The Bath Guitar Festival, presented by IGF, is coming up soon in Bath, UK, and I really like the way they represent so many different styles of guitar – everything from Mike + The Mechanics to Badi Assad, David Russell, lute player Nigel North and all sorts of other classical and non- guitar acts, including jam nights, lots of great acoustic players (who I should be more familiar with) and some fantastic young guitarists. Seems like a great way to present classical guitar music to a more a diverse guitarist crowd, and vice-versa. If you’re going to be in the UK this Summer (for the Olympics, or perhaps despite them) you should definitely check out the line up. Read on the see the full schedule.

Click here for a more interactive version or read on to see the full Festival lineup.

Bath Guitar Festival

19 – 25 July 2012

19 July

Mike + The Mechanics

The Forum, Bath

7.30pm

Tickets: £25 / £27.50 / £28

Mike Rutherford is a founding member of one of the most successful groups of all time, Genesis. In 1984 he formed Mike + The Mechanics creating a project that would go on to sell over 10 million records worldwide. The band’s debut record in 1985 titled ‘Mike + The Mechanics’ produced two Top Ten hit singles, Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground) and All I Need Is a Miracle. In 1988 Mike + The Mechanics released The Living Years an album that achieved massive global success, spawning the hit single The Living Years a worldwide number one single.

20 July

Maria Camahort – Young Artist Platform

Guildhall

1pm

Tickets: £5 / Under 18’s free

Maria Camahort, together with four other brilliant musicians, presents a concert of classical music with a different approach, aiming to share with the audience the musicality, stories and flavour that are held in the music of Spanish composers.

Music by Falla, Mompou, Garcia Lorca and Gasuli.

Supported by the Embassy of Spain

20 July

Double bill: Tom Kerstens’ G Plus Ensemble and Badi Assad

Guildhall

7.30pm

Tickets: £20

In the spirit of the Olympics Tom Kerstens’ G Plus Ensemble will hand over the British musical torch to Brazil’s Badi Assad in this wonderful double-billed concert.

Tom Kerstens’ G Plus Ensemble features two guitars, strings and percussion producing a ravishing, magical sound. The music is especially conceived for the ensemble by three leading UK based composers: Joby Talbot, John Metcalfe and Max Richter who are equally at home in the worlds of classical concert music, cinema & TV and rock & pop. This is music that dares to simply be itself without reference to hackneyed ‘cross-over’ or disjointed pick & mix concepts. The music here is expressive, individual, at times mesmerising and unclassifiable.

Brazil’s Badi Assad is one of the most innovative, passionate and talented artists active today. She transcends traditional styles of her native Brazilian music with a mixture of pop, jazz and world/ethnic sounds from around the globe. As a result, the extraordinary singer, guitarist, and percussionist is successfully forging an exhilarating genre of music that quite literally defies categorization.

20 July

IGF Club Night

Chapel Arts Centre

7.30pm

Free

Hosted by IGF’s senior tutors featuring ‘The Institute’ Rhythm Section. Jamming by tutors and students from the world famous summer school. The public is encouraged to join in or watch and enjoy from the bar. The jamming repertoire will be available online at www.igf.og.uk

21 July

Amanda Cook

Guildhall

1pm

Tickets: £7 / Under 18’s free

Amanda Cook is one of the leading guitarists of her generation. She has appeared in the USA, South America and throughout Europe. In the UK she has performed at Southbank Centre, Wigmore Hall, The Sage Gateshead and Kings Place. She has broadcast on radio and TV, having performed live and been interviewed on BBC Radio 3 and Woman’s Hour. She currently teaches at the Guildhall School of Music, is Patron of the Federation of Guitar Societies and regularly gives masterclasses and adjudicates music festivals.

Music by Sylvius Leopold Weiss, Daniel Bogdanovic, Stephen Goss, William Lovelady, Jimmy Van Heusen, Lorenz Hart and George Shearing.

22 July

Fingerstyle Collective - In association with Ayers Guitars.

Chapel Arts Centre

7.30pm

Tickets available from Chapel Arts Centre

Four of the world’s finest acoustic guitarists from Canada, the US and the UK take to the stage in a small number of not-to-be-missed UK shows!

Don Alder is a modern-day Acoustic Guitar Renaissance Man. He’s won the International Fingerstyle Competition; Guitar Player Magazine’s Guitar Superstar Champion 2010; and, recently, the 2011 Guitar Idol competition. Don’s phenomenal fingerstyle playing and rich voice captivate and he brings an unparalleled dynamic intensity to the stage.

Dan LaVoie is one of the few musicians in the world actively composing and performing on the rare harp guitar, bringing a unique sound and texture to fans of acoustic music. In 2010, Dan released his highly anticipated second CD entitled “Cause and Effect” featuring duets with Andy McKee and Michael Manring.

Justin King is a musician and artist from Eugene, Oregon, recognised as a pioneering guitarist for his percussive “tapping” playing style, consisting of a variety of influences ranging from Flamenco to Celtic music. His latest record is a solo effort and features King on a broad range of instruments, including cello, drums, keyboard, bass, and guitar.

Stuart Masters combines Western and Indian Classical, Folk, and Celtic influences to create a unique, hybrid style, with pure, haunting vocals. His self-produced debut album came out in 2010, and 2012 sees the release of his cross-cultural collaboration with renowned Sarode and Rebab player, Rishi Ranjan.

22 July

Nigel North: “Dolcissima et amorosa”

Lute

Guildhall

7.30pm

Tickets: £20

Lutenist Nigel North is one of the very best lute players world wide, some call him the best player in the history of the instrument. He has been sharing music with audiences for nearly 30 years with tremendous success. Through his outstanding virtuosity as a soloist, accompanist and ensemble musician, Nigel has inspired a generation. A rare and unmissable chance to hear and study with Nigel North in the UK.

Concert features the lute music of Francesco da Milano, nicknamed ‘Il Divino’.

23 July

Andrea Vettoretti

Assembly Rooms , Octagon Room

1pm

Tickets: £7 / Under 18’s free

Andrea Vettoretti is considered by critics to be one of the most important young guitarists in Europe. Born in Treviso, Italy, he studied at the Gioachino Rossini Conservatory in Fermo, the prestigious École Normale de Musique in Paris and participated in masterclasses with Mstilav Rostrpovitch, Alicia de Larrocha and Alberto Ponce. Andrea has claimed first prize in no less than twelve national and international competitions, and regularly performs in major concert series and festivals around the world. He has recorded six highly acclaimed CDs and is also Artistic Director of the International Guitar Festival Delle Due Città, Rome.

Music by TBA

23 July

Clive Carroll

Support from David Mead, Tristan Seume and Ben Powell

Chapel Arts

7.30pm

Tickets: £10

Described by Acoustic Guitar magazine as, “the best and most original young acoustic guitar player and composer in Britain”, Clive is a virtuoso performer who has an exceptional understanding of the acoustic guitar and its historical importance. Clive has toured extensively throughout Europe, the USA and Australia with legends John Renbourn and Tommy Emmanuel. As well as his own highly acclaimed recordings, Clive has recorded for BMG/RCA. November 2008 saw the release of Clive’s 3rd solo album, Life in Colour to rave reviews.

Three of the UK’s top fingerstyle guitarists playing a veritable cornucopia of enchanting tunes in the round! Tristan Seume is an IGF (International Guitar Foundation) tutor with two acoustic instrumental CDs under his belt – he is also to be found touring with UK folk chanteuse Jackie Oates. David Mead is a former editor of Guitarist and Guitar Techniques magazines and an IGF veteran having taught at the festival many times in the past. Ben Powell is rapidly becoming one of the acoustic guitar world’s hottest properties having enjoyed rave reviews for his debut CD ‘Preliminaries’.

24 July

Daniela Rossi – Young Artist Platform

Guildhall

1pm

Tickets: £5 / Under 18s free

Argentinian Daniela Rossi has performed in solo recitals and with orchestras in concerts across Latin America and Europe. She was a Prize winner in IGF’s prestigious inaugural London International Guitar Competition held last March at Kings Place, London.

Music by Astor Piazzolla, Luigi Legnani, Joaquín Malats and new IGF commissions by Stephen Goss and Litha & Effy Efthymiou.

24 July

David Russell

Guildhall

7.30pm

Tickets: £20

David Russell is one of the giants of the classical guitar today. His beautifully polished and refined playing have made him a hero to guitarists the world over. His many recordings for Telarc have met with tremendous acclaim and numerous awards including a GRAMMY. David is highly sought after and tours the world continuously, however this is his only appearance in London this year so be sure not to miss this wonderful artist.

Music by Sylvius Leopold Weiss, Jorge Morel, François Couperin, Sergio Assad and a selection of Celtic Music.

24 July

IGF Club Night

Chapel Arts Centre

7.30pm

Free

Hosted by IGF’s senior tutors featuring ‘The Institute’ Rhythm Section. Jamming by tutors and students from the world famous summer school. The public is encouraged to join in or watch and enjoy from the bar. The jamming repertoire will be available online at www.igf.og.uk

25 July

Johan Löfving – Young Artist Platform

Assembly Rooms, Octagon Room

1pm

Tickets: £5 / Under 18s free

Sweden’s Johan Löfving has studied with Professor Sven Lundestad, Bo Hansson, Gary Ryan and Eliot Fisk. Johan was awarded Second Prize IGF’s prestigious inaugural London International Guitar Competition, First Prize in the Young Talent Concert at the Uppsala Guitar Festival in 2011 and at the Royal College of Music he has been awarded both the Guitar Prize and the Hilda Anderson Dean Prize.

Music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Alberto Ginastera and new IGF commissions by Stephen Goss and Litha & Effy Efthymiou.

25 July

1000 Guitars Series Part 1 (Classical Student Concert)

Assembly Rooms

3pm

Tickets: £4 / Under 18’s free

Student and teachers concert from IGF’s summer school present a programme of classical music.

25 July

1000 Guitars Series Part 2 (Student Concert)

Chapel Arts Centre

6pm

Tickets: £4 / Under 18’s free

Student and teachers concert from IGF’s summer school present a programme of blues, jazz, acoustic and classic hits from the 60s and 70s.

25 July

Richard Thompson

Support from Anaïs Mitchell

The Forum, Bath

7.30pm

Tickets: £25

Richard Thompson is a critically acclaimed, prolific songwriter. He is the recipient of a BBC’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and Ivor Novello Award and was named one of Rolling Stone Magazine’s Top 20 Guitarists of All Time for his acoustic and electric virtuosity.

Robert Plant, REM, Elvis Costello, Los Lobos, David Byrne, Del McCoury, Bonnie Raitt, and many others have recorded his work. Consistently extolled as a dazzling live performer, Thomspon’s current live-tour CD Dream Attic has been nominated for a Grammy Award and he was a finalist for the 2011 BBC Folk Awards Musician of the Year.

In 2010 Thomspon was appointed Artistic Director of London’s prestigious Meltdown Festival at South Bank Centre, received Mojo’s Les Paul Award and for his service to music – was named on the Queen’s 2011 New Year Honours List as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

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Ticket information

W: www.bathboxoffice.org.uk

T: 01225 463 362

Bath Box Office, Bath Visitor Information Centre
Abbey Chambers, Abbey Churchyard
Bath BA1 1LY

For more information or images please contact Liz Coomb on liz@igf.org.uk or 0845 034 0773