Guests are beginning to arrive for the Seventh Darwin International Guitar Festival to be hosted by Charles Darwin University (CDU) from July 4-14.
Leading Italian guitarist and conductor Carlo Barone has already arrived to work with the Charles Darwin University Chamber Orchestra in preparation for their featured Festival performance with soloists Karin Schaupp and Adrian Walter.
This year’s event also welcomes several more international artists to Australia for their first visit. In particular, Gentil Montana (Colombia), Carlos Barbosa-Lima (Brazil) and Eduardo Fernandez (Uruguay) who will bring an exciting South American focus to the concert series.
Since its inception in 1993 the Festival has showcased many leading national and international performers presenting the guitar in a wide range of musical settings, from solo recitals to concertos with orchestra. The Festival is now recognised as one of Australia’s premiere musical events and demonstrates the University’s commitment to community engagement.
One of the highlights of the Festival will be the opening concert, Fiesta Flamenca, featuring Spanish guitarist Oscar Guzman. Oscar will be joined by a flamenco troupe consisting of a vocalist, dancer and percussionist. The passion and driving rhythms of the Flamenco will take you on an exciting Spanish journey – an event not to be missed!
Many of the Festival events will be held in the grounds of CDU’s Casuarina Campus, taking advantage of the modern facilities and beautiful surrounds, with concerts to be held at lunchtime, twilight and evening.
The Festival includes many community musicians and ensembles, among them the Darwin Symphony Orchestra and Darwin Chorale.
There will be a number of special new works premiered during the Festival, including Staccato Lightning, a work for three guitars and choir by local composer Cathy Applegate. The work will be performed by the Darwin Chorale.
Outdoor concerts as always will be a special feature of the Festival. A concert at the Town Hall Ruins will combine a theatrical presentation by the Sydney Guitar Trio and narrator Rory O’Donoghue (of Aunty Jack fame) and a unique guitar performance by Karin Schaupp accompanied by a specially designed light show by Sydney-based lighting designer and composer, Mary-Anne Kyriakou.
The closing concert on July 14, with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra, will feature Saffire - The Australian Guitar Quartet, in a performance of Rodrigo’s famous Concerto Andaluz, as well as the premiere of a concerto for electric guitar and orchestra by one of Australia’s leading composers, Mark Pollard. Another special premiere will be of a work by Sydney composer Michael Smetanin for recorder and guitar to be performed by Dutch duo Erik Bosgraff and Izhar Elias.
More detailed information about festival events can be found on the website www.darwinguitar.com.