Alexandra Whittingham

About Alexandra Whittingham
"Whittingham’s performance features some beautiful musicality, clean playing, and nice tone, she is a young artist to keep an eye on." - This Is Classical Guitar
Performing with pin point accuracy and clarity as a solo performer, with orchestras and ensembles, Alexandra Whittingham has become a favourite for the critics who praise her impeccable technique and sensitive musicianship.
I really didn’t know much about classical music, I’d watched a lot of old films with my parents and, more often than not, classical guitar was featured in the sound tracks, but this was the first I’d heard it played live.
Since then it’s pretty much all I’ve played. I then took private lessons and started to play at school concerts, in churches and the teachers were supportive all the way. It felt good to have the ability to be able to bring something new to the school which didn’t teach classical music.
I enrolled in the Chetham School of Music when I was eleven in 2008 and stayed until I was eighteen, my main instrument was classical guitar, whilst also studying jazz guitar, piano, violin and composition, which I’ve always had an interested in. I found it a bit daunting at first, as I came from getting away with 20 minutes practicing a week, to this school basement without windows where we practiced for three hours a day.

“It was an amazing opportunity, I played in the same studio where so many famous albums and soundtracks have been recorded and I actually got to play on The Beatles piano which was rather cool.
EMI contacted me to perform with Imelda May at a joint celebration they were having with Universal Music in Abbey Road Studios, as they’d raised over 6 million for charity. The whole thing was surreal, ‘Oh my days!’, I had my own dressing room and pizza delivered. I played a couple of pieces and met some insanely important people.”
I enjoyed my time at Chetham, having gained my Licentiate of the Royal Schools of Music diploma in guitar performance. It all started to move forward for me after I won the inaugural Edinburgh Guitar Competition in 2013, after which some great offers came in.”
“I really enjoy playing the Tedesco concerto which I personally prefer to the Rodrigo concerto, but it’s not as well known, I think the second movement is beautiful. Another favourite for me is the Malcolm Arnold concerto for guitar and chamber orchestra. I’d played the Tedesco with the Dorset Chamber Orchestra in a gorgeous church with wonderful acoustics.
I love playing with an orchestra, but there’s a lot of pressure on me as the classical guitar isn’t an orchestral instrument. I’m responsible for everything that happens on that stage, there’s nothing masking me, unlike a violinist who may have a string quartet to cover up mistakes. But whilst the guitar concerto is demanding and insanely difficult, it’s nice to know you are being backed up by an orchestra. I’m really looking forward to working in the future with orchestras which is something I really enjoy and be myself on the guitar.
“I’ve talked to some guitar players, especially solo artists who have rituals they must perform before each show, some lock themselves away and won’t talk to anyone for 30 mins. I don’t have anything habitual like that, it would put even more pressure on me, having a good headspace is an advantage, but I’d rather be normal and talk to people and think, this is cool let’s do it.
Sure, I’ll warm up for a while, that’s a necessity and on the same guitar that I’ll perform with which was made by British Luthier Christopher Dean. I had a few to choose from, so I did a blindfold test and picked one purely for the stunning playability and sound.
It’s built from the same designs and in the same way as a 1943 Hermann Hauser classical guitar, which was played by Andrés Segovia. I’ve since learnt that this model includes the headstock to the neck ‘V’ joint Hauser was known for, and that tight focused sound that I love, is down to a unique internal bracing pattern. The soundboard is German spruce, the back and sides are Indian rosewood, the neck is mahogany and ebony is used for the fingerboard.
It plays and resonates so well, so I spent an age before I decided on what strings to use to complement the sound which is so rich. I tried a lot, but I’m sold on Augustine Regal Blue High-Tension nylon strings. They have a great tone and superb sustain. I use a lot of drop D tuning and the low end is so tight. They’re also the most consistent strings and I know I’ll get the same sound quality and reliability from every new set. I can work with them to eliminate any unwanted scratchy fingernail sounds that may creep in.”
Alexandra hasn’t forgotten all the people who have helped her over the years and enjoys giving something back in the form of guitar lessons, wherever she is in the world.
“I teach all styles to all ages which I’ve been doing now for a few years, but I try to concentrate on classical. I travel a lot but I can teach from anywhere as long as I have a good internet connection. I really enjoy it, although some students want to run before they can walk, which I can relate to.
I can remember being so enthusiastic when I was eleven, all I was allowed to play for weeks were scales and open strings. It’s not in an eleven year olds remit, they want to play fast and show off to their friends….like some adults.”
