Philadelphia Classical Guitar Festival Opens with Kanengiser Performance

by Stephanie Powell

The Philadelphia Classical Guitar Festival kicks off Saturday, April 11, at 7:30p.m. with an opening performance by Grammy-winning classical guitarist William Kanengiser.

Kanengiser is renowned as one of the founding members of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, first prize winner in the 1987 Concert Artists Guild International Competition, a number of albums that feature styles from classical to Caribbean, and as a USC Thornton School of Music faculty member (and recipient of the 2011 Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching).

A full day follows on Sunday, April 12, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., featuring more than 100 student recitals, the final round of the competition, a slew of professional workshops, a vendor fair, a master class offered by Kanengiser, a performance from the 2014 competition winner, and a closing concert featuring Bogotá-born Irene Gomez.

Tickets for the opening night are $30 for general; $20 for seniors, and $15 for members. The concert will be held at the Trinity Center for Urban Life in Philadelphia.