The Long Island Guitar Festival is an annual international festival presented by the Department of Music of the School of Performing Arts at the LIU Post Campus of 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.
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.
In the past 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, Mark Elf, Eden Stell Guitar Duo, 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), Laura Snowden, Threefifty Duo, Robert Trent, 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
The 27th Long Island Guitar Festival took place April 9–14. We proudly presented the US debut of guitarist Laura Snowden (United Kingdom), and 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).
Festival 2019 also included Master Classes with Laura Snowden, Robert Trent, and Eduardo Fernandez & David Leisner.
In addition, Robert Trent led a discussion on 19th Century Performance Practices during his Master Class, Mark Marino offered a workshop on Jazz Improvisation as part of his Saturday concert, and James Erickson held a workshop on Theory and Technique for the Contemporary Rock Guitarist.
High School Guitar Ensembles that performed in Ensemble Showcases 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).
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.
New York Times. May 6, 2001
Classical Guitar Magazine. June 2005
Classical Guitar Magazine. December 2013
New York Times. March 29, 2014
Classical Guitar Magazine, March 2016
Fingerstyle Guitar Journal, July 2017
Classical Guitar Magazine, April 2019
To learn more about the history of the Long Island Guitar Festival, please visit these past Festival Web pages: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998, 1997 and 1996
Photos by Nina Krebs
Last update: January 26, 2021
