The Atlantic Guitar Society will bring a classical guitar festival to the city this summer.
Noah Johnston
Kicker
Local guitarist Ben Diamond founded the Atlantic Guitar Society in 2020. Now, nearly six years later, the society is aiming to put on the first premier classical guitar festival ever held in St. John’s.
Guitarnival is going to be modelled on similar events Diamond has previously attended abroad. Running from July 23 to 26, the festival will offer concerts, masterclasses, lessons and an all-guitar orchestral performance, all featuring some of the best classical guitarists from Canada and beyond. Organizers will announce the venue later.
Diamond says the festivals he attended during his studies were deeply moving. Now, he wants to bring that magic and sense of community home.
“It’s an all-encompassing celebration of classical guitar,” said Diamond. “To do so here in Newfoundland is going to be really inspiring.”
Diamond is confident the festival will thrive in St. John’s. Guitarists, he says, love to take inspiration from the beauty of nature. Artists he met in his travels would frequently mention their desire to one day travel to the province when he revealed where he was from.
To make the festival a reality, he turned to other members of the guitar society to collaborate.
Tracy Anne Smith, an assistant professor at Memorial University’s school of music and the society’s vice-president, says festivals are a mainstay in the guitar community for a reason. She says they give classical guitarists — who usually practice, play and compose on their own — a chance to socialize and form relationships.
“Festivals are a great way to get some inspiration and see some great playing and learn some things that you wouldn’t in your daily life,” said Smith. “And also to make connections with the community. It’s been huge and inspiring for me to go to the festivals I have.”
Diamond says people do not need to be experts in classical guitar to enjoy the experience. To ensure the event is accessible, the society is aiming to offer classes for players of diverse skill levels. Ticketed concert events will also be available to the public.
Accessibility is also important to Steve Murphy, the society’s artistic director. Murphy, a long-time guitar teacher, wants to ensure students are able to enjoy the sense of community.
“Seeing the difference a live performance or a masterclass can have on a young student is incredible,” said Murphy. “I personally see the impact of this on people who are just getting into it.”
Registration for those classes is available now on the society’s website.
Still, attracting the international talent who can offer those classes and performances isn’t cheap. While funding was provided by the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, the society is hosting an online fundraiser on GoFundMe to attract more artists.
Confirmed guests include accomplished guitarists Laura Snowden, Jeffrey McFadden, Rob MacDonald and Emma Rush.
Diamond hopes the festival will be the ultimate expression of the society’s mission statement: the promotion of classical guitar and its members. Newfoundland can be a tough environment for a professional classical guitarist because of its distance from traditional centres for the genre. Now, Diamond, Smith and Murphy are excited to bring festival culture to the island.
“We wanted to bring that experience to the community here,” Smith added. “Anybody from Newfoundland who wants to have that experience has to go off the island. Not anymore.”
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