Welcome to the 2018 Guitar Festival of Ireland. The festival, now in its 12th year, is a world-class music event and features a programme of great performances in some of Dublin’s finest venues. This year the festival opens on Thursday 28 June with one of Dublin’s most impressive performing groups – GuitaRIAM. Directed by Marion Hyland this ensemble has been a true festival favourite for many years. In 2013 the GFI commissioned a new work for 16 guitars (April Song), with the support of the French Embassy in Ireland, from the multifaceted guitarist/composer Roland Dyens for GuitaRIAM to perform. This concert sparked such a response from the audience that GuitaRIAM have been something of an annual attraction at the GFI since then. Following this we look forward to hearing a versatile and imaginative young performer described as ‘the next rising star of the classical guitar world’. Italian guitarist Elena Zucchini will perform a lunchtime concert in the Royal Irish Academy of Music. We are very excited to be able to offer this free event in association with the Istituto Italiano di Cultura Dublino.

On the evening of Friday 29th of June with his own special brand of virtuosic guitar work Spanish guitarist Marco Socías makes his festival debut. On Saturday 30 June, performing in the National Concert Hall, we see the return of the Moynihan/O’Leary Duo to the festival. London’s Classical Guitar Magazine has referred to the Moynihan/O’Leary Duo as an “authentic and musically profound ensemble”. Join us for this lunchtime concert titled Summer Shall not Fade – a captivating programme of rarely heard music by Joaquin Rodrigo, witty and amorous Seguidillas by Spanish composer Fernando Sor and some sun-shine filled musical delights by Enrique Granados.

Saturday night is trad-night at the GFI and this gig marks the penultimate night of the festival with two of Ireland’s most notable traditional musicians. Trad marvel John Doyle joins forces with the legendary Seamie O’Dowd in a night not to be missed. On Sunday 1 July we will showcase more large scale guitar works with amateur group the Wexford Guitar Ensemble (presented in partnership with Music Network, National Opera House and Wexford County Council and supported by OPW) joining forces with the well established and well loved Irish Guitar Quartet. This one will be a real treat for ensemble participant and spectator alike!

And to the final night of the 2018 Guitar Festival of Ireland we have Grammy award winning guitar superstar David Russell performing the closing concert in Christchurch Cathedral giving us all something to talk about for the next year. This is one you won’t want to miss!

I hope you can make some or all of the events on offer and I promise you will be in for a good night’s entertainment!

Alec O’Leary,
Festival Director.