The festival is a six-day education program, June 10 -15, 2024. Guest artists and core faculty will provide presentations, workshops, guitar orchestra, master classes and private lessons to festival students. The festival focus topics change yearly, but always include theory and technique. This year the technique topics include musical phrasing and rasqueado. Affordable housing is offered to out of town participants at the University of Houston.
Competition is offered for five levels of musicians: Artist Division, College Divisions I & II, High School Division, and Middle School Division. All competition rounds are virtual, and all divisions are one round only. First, second, and third place prizes are offered for each division.
World-renowned guest artists are featured during two nights of concerts open to the public in the sanctuary of St. Philip Presbyterian Church, 4807 San Felipe, Houston, Texas 77056. The Friday, June 14, 2024 features classical guitarist Stephen Lochbaum and String Time Duo, comprised of award-winning musicians Angelina Reed (domra) and Marina Alexandra (guitar). The Saturday, June 15, 2024 concert features educator, composer, world-wide performer, and recording artist Benjamin Verdery playing solo and also conducting the Festival Guitar Orchestra as they perform his composition Scenes from Ellis Island.
Core festival faculty are Jay Kacherski (Artistic Director), Jeremy García (Associate Artistic Director), Eddie Healy (Education Director), and Andea Ricci Cannon (Outreach Director). Registration for the festival and competition, the festival schedule, competition rules, and concert information is found on the HCGFest website Houston Classical Guitar Festival (hcgfest.org). The Gulf Coast Guitar Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to classical Guitar in the Houston, Texas area. Full information can be found at Gulf Coast Guitar Association – Gulf Coast Guitar Association (gcguitar.org).
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