The date of this concert might tickle a memory in some readers minds - for Brits it was the week of the so-called fuel crisis. Not to be put off, Michael Hulmes and Hayley Savage tanked up on Dunkirk spirit and made it to the venue, as did around a hundred punters - presumably in small boats. Presented by the local guitar society, this was a great evenings' entertainment by these two graduates of the Welsh College of Music and Drama. A relatively long but well paced programme employed a successful variation of duet and solo playing and my attention was captured throughout. Is this a format which might profitably be presented more often then - particularly by younger professionals who are building a future career rather than sitting on an established one.

Michael's playing continues to mature while his technique has an enviable economy. His chosen repertoire was of a more populist slant than we might have heard from him 18 months ago, yet to my ears his Bach (Allemande form the 1st Lute suite, Prelude from the 6th Cello suite and Prelude en Presto from the 3rd Lute suite), showed a musician coming of age. Michael also played the English Suite by Duarte, Four Ballad Songs by Milan Tesar and a couple of ditties by Andrew York.

Oozing musicality, Hayley is one of those players you love to watch. Not only does she have an assured stage presence but she seems to naturally project the pleasure shared in music making and the partaking thereof. A composer herself, Hayley played two engaging contemporary works, Alba by Hans Haug and Passacaglia by Franz Brukhart. These benefited from some evangelical intent and were followed after the interval by three from Torroba's Castles of Spain and Sonatina by Jorge Morel.

The bookended duets did not break any boundaries and the choice perhaps indicated a limited availability of practise time, but they were well played and contributed to a well rounded concert. Three of Len William's Spanish arrangements, five Bach inventions and finally - yes, Carulli's Largo en Rondo. We demanded an encore and we got some of the Carulli again but faster. Great fun was had and much goodwill flowed from audience to artiste.

Graham Cleaver
Classical Guitar Magazine