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

Gohar Vardanyan – "With a musicality and emotional quality in her playing that one would expect from someone much older than the young wunderkind, Vardanyan is the complete package. Not only is she able to draw you into her performances with engaging musical interpretations, but she has the technical facility that is required of any concert level guitarist."
– Guitar International Magazine

New York Times Article
About Festival 2014
"Long Island Guitar Festival...a very impressive concert lineup"
- Classical Guitar Magazine about Festival 2016

25th Annual Long Island Guitar Festival

Long Island Guitar Festival

2018 Competition Flyer
Now Underway

Festival 2016 Program Book

Festival 2017
Program Book

2017 Festival Flyer

2017 Festival
Press Release

Welcome to the Long Island Guitar Festival Web site. In 2017 we celebrated our 25th season!

Performers at our 25th Festival included: David Leisner, Huy Thanh Nguyen, Raphaella Smits, Benjamin Verdery, Ana Vidovic, Gohar Vardanyan, Harris Becker, James Erickson, the Saigon Guitar Quartet (Nguyen Thanh Huy, Nguyen Tri Doan, Huynh Ba Tho, Tran Hoai Phuong), VIDA Guitar Quartet and Emerging Artist Kang Min Shin, first prize winner of the 2016 National High School Classical Guitar Competition. Showcase performers included Arvo Duo (Joenne Dumitrascu, violin and Ming-Jui Liu, guitar.)

High School Guitar Ensembles appearing at this year's Festival included: Bishop McGuinness High School Honors Guitar Ensemble (Kernersville, NC), Susan E. Wagner Guitar Ensemble (Staten Island, NY), Brentwood High School Guitar Club (Brentwood, NY), Harlem School of the Arts Guitar Ensemble (New York, NY), Freedom High School Guitar Ensemble (Orlando, FL) and Rocky Point Guitar Ensemble (Rocky Point, NY)

ANNOUNCING FESTIVAL 2018

Join us for the 26th annual Long Island Guitar Festival to be held April 10 to 15, 2018. Scheduled performers to date include Berta Rojas, Laura Snowden, Cavatina Duo (Eugenia Moliner, flute & Denis Azabagic, guitar), the Alexandra and Yannis Duo, and the Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo. Please continue to visit these pages for more information about our next festival as it becomes available.

Tuesday, April 10
----- TBA
Wednesday, April 11
8:00 pm Concert: TBA and Alexandra and Yannis Duo
Thursday, April 12
8:00 pm Concert: Cavatina Duo
Friday, April 13
2:00 pm Master Class: Denis Azabagic
5:00 pm Competition: Semi-finals, National High School Classical Guitar Competition
8:00 pm Concert: Laura Snowden
Saturday, April 14
9:30 am Master Class: Laura Snowden
12:30 pm Concert: Emerging Artist Showcase. Ria Modak
1:30 pm Competition: Finals, National High School Classical Guitar Competition
3:00 pm Concert: TBA
4:15 pm Rehearsal: LIGF Orchestra
8:00 pm Concert: Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo
Sunday, April 15
9:30 am Master Class: Newman & Oltman Duo
10:30 am Rehearsal: LIGF Orchestra
12:30 pm Ensembles Showcase Concert: Various Groups
2:00 pm Concert: LIGF Orchestra
3:00 pm Concert: Berta Rojas

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

Long Island Guitar Festival Guitar Orchestra
The LIGF Guitar Orchestra for high school students and others returned to the Festival in 2017, conducted by Alan Hirsh. Visit the Guitar Orchestra page to find out more.

Master Classes for Guitarists and Performers
In 2017 the Long Island Guitar Festival continued its tradition of presenting excellence in guitar performance and pedagogy with master classes given by the VIDA Guitar Quartet, Raphaella Smits, Benjamin Verdery and David Leisner.

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.

Long Island Guitar Festival 2017 was funded in part by grants from The Augustine Foundation, The D'Addario Foundation for the Performing Arts, 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 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.

Join the Festival Mailing List.

Festival Address:
Long Island Guitar Festival
Department of Music
LIU Post
720 Northern Blvd.
Brookville, NY 11548

Long Island Guitar Festival
Harris Becker, Director
James Erickson, Assistant Director
John Meschi, Advisor & Website Manager


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Last update: December 3, 2017

Festival Notes