Home Country Hero Mini Challenge
GREETINGS TONEBUDDIES! 
Our musical journey continues! This month, we’re venturing into a challenge that pays homage to our roots. As each of us possesses a unique musical heritage, what better way to celebrate than by diving deep into the melodies that have shaped our cultures, identities, and histories? Let's embark on the "Home Country Hero Challenge" together and weave a tapestry of diverse soundscapes. 
THE CHALLENGE:
We invite you to record and upload a video of yourself performing a piece by a composer from your home country or your heritage. Dive deep into the traditions, styles, and stories that these compositions bring to the fore and enlighten us on how they resonate with your own cultural connection. Feel free to share a composition from another country than your own, if you have something that you deeply connect with!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
Record a video of yourself performing your chosen piece from your home country. Upload your video to your preferred platform (e.g., YouTube, Vimeo, etc.). Share the link to your video in the comments section below. Along with your performance, narrate a short backstory of the composer and the significance of the piece in your culture.
Bonus Points: Share a link to a performance of your chosen piece by a renowned guitarist from your country!
INTERACT AND ENGAGE:
Let's travel the world through our strings! Engage with your fellow tonebuddies by leaving comments, offering constructive feedback, and expressing appreciation for their cultural revelations. Let’s connect deeper, not just through music but through our shared human stories.
REWARD:
While there's no tangible prize, the reward lies in the bridges we build, the knowledge we share, and the connections we foster with guitarists worldwide. You might just find yourself inspired by a faraway land!
READY, SET, EXPLORE!
We're keen to embark on this global musical voyage with you, uncovering hidden gems and rediscovering national treasures. Let's celebrate the diversity and richness that each of our musical heritages brings to the global guitar community.
HAPPY PLUCKING, TONEBUDDIES! 
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Gershwin - Summertime
I thought I would try another one of Stan Ayeroff's Gershwin arrangements. This one is a hit song from the musical Porgy and Bess. As a teacher, I am sad to see the title of this song coming to an end.
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Eric Phillips Monopoly money?
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Eric Phillips Gershwin is brillant and that's a fair price for Jack Stewart !
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Blaise Laflamme Right? And he has the nerve to offer me fake money? The offer goes to you now, Blaise!
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Eric Phillips fake money is not fair... I thought Jack would have bought it for me as a gift!
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Eric Phillips Fake money? I have used Monopoly money many times to purchase some really expensive real estate!
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Jack Stewart I got a bridge for sale in Brooklyn.
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I consider myself a Norwegian American, as all four of my grandparents came from Norway in the early 1900's. When I was growing, up my Dad and I played several Grieg piano and violin duets. I loved traveling to Norway, and I visited Grieg's home, Troldhaugen, twice. Grieg wrote this in 1866, when he was 23 as a love letter to Nina, his future wife.
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Marilyn Blodget Beautiful, Marilyn! Is it written for piano?
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Marilyn Blodget That is beautiful, Marilyn. I assume this is a transcription from piano, or did Grieg actually write this for guitar? It certainly seems to fall nicely on the guitar. Beautiful playing as well.
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Jack Stewart Grieg composed this for piano—number 1 of his Lyric Pieces. I also read through it on piano - different key, higher register.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric. Yes it was written for piano— the first of his lyric pieces.
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Marilyn Blodget Beautifully played Marilyn, can you tell us who's the arranger?
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Blaise Laflamme Thank you Blaise! The arranger is Stefan Dulov.
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Marilyn Blodget So romantic. Nice playing, Marilyn, and beautiful arrangement. Works really well on guitar! I remember my visit (1998!) to the Grieg Museum Troldhaugen, his home near Bergen. Very beautiful, inspiring place.
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joosje Thank you Joosje! Yes, Troldhaugen was lovely! It’s fun that you were there too! I enjoyed peering in the windows of Grieg’s composing hut. Those images return to me when I play his music.
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Bogdanovic Monk-A-Ning - Final
I recorded this right after the HVL Etude #5. I made 2 takes and I think this was the better of the 2. I was so fried from all the Etude recordings I decided to leave it at this one. For the most part I am pretty happy with it. The stumples were kept to a minimum.
This will probably be my last submission as we are leaving on Monday for a month in Spain, Portugal and a bit of France.
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Jack Stewart Sounds incredible, Jack! Safe and enjoyable travels.
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Eric Phillips Thanks Eric.
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Jack Stewart Sounding really good now. Enjoy your holidays!
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don Thanks Don.
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Jack Stewart Very nice, Jack. The more I hear you play this piece the more that I like it. This time through, I really felt Monk in your playing. Congrats. BTW, here is a link to the luthier in Madrid. I purchased a guitar from this shop in 1978 when Alvarez Sr. was the luthier. Now his son, Juan Alvarez has taken over the shop and is still making very nice guitars. It is a small shop in a central location of Madrid and worth the visit. I spent about an hour there during my 2019 visit to Madrid, playing several of his guitars. I good place to visit in case you need to touch some strings. Juan Alvarez Guitars (guitarrasdeluthier.com)
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Jack Stewart great Jack! I definitely have to buy this work (book) from Bogdanovic, very interesting music, thanks again for sharing this!
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Blaise Laflamme Thanks Blaise. There are 2 volumes of Unknown Standards and this is in vol. 1. I would love to hear your take on this piece.
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Jack Stewart Groovy! Bon Voyage!
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Dale Needles Thanks Dale. If I get a chance to, I will certainly check out Alvarez Guitars. We are only in Madrid for 3 days so I am not sure if I will be able to get away for a couple of hours. However, his shop is only a 7 minute walk from where we are staying - so maybe.
BTW his website doesn't seem to open. I used your link and Googled it independently but w/o success. The Google side panel still lists his hours.
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