Elastic bands for strings

Press, 11 February 1983, Page 4

Elastic bands for strings

The international guitarist, John Mills, twanged his first guitar when he was seven. It was the 19505, the era of such idols as Haley and Presley, and the young Mills made himself a guitar of wood. lino, and elastic bands, to emulate his heroes. He admits that the sounds he made with it were far from music. But his enthusiasm was enough to persuade his parents to buy him a guitar. Today he is an acclaimed performer having toured North America, the Far East, Australia, Scandinavia, and Europe. He came to New Zealand, his first visit, to play eight concerts and to teach at the New Zealand Federation of Classical Guitar Societies' summer school at Waiotapu. near Rotorua. He will perform at the Christchurch Town Hall tomorrow evening.

John Mills first heard classical guitar music played on radio. "It was so different from the noises I was making on my guitar. I wondered how anyone could make such beautiful and warm music," he said. Encouraged by his parents, the nine-year-old looked for someone ’ to teach him to play. The only lessons available were in London, an hour's journey from his home by train and the underground through the suburb of Soho — "no parents were going to let a nine-year-old do that in the evening for guitar lessons." So he taught himself. He did not have his first classical guitar lesson until he was 16. after he had given his first public recital. • "John Williams was my idol. I wanted more than anything to study with him, to have just one lesson.

Eventually I was lucky enough to have more than 100," he said. Other master guitarists to influence Mr Mills's career were Julian Bream and Andres Segovia. He regards the latter with a special affection and reverence. “He took the guitar and made it acceptable as a serious instrument in the concert halls. Segovia is the guitar." Mr Mills will include a tribute to Segovia, who will mark his ninetieth birthday in a few days, in tomorrow's concert. Mr Mills has a collection of 11 guitars, ranging from a matching pair of mother-of-pearl inlaid guitars dating from the 1800 s, which he picked up at a flea-market in Taunton. England, to the specially made Rubio guitar he has brought to New Zealand. The latter is made

from a slab of German spruce. Originally intended for a cello and possibly the best of its kind in the world. The guitar travels in an "idiot-proof, coffin-shaped" travelling case. Its owner no longer buys an aeroplane seat for it. as he once did. It now goes as baggage. Mr Mills has been performing live since 1969. He enjoys the life and the teaching that he does. A lecturer at the University of East Anglia, he spends several months each year taking master classes and workshops abroad. He makes light of the trials that fame has brought. "I have a pile of modern music a yard high at home. People just keep sending me their compositions, most of which I just can’t use. Many of the pieces are the original copies. I just hope they don’t want them back.” he said.