Phillip Houghton's 7 Short Solos, 5 Exotic Studies and 6 Short Guitar Solos are a new tandem set of pedagogical publications designed, as the preface states, to provide"...students of varying standard with useful study and performance material. While the pieces in these additionas are solos, rather than "studies", it is my hope that the technical challenges in them will make their study rewarding... above all else, musically rewarding." Unequivocally, Houghton has fulfilled his objectives: these short solos are an excellent addition to the pedagogical repertoire. These editions contain music that is both fun for playing and listening.

Indeed, Houghton has been extremely adroid in utilizing past styles for creating his compositions. Consider his 'Fantasia.' The composer apparently wrote this piece for lute and later decided to transfer it to the modern guitar. (The third is tuned to F# and a capo at the third fret is recommended.) The genre itself is borrowed from the Renaissance / baroque, and, like earlier composers, Houghton freely flows from one idea to another. He explores various motives in each section as the piece progresses, motives generated by the idiosyncratic nature of the guitar, while weaving a contrapuntal connection between them that unifies the entire piece. Gentle 16th-note figures descending in imitation of rain, subtle left-hand phrasing created by various slur combinations, trills, polyphonic nuances used in ornamentation and style brise chordal textures make this piece iridescent. As fantasia composers have before him, Houghton has listened well to the unique and imitate voice of the guitar and then skillfully amplified it for the stage.

- Reviewer: Charles Wolzien, Soundboard magazine, Spring 1997. Review of Houghton's editions.