The Long Island Guitar Festival is an annual international festival with a thirty-year history of showcasing top performers and educators in the guitar world. The festival has established a continuing commitment to reach out to the artistic community and continue an established tradition of excellence in guitar performance and pedagogy. The 2024 Guitar Festival is presented in partnership with the Setauket Presbyterian Church and the Oberon Foundation.
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,19th Century Performance Practices, Fingerboard Harmony, and Chamber Music Workshops. Special concerts have included the "Legacy of Segovia" with Segovia protégé Michael Lorimer, the U.S. debut of renowned guitarist/composer Carlo Domeniconi and U.K. guitarist/composer Laura Snowden, LIU Post alumni concerts, Emerging Artists Concert Series, and new music concerts including over forty world premieres. The festival has established partnerships with high schools, including Susan Wagner High School, Brentwood High School, Bishop McGuiness High School, Freedom High School, Greenwich High School, the United Nations International School, and local colleges and universities. The festival features a National High School Classical Guitar Competition.
In the past the Long Island Guitar Festival has proudly presented such distinguished guitarists and performers as:
The 31st annual Long Island Guitar Festival was held April 26 to 30, 2023 at the Setauket Presbyterian Church in Setauket, NY. It was presented in partnership with the Setauket Presbyterian Church and the Oberon Foundation. Performers included Berta Rojas, Laura Snowden, João Luiz & Friends Quartets, Boyd Meets Girl (Rupert Boyd, guitar & Laura Metcalf, cello), Harris Becker, James Erickson, Laura Lessard, Octavio Deluchi, Gabriele Leite, Eduardo Gutterres, and Penelope Shvarts, winner of the 2022 LIGF High School Classical Guitar Competition.
Other musicians included Maureen Hynes, Veronica Salas, Jeffrey Marcus, Bradley Bosenbeck, Frank Cassara, Tammy Hensrud, The Hofstra University Chamber Choir, David Fryling, Noby Ishida, Clara Reeves, Diva Goodfriend-Koven, and Dale Stuckenbruck.
Master Classes were given by Laura Snowden and João Luiz.
Ensembles shocased in 2023 included the NJMEA HS Honors Guitar Orchestra, New Jersey Guitar Orchestra, and the James Madison HS Guitar Ensemble.
Members of The Hofstra University Chamber Choir included Robyn Adams, Theodore Bazin, Amélie Buron, Elizabeth Byrne, Isa Cardenas, Rose Chesna, Samir Chopra, Calob Congdon, Casey Cormier, Julia Dasey, Gianna Defilippis, Ryan Demino, Marisa Drzewiecki, Mason Egdall, Annalisa Emmett, Anthony France, Jack Goodman, Mackenzie Hanna, James Kelly, Zachary Kiekhaefer, Yelena Koos, Michelle Landerer, Amanda Larsen, Zachary Lavoie, Duhan Lee, Evan Licari, Joseph Maiello, Evan Montemayor, Toni Nargentino, Didi Paunetto, Alison Pensa, Lucas Pepin, Sophie Roy, Christian Scala, Aidan Schroh, Rebekah Strohmyer, Kyla Surajbali, Matthew Trani, Jade Vila and John Paul West.
Featured events at Festival 2023 included the US premieres of pieces for large ensembles – Trois Rêves composed by Laura Snowden and Crépuscule Rustique by Canadian composer Michael Spiroff.
In addition, luthier Brian Itzkin led a discussion/Q&A on Guitar Building in Granada, Spain and Owen Wang, first-place winner of the 2023 National High School Classical Guitar Competition received a guitar donated by Mr. Itzkin who was recently featured in an article in Acoustic Guitar.
Festival 2002 – 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.
Festival 2012 – Featured during the 2012 Festival was the World Premiere of Harrisdale Concerto for Guitar & Saw/Violin and Guitar Orchestra by Dr. Alan Hirsh, celebrating the Festival's twentieth anniversary.
Festival 2012 – 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.
Festival 2019 – Laura Snowden Makes U.S. Debut at Long Island Guitar Festival
Festival 2020 – the 2020 Festival was dedicated to the memory and music of Julian Bream (1933-2020). Julian Bream’s ability to communicate and touch us emotionally with his sound and artistry lives forever and forever makes the world a better place.
Festival 2023 – Featured events at Festival 2023 included the US premieres of pieces for large ensembles – Trois Rêves composed by Laura Snowden and Crépuscule Rustique by Canadian composer Michael Spiroff.
To learn more about the history of the Long Island Guitar Festival, please visit these past Festival Web pages:
Photos by Nina Krebs
Last update: December 10, 2023
