WBOB Original Reads

URI, Wheeler School To Host International Guitar Festival

3/20/2017

The University of Rhode Island and the Wheeler School will hold a two-day guitar festival in Kingston and Providence on April 1 and 2 to engage local classical guitarists in workshops and master classes and offer public concerts by elite international performers.

The first day of events will be held at Wheeler School, 216 Hope St., Providence, while the second day will be in URI’s Fine Arts Center, 105 Upper College Road, Kingston.

“I really hope this event will unify the New England guitar community, bring together the Rhode Island constituents, and bring to life what already exists,” said Adam Levin, artistic director of the festival and a classical guitar teacher at URI’s Department of Music. “It will give Rhode Island classical guitarists an opportunity to work with some of the most elite classical guitarists from New England and around the world.”

Levin calls the guitar “the most universal instrument” and “the access point” for many music enthusiasts. “This event will be of interest to those who love guitar, to those who have never heard classical guitar before, and the general music lover,” he said.

For classical guitarists seeking to improve their skills, Levin said the festival provides an opportunity to take classes with highly acclaimed guitarists. Among those teaching master classes are Thibaut Garcia, the grand prize winner of the 2015 Guitar Foundation of America competition; Romanian flamenco guitarist Silviu Ciulei, three-time gold medalist in the International Music Performance Competition; Christopher Ladd from the Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford; and Daniel Acsadi, director of the Boston Classical Guitar Society.

Three public concerts are also scheduled – a solo performance by Garcia on April 1 at 4 p.m.; Duo Sonidos, featuring Levin on guitar and violinist William Knuth on April 1 at 7:30 p.m.; and the Maharajah Flamenco Trio on April 2 at 6 p.m.

Levin calls the flamenco trio “one of the pre-eminent, hippest young flamenco trios in the world. They give vibrant performances and will be a huge hit.”

The festival will also feature workshops on guitar ensembles, guitar technique and the fundamentals of flamenco, an open mic session for participating guitarists, and a lunchtime lecture on “survival in the arts.”

“The lecture is going to provide insights to students about what they can do when they leave school,” Levin said. “Some of the premier young artists will define for the confused and doubtful young minds that there is a way to make it in classical guitar using a combination of hustling, networking, social media and basic communication skills.”

Tickets are available for guitarists seeking to participate throughout the two-day event, for guitarists who would prefer to audit the event for one or two days, and for individual concert performances. All tickets are available online or at the door.

To purchase tickets or to learn more about the guitar festival, visit http://web.uri.edu/music/uri-guitar-festival-2017 or contact Levin at adamlevin@uri.edu.