VCGF Press Release - "First festival for classical guitar enthusiasts."

The Vancouver Classical Guitar Festival 2022 is a unique opportunity for guitarists and classical guitar lovers to immerse themselves in a week of concerts, master classes and workshops from July 16-21 at the Vancouver Academy of Music (VAM) and Deer Lake Gallery, Burnaby. The festival begins with two outstanding classical guitar concerts July 16-17 at VAM headlined by internationally renowned artists Rene Izquierdo and Daniel Bolshoy plus top local guitarists Alec Pearson (UBC), Louise Southwood, Hanh Nguyen (VAM) and Luis Angel Medina. The weekend event also includes a luthiers’ exhibition and demonstration.

VCGFest founder, director, artist and passionate teacher Luis Angel Medina says, “I started the festival because I wanted the local guitar community to have a place to come together and be inspired by incredible talent.”

Guitarists of all levels can then spend four days July 19 – 21 at Deer Lake Gallery developing their skills through masterclasses, lectures, concerts and ensemble playing with guest faculty including Rene Izquierdo, Daniel Bolshoy, Luis Angel Medina, David Sossa, Itamar Erez and pianist Lucida Zhao.

Rene Izquierdo, Daniel Bolshoy, Luis Angel Medina, Alec Pearson, Louise Southwood, Hanh Nguyen

After two successful years as an online event, VCGFest has evolved to a weeklong in-person and online event held in conjunction with the Vancouver Classic Guitar Society. All concerts, masterclasses, and workshops will be live streamed to facilitate participation from anywhere.

“The calibre of the artists is beyond description. We have some of the most amazing, experienced and passionate people coming to share their music and knowledge,” explains Luis. Rene Izquierdo, a native of Cuba, is a graduate of Yale University and currently a professor of classical guitar at the University of Wisconsin. Classical Guitar Magazine hails his “subtle phrasing, dazzling speed, beautiful tonal control…” Daniel Bolshoy holds a doctorate degree from Indiana University and directs the guitar program at the University of Georgia. An Israeli-Canadian guitarist, he has performed internationally as a soloist with over 60 orchestras.

“During my time busking in Skytrain stations, people would come up to me and say that there wasn’t enough classical guitar in the city and I want to change that with VCGFest”

— Luis

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