July 2011

The Guitar Foundation of America ConventionThoughts from across the pond

Summer is the time of year when many UK guitarists wish we had more time and

money to make the most of the fabulous diversity of guitar festivals available locally andnationally in this country. We have a long and vibrant history of producing guitar festivals,and they continue to attract participants from all over the world. Vince Smith, deputyChairman of the BCGS, has recently returned from a long-haul festival destination, one thatfew of us may have the opportunity to attend: the spectacular 2011 Guitar Foundation ofAmerica Convention, held this year at the River Centre for the Performing Arts in Columbus,Georgia.

The River Centre, Columbus, Georgia

The GFA is certainly a substantial body, in its own words, ‘America's leading guitarorganization’, combining the ‘advantages of a guitar society, a library, a publisher, acontinuing educational resource, and an arts council’. Guitar Life asked Vince to share hisexperiences of this year’s Convention, both musical and organisational, and to shine a lightfor us on US classical guitar scene in general.

Vince with Guitar Vince in Columbus

GL What does the GFA Convention consist of?VS The Convention has many similar elements to a UK summer school, but it is much larger-scale. I would say that it has a number of ‘strands’. Firstly there are two internationalcompetitions: a Youth competition, and then a full concert artist competition, the ICAC. Theearly rounds are run separately and only for the judges, but the semi and final rounds areopen to all convention visitors. Last year Johannes Moller won the ICAC. This year it was wonby Vladimir Gorbach from Russia. Second place this time was in fact Andras Csaki, who theBCGS has booked, on Zoltan Farkas’ [MD] recommendation, to play in Bristol in Februarynext year. The standard in the competition is phemomenally high. It gives a very good ideaof the playing standard needed to become an international concert artist. It can be a littleboring listening to the same piece played by each player - in this case it was Rodrigo’s Juntoal Generalife – but it is a good to hear the different interpretations. Each player also all playsa piece of his or her own choice, which is interesting.

There are lectures - three or four a day - by musicians, composers like Stephen Goss,musicologists and players - David Starobin, Alavaro Pierri for example this year - as well asPhD students presenting their theses. It can be challenging, but you learn a lot: this is highquality material presented by people who know what they are talking about!

Stephen Goss Lecture(Vince in Audience)

Then there are technique classes, private lessons and an orchestra. This is an area the GFAare trying to develop - they want to make the Convention more participative than it hasbeen in the past. I didn’t take my guitar – I preferred to go to all the lectures and concertsrather than play and practise.

And of course there’s an endless array of top quality concerts all day, every day. This yearAlavro Pierri played, the Czar's Guitars, Yiannis Andronoglou, Nigel North, David Starobin,Johannes Moller, Henderson-Kolk Duo, SoloDuo, Gaelle Solal, Paul Galbraith, LuigiAttademo, Rafael Aguirre, David Russell...

You can also browse a large set of stalls all week, with guitar makers, music shops and guitarmerchandise. I spent far too much money!

GFA Organisers and Helpers Inside Legacy Hall

Brian Head – David Russell – Paul Galbraith Vendor Fair – Small part of it!

GL Columbus is a long way to go for a festival. What drew you?VS I wanted to experience something bigger and more concentrated than we seem to get inthe UK, and I wanted to see guitarists who we just don't seem to get over in England, or notoften enough.

GL What were the highlights for you?VS The ICAC was one of the highlights, certainly. I learned a great deal. Hearing differentinterpretations, all played brilliantly, of the same piece was very informative. It was alsogreat to be able to have conversations with a lot of the guitarists there and get to knowmore about the classical guitar world.

GL Did you get an insight into the US classical guitar scene? How does it seem to operate?VS In many ways it is similar to here in the UK. They have Guitar Societies, run on similarlines to ours, and concerts and summer schools. But everything is bigger, richer, in terms ofthe experience for those attending, and there seems to be more money to achieve more inless time.

GL What kind of participation do you think the BCGS’s could aspire to on the internationalscene generally?VS I had a conversation with Martha Masters [President of the GFA] on this very topic,actually. There seem on the face of it to be few formal links, but I think this could be an areawe could develop. I’m a member of the GFA, and other BCGS members could also join. I’vealso registered the BCGS with the GFA site, and hopefully we’ll be posting something theresoon to promote us. I suppose one of the difficulties is that the USA, like the GFA, is so bigthat there is perhaps not as much incentive for them to look across the water. But many ofthe participants in the GFA Convention will be in the UK this summer at Cheltenham,

Winchester, West Dean, so we can always catch up with them there. I think the BCGS shouldtry to twin with a society in the USA.

Certainly food for thought. The Patron of the BCGS, Berta Rojas, is resident in the US, so wealready have good contacts there… Our thanks to Vince for his thoughts on arriving backfrom what must have been quite a show. The GFA Convention next year will again be thelast week of June, this time in Charleston, South Carolina. Meanwhile, the GFA website ishttp://www.guitarfoundation.org/drupal/