Classical Guitar News & Updates

Colin Davin and Jason Vieaux, CIM Guitar Department Co-Chairs

June 3, 2019

19th Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival: June 6-9, 2019, at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Join us in welcoming this spring’s roster of internationally renowned artists in a concentrated series of recitals, premieres, master classes, private lessons, lectures, and exhibits celebrating the classical guitar and art music: solo and ensemble, old and new. Festival events are open to guitarists of all ages and levels and to non-guitarists. Many events are free.

This spring's Festival features: 12 Participating Artists and Ensembles, 5 Concerts, 3 Premiere Performances, 9 Master Classes, 2 Youth Ensemble Performances, 3 Lectures, 1 Guitar Demonstration Concert, 1 Guitar Exhibit, 1 Master Class Performers' Reception and Breakfast, 4 After Concert Dinners, Private Lessons, and more....

March 21, 2019

Just Arrived: A new custom Gregory R. Miller concert guitar: This magnificent guitar has impressive reserves of power. It is also quick to project the quietest, most delicate pianissimos. Its smooth, creamy trebles and deep basses are round, clear, and obligingly responsive to a wide range of color and attack. Its fundamental tones are rock solid in all registers while being beautifully complemented by rich, well controlled overtones. As a result, this guitar's perfectly balanced sound sparkles up and down and across the fingerboard. Voice separation is excellent as is harmonic blending...

Februaay 20, 2019

Just Arrived: A rare, lovely sounding and looking 2008 Simon Ambridge Series 40 classical guitar. The warm, clear, seasoned sound and easy playability of this guitar are in every way superb.A connoisseur's guitar maker, Simon Ambridge crafts among the finest projecting, traditionally braced, musically refined classical guitars in the world today...

December 24, 2018

Just Arrived: A beautiful new 2018 spruce/Madagascar Daniele Chiesa concert guitar. While the sound of Chiesa's instruments is warm, sweet, round and clear (the Italian influence perhaps), Chiesa's powerful concert guitars also embody the alluring sonic richness so characteristic of the finest Granada makers. The result: the Italian and Granada influences, and a great deal of individual talent here make for an exceptionally rewarding musical experience for player and listener alike. Chiesa's illustrious clients include Vladimir Gorbach (2011 GFA International Competition Winner), Sanja Plohl, Oscar Ghiglia, Dmitry Murin, Ivan Murin, Kuzma Filimonov, Tom Van de Venne, Herman Schamp, Ljubica Bukvic, André Gross, and Floria Nica...

October 15, 2018

Just Arrived: A new 2018 cedar top Estudio Model classical guitar by German Vazquez Rubio. These musical gems are an exciting alternative to all laminated and solid body factory and production shop, so called handmade, classical guitars from the U.S.A. and abroad. Indeed, these beautiful truly handcrafted solid wood guitars by one of the world's finest, most experienced luthiers regularly outperform entry level concert instruments costing substantially more...

September 16, 2018

Expected in 2019: A new Jeffrey R. Elliott (USA) classical guitar. This rare offer allows the buyer to select the guitar's soundboard material, back and sides' materials, rosette design, purflings and bindings, string length, nut width, machine heads, and case. The price of this new guitar will depend upon its configuration. Telephone Guitars International for information: 216-752-7502...

August 14, 2018

Robert Ruck (1945-2018): The world has lost a great guitar maker. Our condolences to Robert's family, friends, and countless admirers around the world. He allowed and encouraged our hearts to sing. Read an in depth interview with this great guitar maker...

July 6, 2018

Just Arrived: Visesnut Premier Series Cases with four locking latches. An ultra light hardshell flight case with an adjustable interior, the Visesnut flight case is small (fits in most standard overhead airline storage bins), light (weighs only seven pounds, far less than most other classical guitar cases), and is exceptionally strong. Available in either Royal Blue or Black exterior colors...

June 12, 2018

Just Arrived: Visesnut Soft Case Covers. Visesnut's elegant, custom fitted case cover provides additional thermal insulation and shock resistance to Visesnut's ultralight flight case. The Visesnut case cover is made of water repellent rip stop black nylon with YKK zippers with leather pulls with accommodation for TSA approved locks (not included). It has enclosed rain flaps to repel water away from the case and four access flaps over the case “D” rings which allow the case's back pack straps to be used when the case cover is installed on the case...

April 5, 2018

Just Arrived: A wonderful vintage Manuel Velazquez classical guitar from 1960. This is a GREAT sounding and playing concert guitar with a wide, flexible palette of color and attack - no ifs, ands, or buts about it! The first string is powerful, very pure and even all the way up into the highest registers - as are the second and third strings. The bass strings match the trebles in power, clarity, and character, and can provide a disarmingly deep, alluring growl when called for. The action, set up, and neck are perfect. An extremely positive comparison here to a fine Hauser I guitar is not out of place...

March 18, 2018

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Our new 2018 color catalog features gallery quality guitar photos, fun thought provoking articles by artists from around the world, information about the 18th annual Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival, and more. Our electronic newsletters allow you to be among the first to discover special offers, newly arrived inventory, concerts, and events...

March 1, 2018

Just Arrived: A new 2018 short scale 635mm spruce top Estudio Model classical guitar by German Vazquez Rubio. This musical gem is an exciting alternative to all laminated and solid body factory and production shop, so called handmade, guitars from the U.S.A. and abroad. Indeed, these beautiful truly handcrafted solid wood guitars by one of the world's finest, most experienced luthiers regularly outperform entry level concert instruments costing substantially more...

January 24, 2018

Just Arrived: A new 2018 German Vazquez Rubio Custom Elite Hauser Model. This is Vazquez Rubio's premium top of the line concert guitar: Its unparalleled projection, elegant sound, sensitivity to subtle changes in color and attack, and rare old materials are unmatched by any other model. This elegant guitar has a lush, deep, traditional sound and is powerful, warm, smooth and even from note to note up and down and across the strings. It has also a particularly comfortable action and neck contour, a quick response, refined understated visual aesthetics, and superb craftsmanship...

January 9, 2018

Just Arrived: A new 2018 spruce top Estudio Model by German Vazquez Rubio. This musical gem is an exciting alternative to all laminated and solid body factory and production shop, so called handmade, guitars from the U.S.A. and abroad. Indeed, these beautiful truly handcrafted solid wood guitars by one of the world's finest, most experienced luthiers regularly outperform entry level concert instruments costing substantially more...

December 12, 2017

Just Arrived: A beautiful new 2017 concert guitar by Gregory R. Miller (USA). Miller handcrafts particularly lovely looking and sounding traditional fan braced concert guitars. Mentored by world renowned guitar maker Jeffrey R. Elliott, Miller’s guitars have a wide dynamic range and reserves of power. They are also quick to respond to the most delicate pianissimos...

December 1, 2017

Just Arrived: A 2007 German Vazquez Rubio Hauser Model classical guitar. Inspired by Andres Segovia's revered 1937 Hauser I guitar now residing in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the sound of these instruments is warm and focused, possessed of a flexibility and sheen, complexity and elegance, breadth of color and character, power and depth that is uncommonly musical: an outstanding traditional concert guitar performed and recorded upon by numerous professionals...

Mixon Hall, Cleveland Institute of Music

November 11, 2017

18TH ANNUAL CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL CLASSICAL GUITAR FESTIVAL: Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 10, 2018 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. For information and concert tickets click here or all 216-752-7502.

Featured artists include: Jason Vieaux (USA), guitar - Grammy Award Winner; Julien Labro (France), bandoneon; Ricardo Gallén (Spain), guitar; Duo Melis (Spain and Greece), guitars; Antonis Hatzinikolaou (Greece), guitar - Julian Bream Award Winner; Colin Davin (USA), guitar; Esteli Gomez (USA), soprano - Grammy Award Winner; Nigel North (England), lute - Gramophone Award Winner; Petra Polácková (Czech Republic), guitar; Joshia de Jonge (Canada), Master Guitar Maker; the Cleveland Suzuki Youth Ensemble (USA), guitars; and the Cleveland Childbloom Youth Ensemble (USA), guitars. learn more...

July 29, 2017

Just Arrived: A magnificent new 2017 concert guitar by Alfredo Velazquez. By meticulously preserving traditional Velazquez tonal aesthetics and selectively drawing upon modern construction approaches, Alfredo Velazquez imbues his concert guitars with both the elegant tonal characteristics for which his father's guitars are revered and the extended dynamic range sought by many contemporary performing artists...

June 12, 2017

Just Arrived: A magnificent new 2017 concert guitar by Joshia de Jonge. This classical guitar has it all: a rich, very clear, very even, very responsive, musical voice; unusually fine projection; easy playability; and exquisite, understated visual beauty. The classical guitars of Joshia de Jonge are exceptional concert instruments. They combine the refinement of northern European traditional tonal beauty with the quick response and laser-like projection of the most successful, innovative contemporary concert guitars...

June 15, 2017

Review: "The 17th annual Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival got off to an auspicious start at the Cleveland Institute of Music on Friday evening, June 9 with a beautifully structured recital by..."

June 1, 2017

Just Arrived: A mint condition Simon Ambridge Torres Homage classical guitar. A connoisseur's guitar maker, Simon Ambridge crafts among the most sublime, musically refined, finest projecting, traditionally braced, classical guitars in the world today. The exquisite aged tonal qualities and gem-like visual beauty of the instrument offered here constitute this great contemporary maker's homage to one of his most revered artistic inspirations...

May 19, 2017

Just Arrived: A new Simon Ambridge (England) Hauser I Copy. About his Hauser I copies Simon Ambridge writes: "In 2008 I had the opportunity to measure and absorb a fine 1940 Hauser I guitar, a copy of which I am now offering in my range of instruments. For me the original represents a kind of perfection of the luthier's craft in terms of its restrained aesthetic and refinement of tone. In November 2009 Julian Bream purchased a Hauser I copy from me, a guitar which he is delighted with not only for its overall appearance but in terms of its weight, feel and sound qualities...."

April 22, 2016

Just Arrived: Walter Verreydt Garcia Replica. This lovely copy of an instrument by the early twentieth century Spanish master Enrique Garcia possesses an elegant, warm, alluring, traditional concert sound. Its trebles are round, solid, quick to speak, and pure; its matching basses are rich and clear, and posses a pleasing growl when pushed. Walter Verreydt’s guitars are performed upon by Fernando Espi, Johan Fostier, Karim Baggili, Jan Depreter, and others...

February 23, 2016

Just Arrived: A new 2016 Premium Elite Model by German Vazquez Rubio. This is this illustrious maker's top concert guitar. It has a lush deep traditional sound and is powerful, warm, smooth and even from note to note up and down and across the strings. It has also a particularly comfortable action and neck contour, a quick response, refined understated visual aesthetics, and superb craftsmanship. In sum, this is a magnificent, very musical modern concert guitar which does not sacrifice quality of sound for extended dynamic range...

February 14, 2016

Just Arrived: An exquisite new bench copy of a very rare 1893 Vincente Arias guitar by French master Jérôme Casanova. Feather light in construction, its soulful, old world sound is both breathtakingly beautiful and perfectly in balance with itself. Its profound basses are particularly deep, its pure trebles: lyrical, concentrated, and clear. This unique guitar is quick to respond to a wide range of subtle and broad shifts in color and attack. It is also extremely easy to play. Guitars International is honored to be Jérôme Casanova's exclusive North American dealer...

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Classical Guitar News & Updates