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 2022 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:
Due to the pandemic the 2021 Festival was virtual. All events were free and presented through the services of Eventbrite.
Artists and performers in 2021 included Harris Becker>, Andrew York, Laura Snowden, James Erickson, Evan Taucher, Paul Cesarczyk, Maureen Hynes, Alan Hirsh, Chinnawat Themkumkwun, Laura Lessard, Michael Roberts, Tri Phan, Ioannis Theodoridis, Huy Thanh Nguyen, Hilary Field, Past LIGF Competition Winners (Ansel Bobrow, Juile Bodian, Eliza Balmuth, Ria Modak and Michael Vascones), BMHS Honors Guitar Ensemble, Metropolitan Guitar Academy Ensemble, Susan E. Wagner HS Guitar Ensemble, Freedom HS Guitar Ensemble, Brentwood HS Guitar Club
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.
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: November 6, 2022
