About the Festival
The Long Island Guitar Festival is an annual international festival presented by the Department of Music of the School of Visual and Performing Arts at the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University. The Festival represents the continuing commitment of Long Island University to reach out to the artistic community and continue an established tradition of excellence in guitar performance and pedagogy.
| A Special Festival Event In 2002 the Long Island Guitar Festival celebrated its tenth anniversary. As part of the celebration, Guitar x 2 (Festival Director Harris Becker and Pasquale Bianculli) premiered Long Island Suite, a guitar duo written for them by Carlo Domeniconi to mark the anniversary. |
The Long Island Guitar Festival presents master classes, concerts and workshops by the world's most outstanding guitarists and teachers. Workshops have included Computer Music Notation for Guitarists, Composers and Arrangers, High School Guitar Ensemble Workshops, Fingerboard Harmony and Chamber Music Workshops. Special concerts have included the "Legacy of Segovia" with Segovia protegé Michael Lorimer, the U.S. debut of renowned guitarist composer Carlo Domeniconi, C.W. Post alumni concerts and new music concerts including world premieres. The festival has established partnerships with high schools including Greenwich High School and the United Nations International School, as well as local community colleges.
In the past the Long Island Guitar Festival has proudly presented such distinguished guitarists as Carlo Domeniconi (U.S. Debut), Manuel Barrueco, Michael Lorimer, Eduardo Fernández, Howard Alden, David Leisner, Jorge Caballero, Olav Chris Henriksen, Amanda Cook, Dušan Bogdanović, Arthur Kampela, Mark Elf, Eliot Fisk, Ben Moran, Frank Vignola, Chieli Minucci, Jerry Willard, Gene Bertoncini, Howard Morgen, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Jack Wilkins, Pat O'Brien, Dennis Koster, Harris Becker, Ernesto Tamayo, Kevin Dolen, Pasquale Bianculli, Mark Marino, Curtis High School Guitar Ensemble, Dennis Cinelli, Winslow Browning, Cecilia Siqueira, John Zaccari, David Starobin and Benjamin Verdery.
Festival 2003
The eleventh annual Long Island Guitar Festival was held in April 2003 and performers included Amanda Cook, Dušan Bogdanović, Jerry Willard and Mark Marino. Festival 2003 opened with a concert featuring Microtonal Guitar (in conjunction with the American Festival of Microtonal Music) where guitarists Seth Josel, Harris Becker and Alfred Giusto performed music from Manfred Stahnke, Georg Hadju, Klarenz Barlow, Johnny Reinhard and Alfred Giusto.
Other Festival 2003 events included master classes and workshops given by Ms. Cook, Mr. Bogdanović, Mr. Willard, Pasquale Bianculli and John Meschi as well as the American Guitar Museum's Players Choice Awards and a C.W. Post Department of Music Guitar Alumni Concert.
Festival 2004
This year, the twelfth annual Long Island Guitar Festival will be held March 31 to April 4 on the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University located in Brookville, NY, USA. Directions to the campus and a campus map.
To date, scheduled performers include David Leisner, guitar (Concert April 3, Master Class April 4), Ronn McFarlane, lute (Concert April 2, Master Class April 3), Cem Duruöz, guitar (Concert April 1, in conjunction with the Long Island Classical Guitar Society) and jazz guitarist Frank Vignola and "The Frank and Joe Show" with drummer Joe Ascione; Ken Smith, guitar; Chuck Ferruggia and Ferdinand Zuker, percussion and Gary Mazzroppi, bass (Concert, April 2.)
The latest addition to the Festival schedule is "Flamenco Café — A Taste of Spain", a special event in conjunction with the Long Island Classical Guitar Society. The "Café" will feature singer, dancer La Conja, dancer, singer Barbara Martinez and guitarist, composer Pedro Cortes (April 4.)
Other scheduled Festival events include: "Arranging for Guitar" with Michael Belajonas, "An Introduction to Notation Software for Guitarists" and "Recording and Editing Software for Guitarists" with John Meschi, a Luthier lecture by Tom Bazzolo, several Emerging Artist Showcases, and a Long Island Classical Guitar Society meeting.
The Festival will open Wednesday night, March 31 with "New and Old Works for Guitar" featuring the New York Premiere of "Maurits and Stella (A Love Story through Letters and Poems)" by David Gilbert. Performers will include Rosana Marreco, soprano; Trey Cassels, tenor; Raymond Ayers, baritone; Mark Longo, flute; Maureen Hynes, cello; Harris Becker, guitar; Pasquale Bianculli, guitar and David Gilbert, conductor.
More Festival History
• Past Festival Web sites:
2003,
2002,
2001,
2000,
1999,
1998,
1997 and
1996
• Festival Poster/Flyers from:
1995,
1994 and
1993
• Reprint of New York Times Review of Guitar Festival 2001
• Friends of the Festival
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Last update: October 9, 2016