Concert guitarist Richard Durrant is heading south on his latest tour entitled Stringhenge.

Often associated with the Flamenco and the latin guitar sounds of South America, Richard has now turned his virtuoso talent to the ancient folklore of the British Isles. He will be performing at St Nicholas Church, Station Road, Baulking in Faringdon, in the shadow of the White Horse of Uffington.

Richard said: “My fascination with the Uffington White Horse is long held - I have even commissioned a guitar featuring a silver engraving of this beautiful hill carving, which I’m playing throughout this tour.”

The guitarist studied at the Royal College of Music in London and funded his tuition by busking in the London underground, playing Bob Dylan tunes. He is known for performing in bare feet, and his debut recital was at the Purcell Room, Southbank Centre, London in 1986.

Richard was born in Brighton and has been inducted into the town's Walk of Fame, where he has his own interactive paving slab!

The guitar maestro is no stranger to touring the highways and byways of the UK, often performing at various venues and carrying his instruments, light show, amps and equipment on his bike. He once cycled from Sussex to the Isle of Skye on a Cycling Music tour in aid of the Cycling Defence Fund, a charity which defends the rights of cyclists and gives them advice and legal assistance.

Another Cycling Music tour covered 1,500 miles, starting and finishing in Shoreham, in aid of the Big C drop-in centre for cancer patients in Norfolk. Richard, and his friend and manager Sean Semington, even pushed their bikes up Glastonbury Tor. The venture was featured on ITV's Cycle Show.

Richard was invited to perform as special guest with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the Royal Albert Hall, and was equally at home at the Wilderness Festival and rock concerts in Spain, France and Paraguay. He is the composer of the skating penguins' music on BBC1 television.

The guitarist is no stranger to the south west, performing a candlelit Christmas concert at the Swindon Arts Centre and making a guest appearance at the finale of the 21st anniversary of the Swindon Festival of Literature.

This new show is an acoustic journey, exploring music in both folk and classical camps, weaving old country tales and linking the Neolithic to the 21st century, inspired by his time living in a tumbledown, 11th century, Benedictine priory in Sussex, at the feet of the famous Long Man hill carving.

“My very real connection with the hill carvings of Britain began during my time at Wilmington Priory. I awoke each morning to see the giant figure looking out across the Sussex landscape and would walk up and sit alongside him most days. His silent presence was an inspiration which resulted in both the creation of a record label (LongMan Records) and much new music,” said Richard.

Tickets to see Richard at Faringdon are £14 from 01367 820282 or from www.richarddurrant.com - Flicky Harrison