"The "Long Island" in the festival title clearly refers to its location and origins, rather than to its scope." – New York Times, March 2014

Welcome to the Long Island Guitar Festival Web site.

Ecletic and International, the 27th Long Island Guitar Festival will take place April 9–14, 2019 on the LIU Post campus of Long Island Universiy. We will proudly present the US debut of guitarist Laura Snowden (United Kingdom), David Leisner (United States) and Eduardo Fernández (Uruguay), jazz guitarist Mark Marino (United States), Jérôme Ducharme (Canada), Robert Trent (United States) and Harris Becker (United States). (Claude Laflamme is unable to attend this year's festival. He will be here in 2020.)

Master Classes with Laura Snowden, Robert Trent, and Eduardo Fernandez & David Leisner are planned.

In addition, Robert Trent will lead a discussion on 19th Century Performance Practices during his Master Class, Mark Marino will offer a workshop on Jazz Improvisation as part of his Saturday concert, and James Erickson will hold a workshop on Theory and Technique for the Contemporary Rock Guitarist.

Laura Snowden – "A poignant, mesmerising show....held the Wigmore Hall rapt" – The Guardian

High School Guitar Ensembles scheduled to return to the Festival for Ensemble Showcases include Bishop McGuinness High School Honors Guitar Ensemble (Kernersville, NC), Susan E. Wagner Advanced Guitar Ensemble (Staten Island, NY), Brentwood High School Guitar Ensemble (Brentwood, NY), Harlem School of the Arts Guitar Ensemble (New York, NY).

Learn how you can make a tax-deductible contribution to the Long Island Guitar Festival or how your company or organization can become a Festival sponsor or advertise in the Festival program book distributed at all Festival events. For more information about making a contribution or sponsoring or advertising, e-mail us or call 516-299-3181.

Here's the anticipated Festival 2019 schedule to date.

Please continue to visit these pages for further information about the 27th annual Long Island Guitar Festival as it becomes available.

Festival Flyer
Competition Flyer
Press Release

National High School Classical Guitar Competition

The Festival will once again present its National High School Classical Guitar Competition, open to high school students of all 50 states. Find out more on the Guitar Competition page.

Master Classes for Guitarists and Performers

In 2019 the Long Island Guitar Festival will continue its tradition of presenting excellence in guitar performance and pedagogy. If you are interested in participating in a Festival Master Class as a performer, please see the Master Classes for Guitarists and Performers page.

LIGF Guitar Orchestra

The LIGF Guitar Orchestra for high school students and others will return to the Festival in 2019, conducted by Alan Hirsh. Visit the Guitar Orchestra page to find out how you can participate.

Ensemble Showcases

Through its history the Long Island Guitar Festival has featured ensembles representing high schools from the tri-state area and other states including Virginia, North Carolina and Florida. Learn more on the Ensemble Showcases page.

Harris Becker
Concert April 9, 8 pm
Robert Trent
Master Class April 10, 7:30 pm
Concert April 11, 8 pm
James Erickson
Workshop April 12, 2 pm
Laura Snowden
Concert April 12, 8 pm
Master Class April 13, 10 am
Mark Marino
Concert/Workshop April 13, 3 pm
David Leisner
Concert April 13. 8 pm
Master Class April 14, 9:30 am
Eduardo Fernández
Concert April 13, 8 pm
Master Class April 14, 9:30 am
Jérôme Ducharme
Concert April 14, 3:30 pm

Since 1993 the Long Island Guitar Festival has proudly presented such distinguished guitarists and performers as:

Howard Alden • Alexandra Yannis Guitar Duo • Artesian Guitar Quartet (Harris Becker, James Erickson, Laura Lessard, Michael Roberts) • Amaryllis Project • Arvo Duo (Joenne Dumitrascu, violin & Ming-Jui Liu, guitar) • Denis Azabagic • Douglas Back • Manuel Barrueco • Rebecca Baulch • Harris Becker • Gene Bertoncini • Pasquale Bianculli • Bishop McGuinness HS Guitar Ensemble • Gunnlaugur Björnsson • Brentwood HS Guitar Ensemble • Winslow Browning • Jorge Caballero • Thibault Cauvin • Cavatina Duo • Centreville HS Wildcat Guitar Ensemble, Paul Cesarczyk, Dennis Cinelli, Amanda Cook, Curtis HS Guitar Ensemble, John Dearman • Kevin Dolen • Carlo Domeniconi • Roland Dyens • Jérôme Ducharme • Cem Duruöz • Eden Stell Guitar Duo • Mark Elf • James Erickson • Eduardo Fernández • Hilary Field • Eliot Fisk • Paul Galbraith • Boris Gaquere • Pia Gazarek-Offermann • Derek Gripper • Guitar Trilogy • Frederic Hand • Freedom HS Guitar Ensemble • Olav Chris Henriksen • Adam Holzman • Rene Izquierdo • William Kanengiser • Koh Kazama • Dennis Koster • David Leisner • Michael Lorimer • Mare Duo • Mark Marino • Ronn McFarlane • Chieli Minucci • Ben Moran • Howard Morgen • Newman & Oltman Duo • Huy Thanh Nguyen • Pat O'Brien • Matt Palmer • Bucky and John Pizzarelli • POBJFK Guitar Nation • Simon Powis • Gyan Riley • Berta Rojas • Hayley Savage • Cecilia Siqueira • Raphaella Smits • David Starobin • Ernesto Tamayo • Scott Tennant • Saigon Guitar Quartet (Nguyen Thanh Huy, Nguyen Tri Doan, Huynh Ba Tho, Tran Hoai Phuong) • Stony Brook Guitar Quartet (Jose Maldonado, Barkely Heuser, Yannis Petridis,James Kerr) • Threefifty Duo • Gohar Vardanyan • Benjamin Verdery • VIDA Guitar Quartet • Ana Vidovic • Jason Vieaux • Frank Vignola • Susan E. Wagner HS Guitar Ensemble • Weaver Academy • Jack Wilkins • Jerry Willard • Williams-Etheridge Duo (John Williams and John Etheridge) • Andrew York • John Zaccari • Fabio Zanon •

New York Times Article about Festival 2014
Fingerstyle Guitar Journal Article about our 25th Anniversary in 2017
View Carlo Domeniconi's 2015 concert
"Long Island Guitar Festival...a very impressive concert lineup"
– Classical Guitar Magazine about Festival 2016

2019 Sponsorship and Advertising Information

Festival 2018 Program Book
2018 Program Book

Long Island Guitar Festival 2019 is being funded in part by grants from The Augustine Foundation, The D'Addario Foundation, Murphy's Music & Violin Shop, Savarez, The John P. McGrath Fund of LIU and the LIU Post Department of Music.

Learn how you can make a tax-deductible contribution to the Festival or how your company or organization can become a Festival sponsor or advertise in the Festival program book distributed at all Festival events. For more information about making a contribution or sponsoring or advertising, e-mail us or call 516-299-3181.

Festival 2018

The 26th annual Long Island Guitar Festival took place April 10 to 15, 2018 on the LIU Post campus of Long Island University in Brookville, NY USA.

Performers included Berta Rojas, Rene Izquierdo, Cavatina Duo (with Rene Izquierdo replacing Denis Azabagic due to a physical injury), The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo, Alexandra Yannis Guitar Duo, Simon Powis, Harris Becker, The Artesian Guitar Quartet (Harris Becker, James Erickson, Michael Roberts, Laura Lessard), and Ria Modak, first prize winner of the 2017 National High School Classical Guitar Competition.

High School Guitar Ensembles appearing at Festival 2018 included Bishop McGuinness High School Honors Guitar Ensemble (Kernersville, NC), Susan E. Wagner Advanced Guitar Ensemble (Staten Island, NY), Brentwood High School Guitar Ensemble (Brentwood, NY), Harlem School of the Arts Guitar Ensemble (New York, NY).

Find out more about Festival 2018.

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Last update: February 17, 2019