Niccolò Paganini is largely still credited as being the greatest violinist of all time. This is possibly because he was simply one of the first great players with the added gift of self-promotion and the desire to tour almost constantly. His demanding concert schedule and promiscuity may have contributed to a decline in his health as Paganini contracted a number of illnesses that slowed him down and led to his early retirement at the age of 48. Alongside his brilliance on the violin, Paganini was an excellent guitarist and whilst he rarely played the instrument in public, he called it his ‘constant companion’. Centone di Sonate is a collection of 18 sonatas for violin and guitar. Today we will hear the first of the collection which is in the key of A minor.

_{Note by Rachel Leach}

Lucas Saboya was born in Tunja on the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. He is a composer and guitarist who founded the trio Palos y Cuerdas with his brothers. The three siblings were interested in writing, performing and promoting traditional Columbian music. After completing his studies with Colombian composer Gustavo Parra, Lucas has written prolifically and his music has been widely performed. He was recently appointed professor at the Colombian University of Pedagogy and Technology. Today we will hear two of his works: Ojos de color de Oliva (Olive coloured eyes) and Bellavista (beautiful view).

_{Note by Rachel Leach}

One of Venezuelan’s most famous musicians, Heraclio Fernández learnt piano with his father before becoming a teacher himself. As an adult he founded a newspaper called El Zancudo and then contributed to other publications using this as a pseudonym. Two years after his death, this composition appeared in a publication called El Museo with Fernández described as ‘composer of the moment’. The piece, a wickedly difficult and dazzling fast waltz, has gone on to be one of the most famous Venezuelan musical works ever. Lyrics were added in the 1970s and the piece has passed into Venezuelan folk with few people realising its true origins. Today’s arrangement was made by Lucas Soboya’s brother Daniel. The title translates as ‘The devil on the loose’.

_{Note by Rachel Leach}

Lucas Saboya was born in Tunja on the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes. He is a composer and guitarist who founded the trio Palos y Cuerdas with his brothers. The three siblings were interested in writing, performing and promoting traditional Columbian music. After completing his studies with Colombian composer Gustavo Parra, Lucas has written prolifically and his music has been widely performed. He was recently appointed professor at the Colombian University of Pedagogy and Technology. Today we will hear two of his works: Ojos de color de Oliva (Olive coloured eyes) and Bellavista (beautiful view).

_{Note by Rachel Leach}

Santiago Bernal Montaña is a cellist, composer, producer and songwriter. He was born in Bogotá, Colombia but raised in Africa and Asia and is currently living in the US. He lists a wide field of inspirations from across many musical genres and sites numerous cultures and languages as his starting points as he aims to ‘speak through music’. He says ‘music is and always will be the heart, mind, body and soul of the living entity’. Dilo otra vez is a gorgeous and gentle ‘pasillo’ – a kind of traditional Colombian waltz. It was the spontaneous creation of a 16-year-old Santiago who was exploring new harmonies on the piano and the cuatro, an instrument similar to the ukulele. It is a love song that reminds us of what it is to love romantically for the first time. Everything in this song is fluid; it's a surprise; it's naively exciting. And the longing for it to be repeated gives the song its title, which translates to ‘say it again’!

_{Note by Rachel Leach and Santiago Bernal Montaña}

Andy Scott is a multi-award-winning British saxophonist, composer and teacher. With over 30 years of experience he is highly in demand as a musician, composer and workshop leader working across the genres of jazz, world and contemporary classical music. Paquito exists in many different arrangements and is most often played by saxophone or clarinet choir. It is a fast salsa written in homage to the Cuban-American composer and saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera. CASS (Clarinet and Saxophone Society) magazine said ‘to state that Paquito is seriously exciting is almost an understatement … pure salsa flavour that bubbles, bounces and boils’.

_{Note by Rachel Leach}