Adelaide International Guitar Festival Begins Tomorrow

Tune in to this! The Adelaide International Guitar Festival kicks off tomorrow as more than 300 artists from classical to electric tune up, plug in, get down and rock out for one long weekend of glorious guitar.

Get set for four days and nights of amazing guitar entertainment as the Adelaide International Guitar Festival opens tomorrow at the Adelaide Festival Centre, July 17-20.

Tomorrow night's opening performances will be a spicy Spanish affair as internationally renowned composer and performer José Antonio Rodríguez takes to the Festival Theatre stage. In his first Australian appearance, Rodríguez and his trio will get the blood pumping in an evening of vibrant gypsy music and dancing to stir the soul. It's flamenco at its best, including a passionate performance by outstanding local company Flamenco Areti.

The Dunstan Playhouse will see an extraordinary festival premiere when Argentina's Máximo Pujol Trio and France's Judicaël Perroy come together in a double bill to thrill on Thursday night. Award-winning guitarist Perroy will delight with his classical intensity, then things heat up with Pujol and his tango trio direct from Buenos Aires.

A true living legend of classical music, Pepe Romero will enthrall audiences on Friday night as he returns to Adelaide for the first time as a soloist to play the world's most beloved guitar concerto Joaquin Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez. He's played for royalty and has become guitar royalty himself, celebrating his 70th birthday this year and still commanding audiences around the globe. Young Brazilian star Yamandú Costa completes this impressive double bill. A hit of the 2010 Adelaide International Guitar Festival, Costa makes a triumphant return this year with his emotive and moving orchestral suite Fantasia Popular.

Adelaide's own Andrey Lebedev, winner of the 2012 Adelaide International Classical Guitar Competition, returns to take to the stage in his own right. Direct from London's Royal Academy of Music, Lebedev will demonstrate why he's one of the shining lights of classical guitar today. The Sydney Guitar Trio joins forces with actor and musician Rory O'Donoghue on this double bill, promising a colourful program of storytelling and music inspired by tales from Alice in Wonderland, to Spike Milligan and Dante's Inferno. Dunstan Playhouse, July 18.

For a taste of India, graceful slide guitarist Debashish Bhattacharya will illustrate why he has won accolades from the global music community and music lovers alike. Bhattacharya designs his own instruments and his playing technique is matched only by the emotion with which he plays this unique and spellbinding instrument. Be moved at the Dunstan Playhouse, July 18.

Heading up his third festival, Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan said he was proud to be able to showcase not only international acts, but to turn the spotlight on young, emerging talent from around the world and our own backyard.

"I am so excited about the incredible lineup of talent at this year's Adelaide International Guitar Festival. For the next four days and nights, the Adelaide Festival Centre will be bursting with the sounds of amazing guitar music from all corners of the globe. This year's program really does cover all genres of guitar from jazz to blues, to electric guitar and Indian slide guitar and of course the best in classical."

"We'll also be looking for the guitar stars of tomorrow through our 15 Minutes of Fame competition and our inaugural Adelaide Guitar Festival Orchestra featuring school kids from across South Australia. There are so many elements to this year's festival to engage the general public, from Meet the Maker to our GuitarArt Competition, talks, workshops and more. I know Adelaide audiences will want to escape the winter blues and immerse themselves in guitar land at the Adelaide Festival Centre from tomorrow until Sunday."

The Coopers Late Night Sessions in the Space Theatre each night of the festival bring together an eclectic mix of musicians from around Australia who will keep the AFC hopping late into the night, including jazz, blues and rock.

When the UK's Guthrie Govan takes to the Dunstan Playhouse stage, it will be for a fast and furious lesson in jazz and prog -rock fusion - be prepared to be amazed by his astonishing technique, blended with profound musicality. Saturday July 19.

Other Festival highlights include the glorious Festival Gala featuring the elegant sounds of the Australian String Quartet, plus a host of Festival stars including Slava Grigoryan. Festival Theatre, Saturday July 19.

There's also the Classical Guitar Competition Final on Saturday at 10am which is free to the public and offers the most prestigious classical guitar prize in the Southern Hemisphere.

And after months of hard work the Adelaide Guitar Festival Orchestra will take to the Festival Theatre stage on Sunday July 20 for its premiere performance. These inspiring South Australian children will be joined on stage by the Aurora Guitar Ensemble from Brisbane, and Slava and Leonard Grigoryan. This event will be a triumph of raw talent and hard work, celebrating the stars of tomorrow. They will be supporting the outstanding Stochelo Rosenberg Trio, which will complete yet another gypsy jazz experience with its flair and virtuosity.

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier says:

"Yet again artistic director Slava Grigoryan has compiled a stellar line up of guitarists from across the genres. The calibre of international artists is outstanding this year, as is the list of well-known Australian names on the bill across classical, jazz, blues and more.

"But it's also the unknown guitarists who'll amaze audiences this year. I am particularly excited about our inaugural Adelaide Guitar Festival Orchestra, showcasing the outstanding talent of young South Australian kids. I know their performance on the Festival Theatre stage closing night will be an emotional event and one of the highlights of this great festival."

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