Classical Guitar by Candlelight

Experience an enchanting evening of classical guitar music in the gentle glow of candlelight, set within the breathtaking surroundings of St Mary Le Strand—a baroque jewel in the heart of London. This intimate venue offers the perfect setting for a recital of warmth, refinement, and lyrical beauty.

Performed by acclaimed guitarist Amanda Cook, this evocative programme celebrates the extraordinary expressive range of the classical guitar, from the intricate elegance of Sylvius Leopold Weiss and the romantic virtuosity of Francisco Tárrega’s Capricho Árabe to the atmospheric beauty of John Dowland’s Fantasia and José Broca’s Fantasia. The programme also features the lyrical intimacy of Schubert’s Ständchen, alongside the atmospheric Castillos de España by Torroba. From Renaissance dances and Spanish masterpieces to Scottish and Peruvian traditional music, each work reveals a different facet of the guitar’s colour, character and emotional depth, culminating in the warmth and familiarity of The Parting Glass.

Featuring
Amanda Cook (guitar)

Programme
Sylvius Leopold Weiss - Fantasie 
Sylvius Leopold Weiss - Courante Royale
Francisco Tarrega - Capricho Arabe
Francisco Tarrega- Sueño
John Dowland - Queen Elizabeth’s Galliard
John Dowland - My Lady Hunsdone’s Puffe
John Dowland - Fantasia
José Broca - Fantasia 
Schubert - Ständchen 
Schubert - Lob Der Thränen
Seymour Simons - All Of Me 
Traditional Scottish - The Parting Glass
Traditional Peruvian - Cerrito de Huajspata 
Traditional Peruvian - Arriba Los Pañuelos

About Amanda Cook
Described by The Independent as “the guitar queen with a silken touch,” Amanda Cook is internationally renowned for her poetic musicality and impeccable technique. She has performed across the USA, South America, and Europe, with UK appearances at venues including Wigmore Hall, the Southbank Centre, King’s Place, and The Sage Gateshead. Her concerts are praised for their sensitivity, intimacy, and masterful storytelling through sound.

Amanda began studying the guitar at the age of seven with Alexander Levtov, later continuing her training at the Royal College of Music Junior Department with Charles Ramirez. She went on to earn her degree at the RCM as a Foundation Scholar, further honing her artistry under Jakob Lindberg and Gary Ryan.