Una Discamus

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Guitar Workshop

Report: Guitarist Thomas Leeb

One of the most fascinating guitarists, an Austrian born fingerstyle guitarist, he is by far talented beyond belief. Many say, "he has to be seen to be believed" and blows you away with his percussion and melody which seems to have the desired effect of a ‘jaw-dropping experience'...All just with him and his Lowden guitar. He's none other than Thomas Leeb!

This is what many pupils at Wellington College Belfast experienced on November 29th. Holding a guitar workshop and performance for many pupils in the school Thomas shocked, entertained and inspired! In the workshop Thomas introduced a new genre of guitar playing to the eyes and ears of the many guitarists in our school, teaching percussion techniques, rhythms, right hand finger-picking and that the sky is a guitarists' limit. The workshop finished with a photo shoot by Dr David Agnew who has a photo of great quality to enter into a photographic competition.

The performance held on the same day in the afternoon, swept pupils off their feet at the experience of something completely new. The media studies group in the school practised filming Thomas performing and got material for outstanding coursework. Playing many of his new songs off his album the ‘Desert Pirate' and some of his own variations e.g. Bob Marley's ‘I shot the Sheriff' and the classic Guns n' Roses ‘Sweet child of mine', Thomas provided a relaxed, comical, and knowledgeable introduction to many people playing the guitar (who are at the age he began to play) and to those who really did not know what to expect and found it "amazing", "awesome", "engaging", " like nothing I've ever heard or seen in my life!

At the end of the day Thomas played us his newest hit ‘desert pirate' which concluded with an all-round "Arrrrrrrr!" from the audience.

What Thomas has done for the school's music department has been influential, with new pupils buzzing about new ideas and a new found interest in music itself! To all of the guitarists out there, don't be afraid to try something new and bizarre, you never know where it will take you!

- Sarah Mc Farland

Special thanks to Thomas Leeb, Dennis Currie for helping to arrange this event and Dr D Agnew for the photographs.