Applications open for 10th City of Derry Guitar Festival

This year’s Festival will be hosted for the first time in the state-of-the-art facilities of the North West Regional College’s Music Department, DLondonderry, thanks to a new partnership.

The Festival offers guitar lovers three days of intense guitar therapy in a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Alongside the traditional Classical Guitar and Acoustic Guitar Courses, this year’s Festival will be offering the AC/DC Riffs Library Electric Guitar Course and the brand new Songwriting and Absolute Beginners courses. The first day of the Absolute Beginners course is free and promises to be a great experience for those wanting to give the guitar a go. Participants of all courses will get the opportunity to enrich their skills through master classes, workshops, performances and talks.

Audiences will also be treated to a series of unique concerts featuring internationally acclaimed artists, such as Gary Ryan, Carlos Bonell, Tonos Duo, Sean Woods and Sarah Murphy.

Applications from guitarists of all standards are welcome. Find a downloadable application form on the website www.cityofderryguitarfestival.com, , call 028 71311288 or email [email protected] to request one (course fees range from £120 non-residential to £255 residential for a full week end of classes - Absolute Beginners: first day is free - then £80). Concert tickets cost £12, £8 concession and £5 for students for the evening performances and £9 / £6 / £4 for the lunchtime recitals. For bookings please call 028 71311288 or send an email. The City of Derry Guitar Festival is funded by The Arts Council NI, the North West Regional College and the D’Addario Foundation.

The concerts are as follows: Friday, August 24, 7.30pm/8pm: Guitar Gala, a selection of short performances by all the artists involved in the Festival, to include Carlos Bonell, Gary Ryan, Sean Woods and Sarah Murphy; Saturday, August 25, 1pm: Tonos Duo, Baroque guitar and soprano; Saturday, August 25, 7.30pm/8pm: Gary Ryan, solo performance, and Sunday, August 26, 7pm: Student Gala, Performances by all the students involved in the guitar courses - The City of Derry Guitar Festival Ensemble will premiere a new piece by Gary Ryan.