Program Overview
Sharpen skills, improve and explore new styles of playing with today’s top guitarists. The Guitar Festival and Workshop has opportunities for guitarists at all levels, from beginning to advanced.
The 2009 Guitar Festival and Workshop celebrates the guitar with hands-on workshops, master classes and evening concerts. Participant evening concert tickets are included with paid daily registration fees. Please contact Interlochen's Box Office to purchase additional guest concert tickets.
This year, the workshop features classical ensembles, flamenco ensembles, blues bands and rock bands. Composition workshops and master classes led by Grammy-winning guitarist and composer Andrew York will provide valuable insights for composers and offer a learning experience for those who are new to creating their music. The Guitar Festival and Workshop once again offers unique and popular offerings for “wellness and joy in music,” exploring topics such as performance anxiety and Tai Chi for guitarists. Other courses will cover topics such as online resources for guitarists and recording. A vendor fair will allow guitarists to see the latest products for guitars. Participants will also have many opportunities to perform and jam with other guitarists.
We welcome all levels of ability and non playing aficionados to enjoy this experience. We have a recommended schedule session guide for beginning, intermediate or advanced levels of ability. Non-playing aficionados may audit all sessions, standard registration fees will apply. A limited number of rental guitars are available, click here to request rental information.
Participants in the 2009 Guitar Festival and Workshop will have an opportunity to get a first-hand look at the Chapman Stick®, the revolutionary cousin to the guitar. Adopted in the 70s and 80s by Tony Levin, who performed with Peter Gabriel and King Crimson, the two-handed, electric instrument helped popularize the tapping method of playing. The instrument’s inventor Emmett Chapman and master performer and teacher Greg Howard will be on hand to teach workshop classes and perform for Chapman Stick Workshop participants. Chapman will also teach sessions geared toward traditional six stringed guitarists. Guitar Festival and Workshop participants will have the opportunity to attend some of the Chapman Stick Workshop sessions during the festival. Further details will be discussed during the workshop opening meeting on Thursday, August 20, 2009.
Guitar Festival and Workshop classes will be held throughout the campus of Interlochen Center for the Arts and features Guitar Festival Concert Series' performances in Corson Auditorium. Designed by Alden Dow and dedicated in 1975, Corson Auditorium seats 952 and is a beautiful, comfortable auditorium with excellent acoustics. Corson Auditorium hosts Interlochen Arts Academy, Interlochen Arts Camp and acclaimed guest artist performances every year.
