Viva España! Boston GuitarFest XI

Boston GuitarFest is a music festival with a stellar array of exciting concerts and a series of seminars and master classes taught by an incomparable faculty.

2016 marks the 140th anniversary of the birth of the composer Manuel de Falla, but sadly also the 100th anniversary of the tragic and noble death of the composer Enrique Granados and the 80th anniversary of murder of the great poet Federico Garcia Lorca: all reason enough to choose what would always be a relevant theme for any festival devoted to the guitar: ¡Viva España!

Boston Guitar Fest XI will celebrate the “agony and the ecstasy” of the Spanish experience and the intoxicating mixture of cultures that has given us the irresistible Spanish sound. Oscar Ghiglia, former teaching assistant of the great Andres Segovia and direct heir of Segovia’s legacy, returns as resident guru. Cuban virtuoso, Joaquin Clerch, also back by popular demand, performs some of his groundbreaking transcriptions of the works of Falla and the sonata by Antonio Jose, and Russian phenom Grisha Goryachev brings his blinding flamenco virtuosity to the stage of Jordan Hall. Spanish virtuoso Anabel Montesinos will delight with the authentic sounds of her homeland. Eliot Fisk will play the Boston premiere of Spanish composer Leonardo Balada’s Quintet for guitar and strings (Caprichos) based on the popular songs of Lorca, along with new solo transcriptions of Scarlatti, Albeniz, and Granados.

In addition to the concert program, Boston GuitarFest offers an unparalleled palette of other opportunities: master classes and private lessons taught by guest artists; the Young Guitarists Workshop; the Luthiers Expo; two levels of guitar performance competitions; and a competition for composition, to mention only a few of the wonderful events that go on in festival week.

Concerts

YGW Faculty Concert

• On Tuesday, June 14 at 7:30 pm at Williams Hall.
• Featuring faculty Adam Levin, Will Riley, Devin Ulibarri, and Colin Thurmond.
• Free admission.

Opening Night Concert: Concierto de los dos mundos

• On Wednesday, June 15 at 8 pm at Jordan Hall.
• With GuitarFest 2015 competition winner Jesus Serrano and Spanish guitarist Anabel Montesinos. Includes a special performance of the GuitarFest 2015 winning composition Beyond Lilith by Melody Eötvös.
• Free admission.

Echoes of Spain

• On Thursday, June 16 at 8 pm at Jordan Hall.
• Featuring Adam Levin and Zaira Meneses.
• Buy tickets ($20 general, $10 student).

Fuego Español

• On Friday, June 17 at 8 pm at Jordan Hall.
• Flamenco phenom Grisha Goryachev and Cuban virtuoso Joaquín Clerch in concert.
• Preceded by The Boston Guitar Orchestra, directed by Scott Borg at 7:30 pm.
• Buy tickets ($20 general, $10 student).

Adult Performance Competition

• On Saturday, June 18 from 2 pm to 4pm at Jordan Hall.
• Final Round
• Free and open to the public.

Caprichos de España: Eliot Fisk and Friends

• On Saturday, June 18 at 8 pm at Jordan Hall.
• Eliot Fisk performing works by Federico García Lorca, Leonardo Balada, Fernando Sor, Isaac Albéniz, Ernesto Halffter, Joaquín Rodrigo, and Enrique Granados. Special guest Maestro Oscar Ghiglia joins Fisk for duos by Fernando Sor.
• Preceded by a pre-concert lecture at 7:30 pm.
• Buy tickets ($40 general, $15 student).

Evening in Granada

• On Sunday, June 19 at 5:30 pm at Jordan Hall.
• Featuring Jérôme Mouffe with special guests Grisha Goryachev, and Adam Levin, along with violinist Miguel Perez-Espejo.
• Buy tickets ($10 general).