Mr. Welsh started playing guitar at the age of 8 and, in his teens, completed his Grade 8 classical guitar examination through the Royal Schools of Music in the U.K.. Whilst at Hagley Secondary Modern School in England, the then Head of Music and renowned classical and jazz pianist, Mr Duncan Swift, recruited the 14-year old Alan to join his Dixieland jazz band,
Perdido Street Jazzmen. Thus commenced a lasting interest in both classical and jazz music that has continued to develop in terms of levels of technical mastery and live performance over the years.
When Alan Welsh's family migrated to Australia, he commenced guitar studies with Mr Brian Black, the then Head of Guitar Studies at the WA Conservatorium of Music and the University of Western Australia. Mr Welsh has participated in Master Classes by world-renowned classical guitarists John Mills, Vladimir Mikulka, Carlos Bonell, Ichiro Suzuki, Carlo Barone, Tim Caine, Remi Boucher and Pepe Romero. When he completed his A.Mus.A Diploma in Classical Guitar through the A.M.E.B. (Australian Music Examination Board), his examiners remarked in his report on the "flashes of genius" they perceived in the rendition of his pieces. His next step was to enrol in a one-year Jazz course at Edith Cowan University in Perth, Western Australia, from which he graduated with an average of Distinction grades.
Mr Welsh is a professional musician and teacher. For the last 20 years, he has worked and taught a variety of guitar styles in Australia, the U.K. and Asia, performing in venues such as the National University of Singapore (Members Club); the Hyatt Hotel, Singapore (as Resident Guitarist); Pan Pacific Hotel; the Raffles; the Tanglin Club; the Sheraton and Esplanade Hotels, Perth; the Perth Royal Yacht Club; Burswood Casino and Kulcha Cultural Centre. He has taught at Corpus Christi, Mazenod and Helena Colleges in Perth and is now teaching part-time at KGV secondary school in Ho Man Tin, Kowloon.
In collaboration with Mr Richard Howell - Australia's and one of the world's leading traditional luthiers - Mr Welsh has conducted many workshops in both Perth and Melbourne, Australia, on classical guitar history and construction. Mr Welsh has a thorough knowledge of every aspect of guitar construction and pedigree, providing specialist advice to players and collectors of classical guitars.
