Podcast · Arts & Books
by Simon Powis · English · Arts & Books
Teaching and Learning the Classical Guitar Online
16 Apr 2026 · 16 min
▶ CGC Podcast : Gratitude SHOW NOTES The CGC podcast is back — and in a new format. Simon reflects on what it means to show up consistently as a teacher and creator, shares news about the CGC Summer School, performs an original study for classical guitar, and leaves listeners with a simple but powerful ... Read more The post CGC 113 : Gratitude appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
31 Mar 2026 · 31 min
João Luiz’s presentation from the 2023 CGC Summer School explores how Brazilian musical traditions can inform classical-guitar interpretation. The podcast preserves an edited portion of the workshop, including demonstrations and questions from participants. The central invitation is to go beyond learning a piece from its score or copying another guitarist. Listening to percussion, understanding dance ... Read more The post CGC 112 : João Luiz on Brazillan Music Interpretation appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
20 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 26 min
Tim Kain’s extended conversation with Simon Powis documents the experiences and teaching philosophy behind his years at the Australian National University School of Music. An opening contribution from Stephanie Jones describes a teacher who adapted to the individual and encouraged a supportive class. The interview reaches beyond the achievements of particular graduates. It asks how ... Read more The post CGC 111 : Tim Kain appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
26 Sep 2023 · 46 min
You can find the Sight-reading book here: https://www.classicalguitarcorner.com/progressive-sight-reading-for-classical-guitar/ If you are looking for some more information on the beautiful Prelude by Weiss here it is: Petra Poláčková http://www.petrapolackova.com/en/ ▶ Sylvius Leopold Weiss - Suite II (Prelude, Courante, Sarabande, Gigue) The post CGC 110 : Sight Reading on Classical Guitar appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
5 Sep 2023 · 47 min
Ben Verdery returns to the podcast to discuss A Giant Beside You, recorded with the Ulysses Quartet. Musical excerpts accompany stories about commissioning, arranging and composing for guitar with strings. The album brings together Bryce Dessner, Leonard Bernstein, Javier Farías and Verdery’s own music. Behind that varied programme is a shared question: what becomes possible ... Read more The post CGC 109: Ben Verdery – A Giant Beside You appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
27 Aug 2023 · 23 min
Getting back into the podcast after a break. The post CGC 108 : Back in the Saddle appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
9 Mar 2023 · 47 min
The Classical Guitar Corner Podcast is back! After a break we are excited to bring you a new episode of The CGC Podcast with Simon Powis. CGC Graded Duets for Classical Guitar This episode features a conversation about Graded Duets for Classical Guitar, a new course at CGC Academy. This is a course produced by CGC ... Read more The post CGC Graded Duets for Classical Guitar appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
30 Aug 2021 · 20 min
If there is one constant in life, it is change. In the past 18 months with the appearance of Covid 19 we have seen an inflection point in the classical guitar world that may have altered how our musical ecosystem functions. Our world has gone digital, much more than ever before. In this episode we ... Read more The post The Changing Digital Landscape of Classical Guitar appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
31 Jan 2021 · 22 min
This famous study by Fernando Sor gives us the the challenge of separating melody from harmony and bass while all being bundled up into continuous eighth notes. One of the most powerful techniques you can use to clarify the melodic part is to isolate the melody, play it separately and even sing the melody too. ... Read more The post CGC 105 : Sor Study in Bminor – Singing and Playing the Melody appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
E104 · 22 Dec 2020 · 34 min
In this episode of The Classical Guitar Corner Podcast, Simon tells the story of Classical Guitar Corner in celebration of this, our 10-year anniversary! There have been lots of twists and turns along the way but we couldn’t be more grateful for this amazing community that Simon brought together, from an attic no less, 10 ... Read more The post CGC 104 : CGC’s 10-Year Anniversary! appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
28 Sep 2020 · 47 min
Uroš Barič’s conversation with Simon Powis connects the work of a guitarist with the work of a recording producer. Study, listening, recording experiments and collaboration all contribute to the sound a musician learns to recognise and create. The interview also explores the Virtual Guitar Orchestra and the experience of bringing separately recorded performances into a ... Read more The post CGC 103 : Uroš Barič appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
13 Sep 2020 · 17 min
Knowing what to do, being able to do it, and making it part of your everyday practice are different challenges. In this episode, Simon offers a way to distinguish them—and to understand why progress can feel slower as your playing develops. CGC Podcast 102 · approximately 17 minutes · recorded in September 2020. Show notes ... Read more The post CGC 102: Three Types of Learning appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
30 Aug 2020 · 19 min
How do you find a classical guitar playing position that works for your body? In this episode, Simon discusses sitting position and the positions of both hands through three guiding ideas: ergonomics, experimentation and personalization. CGC Podcast 101 · approximately 19 minutes · recorded in 2020. The opening announcements refer to that period. Episode guide ... Read more The post CGC 101: Playing Positions appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
E100 · 16 Aug 2020 · 48 min
How does David Russell learn a new piece, prepare it for an audience and keep his enthusiasm through difficult practice? This episode captures his answers to students at Yale University’s Guitar Extravaganza, with questions introduced by Simon Powis. Benjamin Verdery hosted the event; the recording is a public question-and-answer session rather than a studio interview. ... Read more The post CGC 100 : David Russell appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
19 Jul 2020 · 22 min
Learning the classical guitar is a journey that takes time. You will find yourself encountering obstacles, feeling challenged, questioning your abilities, questioning your guide, and sometimes just wanting to put the instrument down. You are not alone in any of these feelings. Accepting that there will inevitably be dips, frustrations, and plateaus, that appear along ... Read more The post CGC 099: Motivation appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
E98 · 1 Jul 2020 · 52 min
Nicoletta Todesco shares the path from a small music school in northern Italy to conservatory study, musicology and Yale. The conversation with Simon Powis also explores how she developed as a teacher and found room for singing within her classical-guitar performances. The recording opens with Simon’s separate reflections on inclusion and representation in the guitar ... Read more The post CGC 098 : Nicoletta Todesco appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
E97 · 16 May 2020 · 40 min
Stephanie Jones joins Simon Powis to discuss her album Open Sky, her education in Australia and Germany, and the performances that introduced her playing to listeners online. Originally recorded as a livestream, the interview includes musical excerpts as well as conversation. A recurring theme is the value of a varied musical education. Classical guitar, saxophone, ... Read more The post CGC 097 : Stephanie Jones appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
15 Mar 2020 · 42 min
Harpist Emily Levin and guitarist Colin Davin join Simon Powis to explore the sound of their duo. Musical excerpts demonstrate how two plucked instruments can remain distinct, blend into a larger texture and take over one another’s roles. The discussion is an introduction to the harp for guitarists as well as a conversation about arranging. ... Read more The post CGC 096: Harp and Guitar with Emily Levin and Colin Davin appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
23 Feb 2020 · 46 min
Irina Kulikova joins Simon Powis for a conversation about the work behind a polished performance. She describes building a musical idea, choosing useful fingerings and organising practice in shorter, focused blocks. The interview is also candid about nerves and the demands of a performing life. Her account of family support, changing self-talk and finding community ... Read more The post CGC 095: Irina Kulikova appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
20 Jan 2020 · 40 min
In this episode of The Classical Guitar Corner Podcast, we’ll talk about what makes a guitar piece difficult. One of the biggest pitfalls when learning classical guitar is working on repertoire that is too difficult for you. If a piece is too difficult it can cause frustration, a sense of failure, and overwhelm. And more ... Read more The post 093: What Makes a Guitar Piece Difficult? appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
5 Jan 2020 · 26 min
Making room for guitar practice begins with understanding where your time goes and deciding what matters to you. Simon’s first podcast of 2020 combines a look back at the previous year with a practical discussion of priorities, goals and musical experiences. CGC Podcast 092 · approximately 26 minutes · recorded in January 2020. Academy news, ... Read more The post CGC 092 : Time and Prioritization appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
16 Dec 2019 · 1 hr 1 min
Roger Ramirez, the host of the CGCA Member’s Podcast has done an amazing job this year of bringing together our academy members in a joint effort to perform holiday music from around the world. Enjoy hearing the music of the talented and dedicated musicians who make up Classical Guitar Corner Academy. You can find Roger’s ... Read more The post CGC 091 : Holiday Episode appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
10 Nov 2019 · 24 min
Dealing with Fear in Music In this episode of the CGC Podcast I deal with the topic of dealing with fear in music. Fear is something we all experience and it can impact your experience on classical guitar I want to share with you a point in time that impacted me and transformed the way ... Read more The post CGC 090 : Dealing with Fear in Music appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
13 Oct 2019 · 36 min
What makes a performance feel alive? For guitarist and composer Laura Snowden, the answer involves more than playing the right notes or choosing an attractive tone. It begins with imagination: asking what a musical moment means, finding a reason for each gesture, and discovering that meaning afresh when you play. In this conversation with Simon ... Read more The post CGC 089 : Laura Snowden on Creativity appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
29 Sep 2019 · 24 min
In this episode of The Classical Guitar Corner we are going to have a bit of fun. Simon was in Italy last week with Evita for Nicoletta Todesco’s wedding. So we thought it would be a great time to get a few native Italian speakers together to pronounce for you some of popular Italian musical ... Read more The post CGC 089 : Italian Musical Terminology appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
20 Aug 2019 · 55 min
Karin Schaupp’s conversation with Simon Powis asks what happens after a guitarist can play the notes convincingly. How does a performance become an experience that moves another person? Her answers draw on acting, collaboration and the education that began with her mother in Germany. Recorded in Brisbane, the interview traces a musical life that reaches ... Read more The post CGC 088 : Karin Schaupp appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
2 Aug 2019 · 27 min
The post The Classical Guitar Corner Show August 2019 appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
7 Jul 2019 · 27 min
The 2019 CGC Summer School was a great success. Whether you were in attendance or not, you can still enjoy the sights and sounds in this month’s show: (Summer School starts at 3:50) The post The CGC Show June 2019 appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
2 Jun 2019 · 43 min
Chris Mallett speaks with Simon Powis about teaching young guitarists and the development of the California Conservatory of Music. His account begins with the influence of Frank Longay and the experience of learning to teach through close observation and mentorship. The conversation offers ideas for teachers and parents, while also raising questions adult learners will ... Read more The post CGC 087 : Chris Mallett and Suzuki Guitar appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
12 May 2019 · 47 min
Guitarist and composer Bryce Jacobs joins Simon Powis to discuss a musical path that crosses classical study, bands, instrument design and film scoring. His story shows how skills developed in one setting can become useful in another, sometimes in ways a student could not have planned. The conversation also considers a harder question: how do ... Read more The post CGC 086 : Bryce Jacobs appeared first on Classical Guitar Corner .
Teaching and Learning the Classical Guitar Online
The Classical Guitar Corner Podcast is a English arts & books podcast from Simon Powis. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
The Melo app keeps playing with the screen off, works in the car and on your watch, wakes you to your station, and browses the whole catalogue offline. Free, no ads, no account.
