We are delighted to announce that James Westbrook has been awarded the 2025 Nicholas Bessaraboff prize by the American Musical Instrument Society for his book Guitar Making in Nineteenth-Century London. This prize is awarded annually for the most distinguished book-length publication on musical instruments written in English. 

The citation reads:A masterful accomplishment that testifies to a lifetime dedicated to the guitar, this book provides the reader insight into the most productive era of British guitar making. The author’s meticulous attention to organological detail attests to his expertise, illustrated by the book’s 370 color pictures. The book’s directory of London-based guitar makers sets a new standard for encyclopedic compendia of makers. This book is sure to become the standard reference on nineteenth-century London guitar making.

With sad news, one of the most kind and generous people in the guitar world, Brian Whitehouse passed away on 20 January 2025. He had a long teaching career, holding appointments in music departments at many of England’s universities, but specifically, he was Head of Studies at The Birmingham Conservatoire. He was passionate about the history of the guitar and published three popular books: The Ramirez Collection, The Tàrrega-Leckie Manuscripts, and Dr Walter Leckie & Don Francisco Tàrrega. This has been combined with a considerable amount of recording and examining for the diplomas of the RCM. He also gave many talks including ones at the Festival of Great Britain and at the House of Ramirez in Madrid. He was the official importer of Ramirez guitars, through his firm, The Anglo Spanish Guitar Company as well as Director of the Classical Guitar Centre Ltd. He was also Patron of the Consortium for Guitar Research.