The Asian Guitar Federation (AGF), which concluded a week-long a workshop here in classical guitar on Saturday, will hold a guitar festival in four Indian cities during December.
Theophilus Benjamin, Director of the AGF, told THE HINDU that the festival would be held on December 13-17 in Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru simultaneously. This would take place in association with the Indian Guitar Federation. “We have contacted 14 artists, mostly Asia-based. They will visit the cities to teach students and give performances.” In Chennai, the venue would be Alliance Francaise.
Pointing out that entry to the festival would be free, Avik Saha, president of the three-month-old Federation, explained the greatness of the instrument and said “guitar transcends all cultural boundaries.”
In Sri Lanka, the workshop was attended by about 100 students, who were from the University of Peradeniya in Kandy and the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo. The Indian Cultural Centre and the Guitar Association of Sri Lanka were also behind the event.
Paul Cesarczyk, Polish-born American guitarist, said there were many young, enthusiastic students who took part in the workshop. “It seems the instrument gives them inner peace.” He expressed the hope that the students, with the help of local musicians including guitarist Amarnath Ranatunga, would blossom into trained musicians in a few years.
