UTRGV Guitar Festival 2016 Showcases Established and New Musical Talent

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, TEXAS  –  The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley will host the 16th annual Brownsville Guitar Festival, March 24 – 26 on the Brownsville Campus, with an additional concert on the Edinburg Campus.

The purpose of this festival is to give guitar ensembles a platform to showcase their accomplishments in an encouraging atmosphere and among other musicians.

The festival will include an ensemble competition to involve young guitar players from the area. Highly regarded guest performers will hold master classes throughout the festival, providing a unique learning experience for participants.

Guest guitarists this year include Stanley Yates, Berta Rojas and Ekachai Jearakul.

The three-day concert event starts at 6:30 p.m. each day at the TSC Arts Center on the Brownsville Campus.

On the Edinburg Campus, Ekachai Jearakul will perform at 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25, in the Performing Arts Complex.

CONCERT SCHEDULE

• Stanley Yates

7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 24

TSC Arts Center, Brownsville Campus

• Berta Rojas

7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25

TSC Arts Center, Brownsville Campus

• Ekachai Jearakul

7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25

Performing Arts Complex, Edinburg Campus

• Ekachai Jearakul

7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 26

TSC Arts Center, Brownsville Campus

Tickets are free for Patron of the Arts members, $15 for adults, $10 for seniors and $5 for students.

Created by Dr. Michael Quantz, UTRGV professor of guitar, in 2001, the festival was designed to benefit guitar students of all levels. Ensembles from more than 40 cities across the United States have participated in the annual competition.

Some of the greats in the classical guitar world have performed and taught master classes at the Guitar Festival, including, David Russell, the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet and Los Romeros.

THE COMPETITION

The festival has a competition component, which will be held in Brownsville and includes university and college levels on Thursday; high school level on Friday; and middle school and elementary levels on Saturday.

“We run the only national competition for acoustic guitar ensembles,” said Quantz.

Ensembles may perform in duos, trios, quartets or large ensembles of five to 25 members.

“The Brownsville Guitar Festival is really special in the RGV arts community because it brings together students and professionals who are passionate about guitar, from young children to renowned professional artists,” said Patron of the Arts Program Coordinator Catherine Compton.  “The acoustic guitar ensemble competition is unique to the national scene, and the artists who perform the guest recitals associated with the festival are some of the most elite guitar performers in the country.”

For more information or for tickets, contact Compton at (956) 882-7025.