Sponsored by the Guitar Foundation of America
The Guitar Foundation of America will hold the 2018 GFA International Convention and Competition from June 18-23, 2018 at University of Louisville in Louisville, KY. This annual event brings together approximately 600 classical guitar masters and enthusiasts from all over the world, including some of the most elite performers of classical guitar. The 2018 GFA International Convention and Competition will be hosted by UofL guitar faculty Stephen Mattingly.
The six-day convention includes three concerts per day, a wide array of lectures, hands-on workshops, masterclasses and private lessons, a comprehensive vendor exposition and luthier showcase, Hall of Fame awards ceremony, and two guitar orchestras, open to all attendees. The GFA Convention is also home to three divisions of prestigious classical guitar competitions. The winner of the GFA International Concert Artist Competition is awarded an extensive international tour, along with a cash prize, recording contract, and publishing contract. The International Youth Competition and International Ensemble Competition will also be held during the week.
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The second annual GFA Guitar Summit, a five-day sleep away camp for guitarists ages 11-18, will allow campers the opportunity to participate in activities with guest artists Matt Palmer, The Amadeus Duo, Rovshan Mamekuliev, and David Russell. The campers will also attend concerts, the vendor fair, perform in a closing concert, guitar orchestra, and form lasting connections with other young guitarists.
New to the GFA convention this year is the Spotlight Recital. Non-competitor festival attendees will be given an opportunity to perform in an open concert on a first-come, first-serve basis. This is a great opportunity for guitarists of all ages and skill levels to come together and support one another in the sharing of their craft.
The Guitar Foundation of America (GFA) is the world’s leading classical guitar organization, promoting excellence in performance, literature, research, and education of the classical guitar. The organization publishes a quarterly magazine, Soundboard, along with its peer-reviewed counterpart, Soundboard Scholar, and Prodigies, a children’s magazine. The GFA also organizes Regional Symposia in cities across the country, promotes education and research in the field, and hosts an annual Convention and Competition each summer.
To learn more, please visit: http://www.guitarfoundation.org/