Please join us in welcoming this spring’s roster of internationally renowned artists in a celebration of the classical guitar and art music: solo and ensemble, old and new. This spring's Festival features:
13 Participating Artists and Ensembles
5 Concerts
2 World Premiere Performances
9 Master Classes
3 Lectures
1 Guitar Demonstration
1 Guitar Exhibition
1 Master Class Performers' Breakfast
3 After Concert Dinners
Private lessons and more...
All Festival events are open to guitarists of all ages and levels and to non-guitarists.
There is no Festival registration requirement or registration fee except for those students
performing in CICGF
master classes and private lessons.
Performing Artists 2018:
Jason Vieaux
(USA),
classical guitar - Grammy Award Winner
[Jason Vieaux is] perhaps the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation.... (NPR)
Julien Labro (France), accordion/accordina
What accordionist Julien Labro does is fly, launching a solo that simply bubbles with joy.
(All About Jazz)
Ricardo Gallén (Spain), classical guitar
Flawless interpretation and charisma and exquisite technique and particularly beautiful sound....
(Diario de Cordoba)
Duo Melis (Spain & Greece), classical guitars
Their
Bay Area debut . . . revealed an ensemble notable for sensitive
musicianship, virtuosic panache, and stylish performances. (San
Francisco Classical Voice)
Antonis Hatzinikolaou (Greece), classical guitar - Julian Bream Prize Winner
Magnificent...simply magnificent! This is playing of the highest standard.
(Classical Guitar)
Colin Davin (USA), classical guitar
Mr Davin is the real thing, a player with a virtuoso's technique, a deeply expressive musicianship, and a probing imagination.
(American
Record Guide)
Estelí Gomez (USA), soprano - Grammy Award Winner
Artistry that belies her young years...
(Kansas City Metropolis)
Petra Polácková (Czech Republic), classical guitar - CICGF Artist in Residence
First prize at the 36th International Guitar Competition Gargnano (Italy)
The Cleveland Suzuki Guitar Ensemble (USA), classical guitars
Youth Guitarists
Cleveland Bella Corda Ensemble (USA), classical guitars
Cleveland Childbloom Youth Guitarists
Lecturers 2018:
Nigel North
(England), lute - Gramophone Winner - CICGF Artist in Residence
Perhaps he is the greatest performer on the instrument of all
time ....
(Birmingham
Post)
Joshia de Jonge
(Canada), master classical guitar maker
If the term "Child Prodigy" can be applied to luthiers, Joshia de Jonge certainly qualifies. (Classical Guitar)
Guitars International
(USA), dealer in the world's finest classical guitars
Celebrating over twenty-eight years of musical excellence
Our reasons for presenting this Festival are several: (1) To entertain; (2) to educate; (3) to encourage deeper thought and discussion about how we listen to, perform, and evaluate fine music; (4) to nurture both new and old relationships,
artistic and social; and, most important,
(5)
to help facilitate shared moments of
heightened spiritual awareness.
For it is in live, heightened moments of musical magic in our experience—when art and chance coalesce, time stops, and egos dissolve—that often we become most mindful of our shared humanity.
Many thanks to all our distinguished participating artists and to all our attendees who have traveled here from near and far over the years, thirty states and Canada at last count. Your enthusiasm, support, and diversity have contributed greatly to making this event the artistic jewel that it is widely acknowledged to be.
I look forward to greeting many new and returning participants to this June's Festival.
Armin Kelly, Founder and Artistic Director
Cleveland
International Classical Guitar Festival
®