Boston GuitarFest - Official Site


BOSTON GUITARFEST

Boston GuitarFest is the dream of visionary and guitar virtuoso Eliot Fisk. It is an annual event consisting of master classes, workshops, concerts and a competition devoted to the classical guitar but setting the guitar within a broad social and cultural context. Thus GuitarFest I 2006 was entitled “The Guitar in the Global Village” and featured in addition to classical guitar Indian sitar, Armenian oud, harpsichord and string quartet.

Boston GuitarFest II, entitled “La Herencia Latina” (The Latin American Legacy), will explore the relationship between Latin American folk and art music but also attempt to use music as a means to embrace the greater Boston Latino community and to address the challenge of bridging ethnic and social divides. In the words of our Massachusetts Governor elect Deval Patrick, “Together We Can!”

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR'S WELCOME

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Dear Friends,

It is a pleasure to welcome music lovers and guitar enthusiasts to participate in all aspects of the second annual Boston GuitarFest to be held from June 5-10, 2007, at New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. Some of you will recall the tremendous success of Boston GuitarFest 2006, the first in what we hope will be a long series of memorable annual gatherings at NEC celebrating the spirited, cross- disciplinary pursuit of musical truth and beauty as seen through the focusing lens of the classical guitar.

Boston Guitar Fest 2006 (“The Guitar in the Global Village”) presented classical, flamenco, and jazz guitar players joined by special guests representing related plucked stringed instruments such as the sitar, oud, and harpsichord. Boston GuitarFest 2007 will celebrate “The Latin American Legacy”. We will focus on five countries of Latin America which have given us so much wonderful repertoire: Mexico, Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina.

During Boston GuitarFest 2007 we will attempt to explore myriad aspects of the culture and history of these countries inviting learned and entertaining guests to share with us their knowledge of the history, visual art, dance, popular music, even the food of the people who are our neighbors to the south.

In the midst of an often acrimonious national debate on immigration we hope to remind our fellow Americans that we are indeed a nation of immigrants and that in the eyes of God “no human being is illegal”. While we celebrate the music of Latin America, we also give thanks for the vibrant contributions that transplanted Latinos have made and continue to make to the ongoing American experiment in democracy.

During the 2006 – 2007 academic year we at New England Conservatory will embark on a year-long initiative to reach out to the Latino community. Boston Guitar Fest 2007 will thus represent the culmination of an entire year’s effort to make our music resonate to the Latino experience in North America.

	Looking forward to greeting you all in person this coming June here in Boston,
	Sincerely,
	Eliot Fisk
	Boston, July 27, 2006

WELCOME FROM THE STATE OFFICES

“I was very pleased to learn of the plans for a second Boston GuitarFest following the great success of Boston GuitarFest 2006. Of course, GuitarFest is first and foremost an extraordinarily rewarding musical experience, but it also serves to introduce new people to New England Conservatory of Music, which is such an important part of our cultural environment in Greater Boston. We recall with pride that Coretta Scott King, was a New England Conservatory alumna and that she shared Boston educational roots with her illustrious husband, Martin Luther King Jr. I welcome Boston GuitarFest 2007 as it continues to showcase the cultural advantages of the City of Boston, and to provide us all with the opportunity to hear wonderful music, played at its best.”

Barney Frank Massachusetts Representative

Thanks in part to assistance from the office of Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank, Boston GuitarFest was able to obtain a rare visa for the legendary Cuban Guitarist Joaquin Clerch. Clerch was a favorite protégé of Leo Brouwer, who dedicated Concierto de la Habana (1998) to him. Clerch was also the assistant of Eliot Fisk at the Mozarteum Salzburg from 1989 – 1999. This represents Clerch’s debut in the United States.

“I am thrilled that New England Conservatory and Artistic Director Eliot Fisk will be hosting Boston GuitarFest 2007. This series of performances and workshops will highlight both the exceptional musical talent we have right here in Boston as well as host musicians from all over the world. Boston GuitarFest is a perfect example of music’s ability to traverse geographic, cultural and ethnic boundaries, and as a confirmed amateur guitarist I know it will also be a lot of fun. I encourage musicians and everyone who appreciates their work to become involved in this important cultural celebration, and I thank NEC and Eliot for making Boston GuitarFest 2007 a reality.”

John Kerry Massachusetts Senator

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