From classical to down home, international star to up-and-coming local favorites, the West Texas Guitar Festival will present three nights of concerts that demonstrate the range of capabilities of this versatile instrument — along with classes for those who want to improve their technique, learn new ones or who simply are guitar curious.
Sponsored by the University of Texas-Permian Basin, the festival will be held Feb. 27-29 at the university’s Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center in Midland. Concerts are at 7 p.m. all three nights; a full schedule of events is available at the festival’s website.
Renowned classical guitarist and composer Andrew York will perform on Feb. 27 and also hold a free master class on Feb. 28. For 16 years, he was a member of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, with whom he won a Grammy Award in 2005 for Best Classical Crossover Album, “Guitar Heroes.” The album featured York’s mastery in genres from flamenco to bluegrass to rock and New Age. His compositions have appeared on Grammy-winning albums as well.
Friday’s free concert will highlight the talents of students and performers from local music schools and private studios. According to the festival website, the Permian Basin is bursting with thriving guitar programs, and Friday’s event gives them an opportunity to show just what they can do. There will also be individual and ensemble competitions.
The concert series will end Feb. 29 with a performance by Brazilian-born virtuoso Gabriel Santiago. Santiago plays, composes for and arranges for both acoustic and electric guitar, with a range that extends from Brazilian music to symphony orchestras to chamber ensembles, from Big Band to jazz. He won ASCAP’s Young Jazz Composer award in 2010 and to date has produced 12 albums.
Tickets to the Young and Santiago concerts are sold separately, as are entries into the solo and ensemble competitions and Saturday workshops. For tickets and information, see http://www.westtexasguitarfestival.com.