CICGF^® 2025 Festival Profiles

[One of] two of the most important annual American classical guitar events
(Classical Guitar Magazine)

Jason Vieaux, biography

Jason Vieaux (USA), guitar - Head CIM Guitar Department

Grammy Award Winner

[Jason Vieaux is] perhaps the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation.... (NPR)

Grammy-winner Jason Vieaux, “among the elite of today's classical guitarists” (Gramophone), is the guitarist that goes beyond the classical. NPR describes Vieaux as, “perhaps the most precise and soulful classical guitarist of his generation.” Among his extensive discography is the 2015 Grammy Award ...

Antonis-Hatzinikolaou, biography

Antonis Hatzinikolaou (Greece), virtuoso guitarist/master guitar maker

Magnificent...simply magnificent! This is playing of the highest standard. (Classical Guitar Magazine)

"A professional musician and concert artist myself, I understand the importance of performing on an instrument that not only feels comfortable but also inspires you to play your best. By paying attention to both sound and aesthetics I strive to create a guitar that will please all my senses before anyone else’s..."

Helen Zhibing Huang, biography

Helen Zhibing Huang (China), soprano

Helen Zhibing Huang is a Chinese-born soprano and was recently described as “impressive” (The New York Times) after her portrayal of Pamina in The Magic Flute for the Glimmerglass Festival. In her 2024-2025 season, she will debut as Juliette in Roméo et Juliette at El Paso Opera, perform the role of Ming in Byron Au Yong’s Stuck Elevator at Hawaii Opera Theatre and Knoxville Opera, curate and perform in the musical experience Girls of Yellow Diamonds at Piedmont Opera and Opera Delaware, and return to Hawaii Opera Theatre with her one-woman show, The Awkward Years...

Jonathan Leathwood, biography

Jonathan Leathwood (England), lecturer/guitarist

Jonathan Leathwood is a genius. (Classical Guitar)

Jonathan Leathwood is Teaching Professor at Denver University's College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences' Lamont School of Music. He is one of the few guitarists to perform on six-string and ten-string guitars, mixing modern and traditional works in his innovative programs. His last London concert led Classical Guitar to call him “a genius,” the Musical Times of London has written of his “remarkable talent and singular artistry”...

Alan Mearns, biography

Alan Mearns (Ireland), guitar

I haven't been as nicely surprised for many, many years! What an achievement! (Sergio Assad)

Alan Mearns began the guitar at age ten. In his late teens, he studied classical guitar performance in the USA at Appalachian State University (where he held the prestigious Fletcher Scholarship) and as a graduate assistant at Austin Peay State University (where he received the Outstanding Graduate Student Award, 2003). He has given concerts, master classes, and lectures at significant venues in the US and UK...

Kimberly Patterson, biography

Kimberly Patterson (USA), cello

[A] superb cellist... (Chicago Sun Times)

Hailed by the Chicago Sun Times as a “superb cellist,” Dr. Kimberly Patterson has earned recognition for her artistry as a solo, chamber, and orchestral musician. A Juilliard graduate, Dr. Patterson was the founding cellist for the Tesla Quartet, winners of the 2012 Fischoff Chamber Music Competition as well as prizewinners of the 2012 London International Quartet Competition and the 2013 Bordeaux International Quartet Competition. She has given chamber recitals in...

James Piorkowski, biography

James Piorkowski (USA), composer/guitarist

[E]xpressive and stupendous.... (The Gleaner, Kingston, Jamaica)

James Piorkowski's recitals have been heard in Spain, France, Germany, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia, Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Jamaica, Canada, and throughout the United States. From 1982-2000, he was a member of the internationally acclaimed Buffalo Guitar Quartet. James Piorkowski is a SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus at the State University of New York at Fredonia, where he served as head of the guitar program for forty-one years...

Petra Polácková, biography

Petra Polácková (Czech Republic), Viennese and Modern guitars

[Her] playing was so technically secure and musically insightful, it was unimaginable that anything she played could possibly be difficult. (Cleveland Classical)

As a result of her extraordinary musicianship, consummate virtuosity, and numerous first place competition prizes, Petra Polácková has been invited to perform and lead master classes at many prestigious European and non-European guitar festivals...

Laura Snowden, biography

Laura Snowden (England), guitar and voice

"[She possesses] multi-dimensional gifts, imagination and fearless artistic sensibility," (Acoustic Guitar Magazin)

Laura Snowden’s eclectic musical output has ranged from playing on Lorne Balfe's soundtrack for Marvel film Black Widow to recording Lisa Streich’s guitar concerto Augenlider with the Deutsches Symphonie Orchester. Laura studied with Julian Bream, during which time she gave two concerts at Wigmore Hall featuring premieres of his recent commissions. This led to international......

Patrick Sutton, biography

Patrick Sutton (USA), guitar

Patrick Sutton's performance was absolutely beautiful. (Opus Colorado)

Dr. Patrick Sutton is an award-winning guitarist, chamber musician and recording artist from Evergreen, Colorado. He was a featured artist at the 2016 Guitar Foundation of America Convention. His eclectic performing and teaching career has taken him to conflict zones, three coasts of Africa, both ends of Vietnam, border towns, major cities, as well as myriad music societies, universities, and concert halls in-between...

Hao Yang, biography

Hao Yang (China), guitar

First Prize Winner of the 2024 Koblenz International Guitar Competition, recipient of the Clifton Foundation’s Emerging Artists Award, and a Winner of the 2021 Astral National Auditions.

Hao Yang has won top prizes in numerous competitions, including fourth prize in the Guitar Federation of America International Concert Artist Competition and first prize in the Youth Competition. She was awarded first prizes in both high school and college divisions at the Columbus State University International Guitar Competition, and...

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CICGF® 2025 Festival Profiles

CICGF^® 2025 Festival Profiles