MORGAN Szymanski's guitar recital on Saturday for Ludlow Music Society was an eye-opener in many ways.

Much of the music would have been unfamiliar.

However Morgan's sensitive playing must have left his audience wanting to learn more about such composers as Augustin Barrios - known as The Paganini of the jungles of Paraguay - and Alec Roth, who has written four works for him.

The recital at Moor Park was the society's annual Young Artists Platform Concert, under the auspices of the Countess of Munster's Trust.

Morgan is a born communicator. He has the rare gift of being able to make his instrument sing.

This came over particularly in music by Simone Iannarelli, who met his wife through an introduction by Morgan, and the arresting evocation by Barrios of the calm and beauty of the Cathedral in Asuncion, Paraguay.

There was also fire in his playing, notably in the Suite Espagnola by Albeniz. His dancing finger work in the final Asturias still haunts my waking hours many hours afterwards.

Any arts festival organiser should grab Morgan now, before his diary is full.

The next Music Society concert is by pianist Stephen Osborne on November 12 and it promises to be equally memorable.

For ticket details, call honorary secretary Alma Cogswell on 01584 660535.

- MB