As its title suggests, Happy Swing is a rather jazzy piece that should be played with energy. Written with uneven eighth notes, it is full of syncopations, off-beats, and other rhythmic quirks. You will also play some percussion and a pizzicato “walking bass.”
In short, have fun!
On January 17 and 18, 2026, Happy Swing, along with La valse rêveuse, was premiered in two concerts bringing together about 70 guitarists from the conservatories of Villeparisis and Tremblay-en-France. I had the pleasure of conducting these ensembles and would like to thank all the guitar teachers (and their very well-prepared students) who made these concerts possible.
These were Bernard Jaouen and Agnès Brancherie, who initiated the project, along with their colleagues Siméon Bayle, Vincent Brecheteau, Alexandre Gérard, and Frédéric Sanchez Del Rio.
Thierry Tisserand
