A summertime week on a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, with nightly concerts in a number of charming locations?
The
city of Hermoupolis is quaint and relatively unspoiled, somewhat off
the beaten track for the jet-Set tourists. Laid out around a harbor and
up the surrounding hills, it offers picturesque sights, a lovely
ambience and warm hospitality.
This Festival had a unique personality that was completely in accord with the setting – friendly, relaxed and non-competitive. The participants were there to spend a week communing with other musicians, making music and thoroughly enjoying the entire experience. The evening concerts and the daily master classes, presented a variety of the guitar’s aspects.
Perhaps due to the variety of venues, perhaps due to the different types of concerts, perhaps due to the association with a general arts festival, this festival was most unusual in attracting large general audiences. Every performance was crowed with townspeople and general music lovers, not just guitarists and not just festival participants. The audiences were responsive, enthusiastic and always there for the right reason -just to enjoy the music.
This was exactly the kind of event that can help the guitar grow and reach outside its small enclave to the broader mainstream of those who appreciate good music.
“Sounboard” magazine – Fall 1997