"Becker and Bianculli have techniques that are beyond reproach. They eschew bright colors and a brash performance style, and they seem most comfortable with being mellow and quietly insinuating." - Fanfare
The Long Island Guitar Festival is an annual international
festival presented by the Department of
Music of the School of Visual and
Performing Arts at LIU Post at Long Island University. The Festival represents the continuing
commitment of Long Island University to reach out to the artistic community and
continue an established tradition of excellence in guitar performance and
pedagogy.
Festival 2013
The 21st annual Long Island Guitar Festival was held March 17 to 24, 2013 at LIU Post in Brookville, NY.
An Evening Music Dream, an evening of music for solo and ensemble guitar, included works by Bach, Giuliani, Marais, and Domeniconi and featured the World Premiere of "Mourning Mist" by Joseph Russo for Guitar and String Quartet.
Artists who presented master classes, workshops and discussions include Gyan Riley, Mark Eden and Christopher Stell, William Kanengiser, Matt Palmer, James Erickson and Dennis Koster.
The Long Island Guitar Festival presents master classes, concerts and
workshops by the world's most outstanding guitarists and teachers. Workshops
have included Computer Music Notation for Guitarists, Composers and Arrangers,
High School Guitar Ensemble Workshops, Fingerboard Harmony and Chamber Music
Workshops. Special concerts have included the "Legacy of Segovia" with
Segovia protegé Michael Lorimer, the U.S. debut of renowned guitarist
composer Carlo Domeniconi, LIU Post alumni concerts and new music concerts
including world premieres. The festival has established partnerships with high
schools including Greenwich High School and the United Nations International
School, as well as local community colleges.
Special Festival Events
In 2002 the Long Island Guitar Festival celebrated its tenth anniversary. As
part of the celebration, Guitar x 2 (Festival Director Harris Becker and
Pasquale Bianculli) premiered Long Island Suite, a guitar duo written
for them by Carlo Domeniconi to mark the anniversary.
Featured during Festival 2012 was the World Premiere of Harrisdale Concerto for Guitar & Saw/Violin and Guitar Orchestra by Dr. Alan Hirsh, celebrating the Festival's twentieth anniversary. At YouTube: First Movement, Second
Movement.
Festival 2012 was dedicated to the memory and music of Howard Morgen. A special tribute to him, "Remembering Howard
Morgen" was held on the last day of the Festival Sunday, April 22.
In the past the Long Island Guitar Festival has proudly presented such distinguished guitarists as (in alphabetical order): Howard Alden, Denis Azabagic, Manuel Barrueco, Rebecca Baulch, Harris Becker, Gene Bertoncini, Pasquale Bianculli, Bishop McGuinness High School Guitar Ensemble, Gunnlaugur Björnsson, Brentwood High School Guitar Ensemble, Winslow Browning, Jorge Caballero, Paul Cesarczyk, Amanda Cook, Dennis Cinelli, Kevin Dolen, Carlo Domeniconi, Curtis High School Guitar Ensemble, John Dearman, Roland Dyens, Jérôme Ducharme, Cem Duruöz, Mark Elf, Eden Stell Guitar Duo, Eduardo Fernández, Eliot Fisk, Paul Galbraith, Boris Gaquere, Pia Gazarek-Offermann, Guitar Trilogy, Frederic Hand, Freedom High School Guitar Ensemble, Olav Chris Henriksen, Adam Holzman, William Kanengiser, Dennis Koster, David Leisner, Michael Lorimer, Mark Marino, Ronn McFarlane, Chieli Minucci, Ben Moran, Howard Morgen, Newman & Oltman Duo, Pat O'Brien, Matt Palmer, Bucky and John Pizzarelli, Simon Powis, Gyan Riley, Hayley Savage, Cecilia Siqueira, Raphaella Smits, David Starobin, Ernesto Tamayo, Scott Tennant, Stony Brook Guitar Quartet (Jose Maldonado, Barkely Heuser, Yannis Petridis, James Kerr), Threefifty Duo, Benjamin Verdery, Ana Vidovic, Frank Vignola, Weaver Academy, Jack Wilkins, Jerry Willard, Williams-Etheridge Duo (John Williams and John Etheridge), Andrew York, John Zaccari, Fabio Zanon
To learn more about the history of the Long Island Guitar Festival, please
visit these Web pages:
The 22nd annual Long Island Guitar Festival was held April 2 to 6, 2014 at Long Island University's LIU Post Campus in Brookville, NY USA. Artists appearing at this year's Eclectic & International festival included the VIDA Guitar Quartet from England, guitarist, lutenist and composer Frederic Hand, Polish-born American guitarist Paul Cesarczyk, South African guitarist Derek Gripper and French guitar innovator Thibault Cauvin.
The 23rd annual Long Island Guitar Festival will be held April 22 to 26, 2015.
To date, artists scheduled to appear include: Carlo Domeniconi (4/25, 8:30 pm), Jason Vieaux (4/26, 3pm), The Amaryllis Project (Liu Fang & Harris Becker) performing a program of world premieres for Pipa & Guitar (4/24, 8 pm), Mare Duo (4/23, 8 pm) and Douglas Back (4/25, 3 pm).
New in 2015 will be the Long Island Guitar Festival Orchestra (for high school students and others) conducted by Alan Hirsh.
More Festival information will be posted as it becomes available.
