Peter Nuttall

A bit of a biography...

Peter Nuttall is an experienced teacher and a well-known composer of guitar music for students. He gained an open scholarship to Oxford University in 1968, and after graduating with honours he trained as a secondary school teacher. He moved to Northampton to work as a peripatetic guitarist for the education authority, and then as a private guitar teacher.

At that time there was a scarcity of attractive and accessible music for students. This led Peter to begin composing music that his students found enjoyable and playable even with a limited technique. Peter wrote and published the first versions of what eventually became “The Guitarist’s Way” series. At that time they were just called “The Peter Nuttall guitar books” (five volumes). Later John Whitworth worked with him to transform them into the very popular“Guitarist’s Way” series in four volumes.

It is Peter’s ability to take simple material and create attractive and accessible “guitaristic” gems that has made his music so popular with students around the world.

His music has been recorded and is often used in festivals and competitions. It also frequently features in music examinations, both in England and abroad.

He has also written several pieces for larger ”guitar orchestra “ ensembles. In 2011 he wrote pieces specially for a “night of 100 guitars” event in Northampton.

He frequently is asked to work at festivals and competitions, or to do workshops with groups of guitarists at many different l;evels.

In 2008 and 2010 he was on the jury of the Bad Nauheim GOFI contest (Guitar Orchestra Festival International).

In 2009 and 2011 he worked as a tutor at the WYGF (World Youth Guitar Festival). (www.wygf.org) and wrote several large guitar ensemble pieces for the occasions.