Audiences Embrace 2010 Adelaide International Guitar Festival

In his first year as Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan has taken the Adelaide International Guitar Festival to the next level, Grigoryan curated a Festival that reflected and drew on his musical expertise and his international connections as one of Australia's finest musicians. Audiences embraced the 2010 Adelaide International Guitar Festival with total attendances reaching more than 16,000.

The 2010 program featured more than 90 artists from as far afield as the United States, Brazil, Spain, Austria, Tunisia and the local scene. There were 30 events including 3 Australian premieres with 6 events sold out and styles ranged from flamenco, contemporary jazz, samba, choro, tango, blues/roots, classical Indian, Brazilian, bossa nova, pop, afro-beat, funk and traditional classical guitar.

Sold out events included Retratos: Portraits of Brasil, Richard Bona Group, Mason Rack Band, Christa Hughes and Ben Fink, Ben Edgar Workshop, Mason Rack Workshop, Manuel Barrueco masterclass, The Art of the Ensemble and Sunday En Masse which was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to worship the Festival's guitar deities including Wolfgang Muthspiel, Jeff Lang, Shane O'Mara, Doug de Vries, Ben Edgar, Anthony Garcia, Leonard Grigoryan and Adelaide International Guitar Festival's Artistic Director, Slava Grigoryan in his only Festival on-stage appearance.

Evidence of the Adelaide International Guitar Festival's increasing reach is 13% of all tickets for the Festival have been bought by interstate or overseas patrons, with Victorians being the Festival's biggest supporters. People are immersing themselves in the Festival with 11% of customers purchasing tickets to four or more shows and a considerable number of patrons purchasing tickets to three shows.

A highlight included Your 15 Minutes of Fame which was sponsored by Amber Technologies and DPA Microphones, 27 local performers and groups showcased their skills and demonstrated the amazing local talent in Adelaide during the Your 15 Minutes of Fame in the Fox Creek Bar.

The Competition was fierce in the International Classical Guitar Competition with Jin-Hee Kim taking out first prize and taking home $10,000 as well as a guitar made by the revered South Australian luthier Jim Redgate valued at US $15,000. Competitors travelled far and wide with entrants from Europe, Asia and all over Australia who performed in the final on Sunday.

Adelaide International Guitar Festival Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan says, "I was blown away by the standard of the competitors involved in the competition, Jin-Hee Kim is a worthy winner and a young rising star in the classical music scene, her playing was incredible and I look forward to watching her career in the future."

For those that were intrigued by performance and who wanted to learn technique there were a number of opportunities to engage with artists and participate in a number of workshops, master classes, seminars and discussions.

The Festival ended on an all time high as The Mason Rack Band rocked through the night and The Richard Bona Group's fusion of high energy funk, jazz, afro-beat and traditional song had audiences groovin as part of the Coopers Late Night Sessions in the Space Theatre. Patrons and performers partied well into the night in the Festival Hub and the bistro by the food business.

The Adelaide International Guitar Festival continues to garner a reputation for presenting some of the finest musicians from around the world and Australia. Reviews and feedback from audience members and performing artists prove that the Festival is becoming an unmissable event:

"Organisers pulled off an impressive coup this time in securing Australia's own internationally acclaimed virtuoso Slava Grigoryan as the festival's artistic director. The classical guitarist has certainly put his stamp on the event, using his network and knowledge to attract some truly world class acts to Australia" Chris Johnson, Canberra Times

"his (Manuel Barrueco) playing makes me want to get on a plane and fly to Adelaide. Lucky audiences there."

Margaret Throsby, Classic FM

"I'm so pumped that this is happening again, we're so privileged to have it in our hometown too!" Cam Blokland, Adelaide

"It was great to be back at the Adelaide International Guitar Festival, just like the first time I performed in the Festival, audiences proved that they know how to rock!" Mason Rack, Australia

"Passion and intensity, the Adelaide International Guitar Festival is a haven for music lovers from across the globe, I am fortunate to have been involved in this year's program" Oscar Guzmán, Spain

Adelaide Festival Centre CEO & Artistic Director, Douglas Gautier says, "I am excited by the way the Adelaide International Guitar Festival has been embraced by the city and the national attention it has attracted. So many music lovers of all ages enjoyed the outstanding line-up of musicians over the 4 days and we look forward to continuing to present this world-class Festival".

Visit the website for regular updates www.adelaideguitarfestival.com.au or join the Guitar Festival facebook page.

 

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