Michelle Nelson
(Bmus.hons. (Melb.) LmusA classical guitar, AdipA electric guitar)

Michelle Nelson is a teacher, performer and composer, equally at home on both classical and electric guitars. She has had extensive live playing experience in a wide variety of performance situations including full-time Rock covers bands, original Rock groups, vocal & guitar duos, classical guitar duos and guitar & flute duos. She is also currently the guitar section leader in the Melbourne Mandolin Orchestra (a chamber orchestra of mandolins of different sizes with a guitar section and a double bass).
Michelle has taught full-time since 1987 and is a fully accredited member of the Victorian Music Teachers Association. She specializes in Classical guitar (especially Classical era to modern) and in Rock and Blues styles (old &

new) on the electric guitar. Her favourite instruments are a beautiful custom-made classical guitar by the master Australian craftsman Dan Kellaway and a trusty 1980s Ibanez RS530, lovingly maintained and still played every day. Michelle’s influences range from Ritchie Blackmore, Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani et al, through to Mauro Giuliani, Matteo Carcassi and Augustin Mangore Barrios.
As well as many fine compositions for classical guitar (solo & ensembles) Michelle has also written a series of grade examination books for the ANZCA modern guitar syllabus. These books cover from preliminary to grade four and feature graded studies written primarily for plectrum guitar. (For more info about these and Australian & New Zealand Cultural Arts click the link)
Compositions for Mandolin Orchestras/ensembles - by Michelle Nelson
The following works are available for mandolin & guitar ensembles. All have been performed in concert to enthusiastic response. These works are scored for: 1st Mandolins, 2nd Mandolins, Mandolas, 1st & 2nd Guitars, Mando-cello (optional violoncello) and Double Bass. Scores & Parts can be purchased by contacting Michelle through this site. Enquiries are welcome.

Amorevolezza Suite for Mandolin & Guitar Orchestra
A concert work of Ouverture and six related movements that are based on the story of Galileo's Daughter, a book by Dava Sobel about the relationship between Galileo Galilei and his daughter Virginia who spent her short life as a cloistered nun. The work has performed in whole and part many times by the Melbourne Mandolin Orchestra and has become very popular with their audiences. Total duration is about 25 minutes.

The movement order is:
Ouvertura
1st Mvt - Weights & Strings
2nd Mvt - This Starry Messenger
3rd Mvt - 1616 (This Fancy of Mine)
4th Mvt - The Assayer
5th Mvt - 1633 - (Eppur si Muove)
6th Mvt - Amorevolezza (But Still She is There)