Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Higgins.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I first played a guitar while working on a Pennsylvania truck farm in 1987. I learned some basic chords, and folk songs, but my father, a classical music lover, turned me on to classical guitar with a simple introductory book, and from that point on I became hooked to the classical approach. I have since then focused primarily on the music of the master composers, such as Fernando Sor, Francisco Tarrega, Mauro Giuliani, and so many others. I am self taught, but I have often worked with teachers, starting with the long since defunct Dale Music in Silver Spring, to today I am currently working with Justin Heath of the School of Musical Traditions, in Takoma Park, Maryland. I am active member of the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society, from which I have earned a Level 11 Performance Certificate. I have several recordings available for sale at my website, and Bandcamp, Qobuz and for streaming also. I hope to produce an album later this year and I will soon run a Kickstarter campaign to fund it.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Two struggles that first come to mind is my simply learning the pieces I am playing. This is not simple music, however easy it is supposed to sound for the listener. In addition, performance is a hurdle for me to overcome. Stage fright, or “performance anxiety” has kept me away from the guitar for long periods, and out of the public spotlight. I am working my way through that, by busking and the open air gigs I am doing this spring for the Riverdale Park Arts Council.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I play classical guitar, focusing primarily on composers from Turlough O’ Carolan and J.S. Bach, in the Barogue era, to classical and romantic composers of the 18th and 19 century. I have also always been a lover of Blues, so I play several pieces of country blues guitar, and recently I have begun including flamenco music in my repertoire; I am working now on a set of studies relating to that, which I hope to record and put out this summer. I am working now on a project to record the pieces found in Frederick Noad’s, book Solo Guitar II, which my father gave to me many years ago. I am proud of the recordings I have released, and the positive feedback I have received, unbidden, from listeners. I am glad that I have something of value to contribute to people. It seems that must be one of the main reasons why I drive myself to master this instrument.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Well for me risk is what I feel when I am about to do a live performance. My hands, and especially fingers might be shaky, I may not recognize the fret board, or the sound of the strings of my guitar, or I may forget how to play the music. So to put myself out there is an achievement for me. Another risk I am about to take is to try to produce an album. I will need help from friends and family, and fans and others to help pay the costs for this project. But I have to go and personally ask each of them to help me, and that feels quite risky. Which is probably why it is taking so long to get started. The saying goes, ” No Risk, No Reward”. I have always been a problem solver, and I believe ” everything you do makes you smarter”, and actually, I think my music is pretty good, and I think people would like a chance to hear it. If you want to get somewhere in this life, you have to try to fulfill your dreams and goals.
Pricing:
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Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brianhiggins.biz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091519173581
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@brianhiggins4614
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/brianhigginsguitar
