Student Outreach
GCGA representatives provide classroom demonstrations of the fine arts. Students are inspired to continue learning music by interaction with the high quality GCGA educators. Recent engagements include master classes at Houston area high schools. GCGA continues to reach out to new and diverse audiences and make a significant community impact.
Retirement Home Outreach
Concerts are provided at retirement communities to expose the residents to fine arts that may no longer otherwise be available due to their status in life. Creative events inspire interactions between the artists and residents. And even older residents with serious memory loss or cognitive limitations still enjoy music. The outreach has inspired those residents capable of outings to come to GCGA sponsored concerts.
Concerts
Many come to the GCGA concerts to have the opportunity to hear the best performers from all over the world. Renowned artists from throughout the USA and abroad come perform for the Houston community. Many of the artists were born and raised in other countries such as Armenia, Belarus and Cuba and now live in the USA. Others live in Mexico, Costa Rica, South America and Europe. The current concert program includes a fall and spring concerts at different locations in the Houston area and evening concerts during the annual Houston Classical Guitar Festival & Competition.
Houston Classical Guitar Festival & Competition
The premier event sponsored by GCGA is the annual Houston Classical Guitar Festival & Competition (HCGFest). We offer six days of educational programs that inspire both student and adult guitar players. Outstanding concerts performed by the renowned artists are included in the festival program.
Centrally located in the Galleria Area, the Houston Classical Guitar Festival is convenient to all Houstonians as the Galleria Area is one of the major transportation hubs in the city. However, students and competitors have come from throughout Texas and 13 other states. International participants have come from Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil.
Those who attend the Houston Classical Guitar Festival can participate in several ways as their time and interests allow. Students of the classical guitar can attend the full six days to improve their skills through private lessons with famous guest artists, participate in theory and technique classes, participate in master classes and workshops, and participate in a guitar orchestra. The public may audit a variety of lectures and workshops that are offered. Past topics have included music composition, guitar building, practice techniques, performance tips, music history of a particular era or country, and even nail care for the guitarist.
Theory and technique classes are provided to improve guitar technique and sight reading. Participation in a guitar orchestra is always popular and students perform the music they learn during the week in a Saturday night concert. One year a workshop was given on the interaction between voice and guitar in flamenco. The guitar technique classes for the week taught flamenco techniques that are useful to the classical guitarist. Every year brings something different. It is a week of total immersion in classical guitar.
