longer", I may borrow that. He did share useful tips and the fact that he finds it a challenging left-hand workout too, it offers me some consolation, but also encouragement. :). Your performance of the piece was also very nice, congrats!
-
Calin Lupa Thank you, Calin. It was really challenging for my left hand but I had to play it as I adore the piece. As much as I love that piece, I wouldn't dare to repeat that A section though. Perhaps with time, better technique and strength I'll be able to do repeats like that.
I'm eagerly waiting to see your interpretation. Are you posting it soon?
-
-
Just checked in and read through the posts. Really excited to hear and see all of your pieces. I've been working on Julia Florida for months now. I really want to finish it well polished. Hopefully, I'll be able to do my best by the end of the year. Btw martin can we have like a 2 hour watch party, so we can enjoy as many submissions as we can like the good old days?
