Guitarists converge for the 2012 Philippine International Guitar Festival and Competition

Metropolitan Guitar Ensemble

January 26, 2012

10:00 AM Philippine Guitar School Concert

3:00 PM Ekachai Jearakul  and Monching Carpio Concert

7:30 PM Gen Matsuda & Tomonori  Arai Concert

January 27, 2012

10:00 AM Tomonori Arai Masterclass MKP Hall

1:00 PM Competition Eliminations

7:30 PM Jacob Cordover and Leon Koudelak Concert

January 28, 2012

10:00 AM  Jacob Cordover Masterclass MKP Hall

10:00 AM Jose Valdez Classical Guitar Appreciation Lecture-Performance-Workshop  Silangan Hall

3:00 PM EJ Pichay, Erskine Basilio and Neris Gonzalez Concert

7:30 PM 12 Cuerdas Concert

January 29, 2012

10:00 AM Carsten Linck Masterclass MKP Hall

1:00 PM Competition Finals

7:30 PM Guitar Forays Concert

Arthur Erskine Basilio

Guitars take the spotlight as the 2012 Philippine International Guitar Festival and Competition is held over at the Cultural Center of the Philippines this January 26-29, 2012. Now on its third edition, the festival spearheaded by the Guitar Friends features a myriad of events catering to guitarists of all levels and lovers of guitar music as well: a competition which is open to all nationalities, concerts featuring local and international guitarists and masterclasses conducted by some of the guest performers.

Scheduled to perform at the concerts are Tomonori Arai, Gen Matsuda, Ekachai Jearakul, Ramoncito “Monching” B. Carpio, Rafael Rodríguez, Dani de Morón, EJ Pichay, Arthur Erskine Basilio, Neris Gonzalez, Jacob Cordover, Leon Koudelak, Carsten Linck, Agnes Barredo-Fenoli, PWU Guitar Ensemble, Christian Arts Guitar Quartet, Triple Fret, Nebrija Ramos Duo, Ann Arbor Montessori Guitar Quartet, Angelis Guitar Quartet, QCPADFI Guitar Ensemble, Cebu Guitar Foundation of the Philippines, Inc., Sta. Isabel College Guitar Quartet, Flamenco Philippines, Metropolitan Guitar Ensemble, UP Guitar Orchestra, UST Guitar Ensemble and the Festival Guitar Orchestra.

Neris Gonzalez

The concert 12 Cuerdas is a free concert presented by Instituto Cervantes. The duo Rafael Rodríguez and Dani de Morón will perform their own compositions featuring the music of flamenco which evokes the spirit of southern Spain. Admission is free on a first come, first served basis and since this will be on a weekend, it pays to be early.

Masterclasses will be given by Arai, Cordover and Linck while Jose Valdez will be conducting a free classical guitar appreciation lecture-performance-workshop. Arai and Linck join Koudelak, Yuichi Imai, Michel Rabaud, Steve Lin, and Woratep Rattana-umpawan as they form the jury at the competition.

Monching Carpio

I am not sure if the Little Theater Lobby will be transformed once again into a bazaar where music stores, merchants and luthiers set up booths and tables offering guitars, strings, accessories and various items that may be of interest for guitarists. And based on experience, there will always be someone at the lobby playing the guitar. So there’s really a lot to see and hear during this event. I was able to have a sampler of the festival when the Metropolitan Guitar Ensemble performed a medley of OPM hits during the CCP A-Press-ciation Lunch that happened recently.

Rafael Rodríguez

Concerts and the competition take place at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater), the masterclasses will be held at the MKP Hall while the guitar appreciation lecture-performance-workshop will be held at the Silangan Hall.

Dani de Morón

Ticket prices:

P400 Concert Ticket

P2000 Festival Pass to all concerts, masterclasses and competition

-50% student discount

For inquiries:

CCP Box Office 832-3704

Guitar Friends (0927) 344-7712

TicketWorld 891-9999