This doctoral research by Kostas Tosidis explores the importance of the bow in the guitar playing. In complete interaction with the repertoire of instruments such as the cello, violin and viola, it attempts to define techniques that until now have not been employed or extensively analyzed, with the central aim of optimizing the guitar playing. Much of the research focuses on documenting all these techniques and their application to modern guitar playing in a method that will include text and visual examples.
Reworking scores originally composed for these orchestral instruments poses a challenge for any guitar arrangement, especially when trying to find technical solutions for the use of the bow. One of the works that Tosidis arranges is the cello solo piece Sacher Variations by Witold Lutosławski (1975). Apart from the difficulties in the arrangement as far as the technical difficulties are concerned, there are also important problems relating to microtones and irregular intervals. The guitar’s repertoire is limited compared to that of other string instruments, and as a result, few prominent composers compose for the guitar. This research will not only expand the guitar repertoire with new compositions, but also test the technical possibilities of the instrument, including through commissioned works by composers such as Atanas Ourkouzounov, Marios Joannou Elias, Feliu Gassul, Marko Dottlinger, Giorgos Nousis, and Giannis Papakrassas.
Bow techniques for guitar playing: arrangements of contemporary works for cello, violin and viola played on the classical guitar
Promotors: Maarten Stragier, Ricardo Gallen
