User:Marc Ongley

Australian guitarist Marc Ongley started his career as a rock musician in 1965 at the age of 13, turning to classical guitar in his late teens. When he was still just 17 years old Marc’s band Maya had the privilege of supporting The Beach Boys and The Kinks when they were on tour in Australia.

Initially self-taught, Marc later studied with the well-known Australian author and guitar teacher Don Andrews, and four of Segovia’s students: Alirio Diaz, Antonio Losada, John Mills and Turibio Santos (the guitarist Villa-Lobos’ wife, Arminda, chose to first record all of her husband’s “12 Studies”). Marc also studied musical interpretation with Ruth Nye MBE, a student and friend of Claudio Arrau. She is on the faculty of the Yehudi Menuhin School and the Royal College of Music.

Marc holds the L.Mus and FTCL Performance diplomas, the first Australian guitarist to receive these qualifications.

Recognised as one of his country’s finest guitarists, Marc has given numerous concerts and recitals, been the featured artist in a number of nationally broadcast films and radio programmes for the Australian Broadcasting Commission, and appeared as special guest artist on other national television programmes, one hosted by Des O’Connor. He has toured with the Queensland Theatre Orchestra playing Vivaldi’s “Concerto in D major” and Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez”.

In England Marc made his Wigmore Hall debut in 1982 attended by over 300 people including Ruth Nye, members of the Cliff Richard organisation, the CEO of Yamaha UK (part sponsors of the concert), Jack Duarte (personal friend of Segovia), and some of Jack’s students. Marc has recorded with Peter Skellern live at Pebble Mill and at the Shepherds Bush BBC studios. He made part of the film soundtrack for “Les Misérables” with members of the London Symphony Orchestra at CTS Studios, Wembley. He met John Williams in 1979 while recording his compositions with Francis Monkman and Kevin Peek of John’s group, Sky.

Since 1991 Marc has made his home in London and apart from giving concerts he spends his time practising, teaching, arranging, writing and recording. Marc’s compositions are gradually being released on the Natural Light Records label world wide on all digital outlets such as iTunes, Amazon and Spotify etc. Marc’s guitars include a 2012 Pablo Requena spruce Top classical guitar, a Takamine electro-acoustic classical guitar, a 1978 Gibson ES335 semi-acoustic rock and blues guitar and a rare 1979 George Benson GB20 jazz guitar – there were only 80 to 100 of these ever made. Marc uses D’Addario strings.

Some of the personal highlights of Marc’s career: When Marc was just 17 he did two concerts with the Beach Boys on their 1970 Australian tour. Marc performed a concert with the Kinks in Australia also in 1970. He performed a special piece for Sir John and Lady Mills at Sir John’s request on his 90th birthday. Marc found Sir John to be the most beautiful man and has always been a great fan of his movies, especially the 1940’s war movies. Marc recorded his first solo album at the Sydney Opera House in 1980. Marc had his first piece of music published by the Australian publisher, J Albert & Son, in 1973, an arrangement for solo guitar of Beethoven’s Für Elise. A reference copy remains at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He recorded his debut jazz CD with Steve Waterman, Neil Wilkinson and Laurence Cottle at Abbey Road Studios in 1993. This album was favourably reviewed in the Penquin Guide To Jazz. Natural Light Records released five of Marc’s compositions from this album in May 2013 on all international digital download sites- iTunes, Spotify, Amazon etc. He recorded an album and performed with the legendary Australian jazz guitarist, George Golla. He performed Bach’s “Cello Suite No.1” for the Australian High Commissioner at Australia House, London, in 1979.

Reviews “One of Australia’s finest guitarists” Sydney Morning Herald “Singing fluency and crystal clear detail...” Newcastle Herald “A great evening’s playing...” Guitar Magazine, London “Manifesting a perfection of technique... Ongley’s rendition of Bach’s Cello Suite No.1 was a sublimely moving performance...” Richmond & Twickenham Times