Music for Classical Guitar Ensemble: Volume 5 (Marc Ongley Guitar Series)

This book offers a great selection of classical guitar repertoire for the guitar ensemble. The arrangements offer challenging parts for the more experienced player and parts that are accessible to the intermediate and less experienced player. The combination of music originally composed for the guitar and of pieces from the more general classical repertoire make for an engaging combination.

Individuals or groups of guitarists of all abilities can enjoy playing the famous and well-loved pieces in this book and be equally challenged. I love practicing the various parts along with the recordings for pleasure and to improve my playing. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys playing classical guitar. I have been using this book since it was first published in 2002.

Marc has taken pieces not only from the guitar repertoire, but also from the great classical composers, and arranged them for a group of guitarists. This gives the individual or group, really good access to pieces that would otherwise seem too complicated. It means that if you have a group with differing skill levels, you can each choose a part that suits your current skill level, but then come together to make a great ensemble. So a novice may begin with the simpler bass line, but then progress to the more technical melody. The included audio recording of the tracks is a really good way for an individual to practice the pieces and get a feel of the timing, before meeting up for a group session.