H I S T O R Y: Houston Classical Guitar Festival
Houston Classical Guitar Festival & Competition was created in 2018 by board members of another festival no longer present in the United States. The new name reflects the inclusiveness of the Houston community and the nature of the activities presented. The festival was initially hosted by Episcopal High School and moved in 2019 to the campus of St. Philip Presbyterian Church located in the Galleria area at San Felipe and Loop 610. Use of the campus includes the Sanctuary for concerts and competition, the Education Building for private lessons, Fellowship Hall for ensemble rehearsal, lectures, workshops, Open Mic Night with dinner and as our general “hang out” space. The campus is within easy walking distance to the adjacent shopping center that contains many options for lunch.
The festival is held the second full week in June and lasts for 6 days, Monday through Saturday. This gives lots of time for a variety of activities, individual attention, and the opportunity to bond and create new friendships with others. Our participants have come from Canada, Mexico and South American and from over 14 states in the USA. Among the offerings are workshops in theory, composition, sight-reading and technique. We have presented lectures on flamenco history and style, performance preparation, practice skills, music therapy, and rare guitars. Guest artists whom we invite to teach and perform are among the most acclaimed classical guitar artists in the world today.
Houston Classical Guitar Festival & Competition is a project of Gulf Coast Guitar Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation dedicated to classical guitar education and performances in the Houston, Texas area. Our programs promote fine arts, provide an opportunity for lifelong learning, and create a sense of community among classical guitar lovers. Our outreach programs augment the guitar programs in Houston area schools and area colleges, and provide concerts to retirement communities, to patients and staff in hospitals, and to veterans and their families. (GCGuitar.org)
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