A new “sister festival” in Australia
The Adelaide Festival Centre, one of the leading performing arts centers in Australia, has strung together a spectacular new event, the inaugural Adelaide International Guitar Festival. The new ten day festival, November 23 – December 2, 2007, is inspired and assisted by the New York Guitar Festival. Over 100 musicians from around the world will converge on Adelaide to honour and celebrate the guitar in over 40 guitar centric events, spanning all music genres (blues, jazz, classical, experimental, blues & roots, world, and more...) The Festival will take place in various venues at the Adelaide Festival Centre and in Elder Park.
With the State Government of South Australia committed to funding the event for a minimum of four years, it is expected that the Adelaide International Guitar Festival will soon become an important and permanent fixture in Australia’s music events calendar.
“The Adelaide International Guitar Festival is shaping up to be a massive event featuring a number of Australian and world exclusives and a host of one-off performances that will never be repeated. It’s going to be an absolute must for all guitar devotees and anyone who loves great live music,” says Christine Schloithe Executive Producer Adelaide International Guitar Festival.
“Encompassing major outdoor concerts, small intimate performances in theatres, masterclasses, forums, films and exhibitions the Adelaide International Guitar Festival promises to become a major event in Australia’s arts calendar,” says The Hon John Hill, Minister Assisting in the Arts.
“As part of the plan to make the Adelaide Festival Centre the nation’s most innovative arts hub we are delighted to present the first Adelaide International Guitar Festival ”, says Douglas Gautier, CEO & Artistic Director, Adelaide Festival Centre.
“Our players come from across the US, Europe, South America, India, West Africa and Australia. Of course, telling the guitar’s fascinating story in ten days is a little like visiting Australia and only seeing Uluru and Bondi Beach. But this is a good place to begin”, says David Spelman, Artistic Advisor & International Program Consultant, Adelaide International Guitar Festival.
Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia. Named in honour of Queen Adelaide, the consort of King William IV, the city was founded in 1836 as the planned capital for the only freely-settled British province in Australia. Early Adelaide was shaped by religious freedom and a commitment to political progressivism and civil liberties, which led to world-first reforms. Today Adelaide is known for its many festivals as well as for its proximity to world-class wine regions such as the Barossa Valley, McLaren Vale, Clare Valley and the Adelaide Hills.
www.adelaideguitarfestival.com.au
www.myspace.com/guitarfestival
The 2007 Adelaide International Guitar Festival includes:
Festival Theatre Concerts:
• Echoes of Spain featuring Eliot Fisk (USA), Juan Martín (Spain/UK), Paul O’Dette (USA) and Saffire (Aust).
• The Global Guitar featuring Banning Eyre (USA) & Abdoulaye Diabaté (Africa), Guy Strazz & Rodrigo Galvão (Aust), Sérgio & Odair Assad (Brazil) Simon Shaheen (Palestine) and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (India).
• Bach, Brazil and Beyond featuring Brazilian Guitar Quartet (Brazil), Paul Galbraith (Brazil).
• Six Strings: International Jazz Masters featuring Martin Taylor (UK), Ralph Towner (USA) and Wolfgang Muthspiel (Austria).
• Deeper Well: Australian/ American Roots Music featuring Corey Harris (USA), Jorma Kaukonen (USA), Kerrianne Cox (Aust), Luther Dickinson (USA) and Ross Hannaford Trio (Aust).
• Rhapsodie Espagnole featuring Sérgio & Odair Assad (Brazil) with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
Taking Flight featuring students from Central Student Ensemble, Fremont/Elizabeth High Schools, Heathfield High School and Norwood Morialta High School.
Outdoor Concerts:
• Rips & Riffs: A Celebration of Australian Surf Music featuring Beau Young (Aust), Dan Rumour Band (Aust), Matt Walker & Ashley Davies (Aust), Richard Clapton (Aust), Stephen, Alan & Peter Pigram (Aust), The Atlantics (Aust) and house band musical director: Kerryn Tolhurst (Aust).
• On the Verge: the 21st Century Guitar featuring David Lindley (USA), Ed Kuepper (Aust), Kaki King (USA), Rob McDade (Aust) and Vernon Reid (USA).
• Slideshow: Masters of Slide Guitar featuring Bob Brozman (USA), Charlie Owen (Aust), Cindy Cashdollar (USA), Kerryn Tolhurst (Aust), Lucky Oceans (Aust/USA), Roy Rogers (USA) and Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (India).
• Culture of Kings: A Blues Story featuring Alvin Youngblood Hart (USA), Fiona Boyes (Aust/USA) with Chris Wilson (Aust), Jeff Lang (Aust), John Hammond (USA) and Mamadou Diabate (Africa).
• Kiss the Sky: A Tribute to the Music of Jimi Hendrix featuring Alvin Youngblood Hart (USA), Anne McCue (Aust), Benjamin Verdery (USA), Cindy Cashdollar (USA) & Jorma Kaukonen (USA), FourPlay Electric String Quartet (Aust), Jeff Lang (Aust), Jim Moginie & Adalita Srsen (Aust), John Hammond (USA), Kaki King (USA), Kerryn Tolhurst (Aust), Luther Dickinson (USA), Matt Walker & Ashley Davies (Aust) and Vernon Reid (USA).
• Namaste is a free 9am Yoga session and traditional morning raga with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt (India).
Travelling Light: a series of intimate performances in the Space Theatre:
• Karin Schaupp (Aust)
• Paul O’Dette (USA) & Simon Shaheen (Palestine)
• Slava Grigoryan (Aust)
• Benjamin Verdery (USA)
• Ross Hannaford Trio (Aust)
• Australian Jazz with Jim Kelly& Matt Smith Guitar Duo (Aust), Toby Wren Trio (Aust), Mag: Stephen Magnusson, Frank DiSario & Dave Beck (Aust).
Wah-Bar: Late nights:
See your favourite artists in solo or semi-acoustic mode or to see world-class musicians just jamming, presenting new work or playing in genres you may not expect.
Tune Up: Workshops and Masterclasses:
• Masterclasses with Eliot Fisk (USA), Juan Martín (Spain/UK), Wolfgang Muthspiel (Austria), Benjamin Verdery (USA) and Cindy Cashdollar (USA).
• Workshops with Jorma Kaukonen (USA), Abdoulaye Diabate (Africa) & Banning Eyre (USA), Aloysius Leeson (Aust), Martin Taylor (UK), Jim Kelly & Matt Smith (Aust) and Fiona Boyes (Aust/USA).
Plus free and low cost activities including visual arts exhibitions, films, artist talks and forums.
What: Adelaide International Guitar Festival
When: November 23 – December 2, 2007
Tickets on sale now
Where: Adelaide Festival Centre & Elder Park
Book: BASS 131 246 or adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au
Media contact:
Jane Intini Publicist - T.M.B.S.
jane@belltone.com.au
www.adelaideguitarfestival.com.au
www.myspace.com/guitarfestival
Some AIGF news links:
http://www.pollstar.com/news/viewnews.pl?NewsID=7992
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,21806564-16601,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/the-festival-with-strings-attached/2007/06/04/1180809417813.html
