Gearing up for ‘Guitar Fest’
The Guitar Association of Sri Lanka returns once more with its annual ‘Guitar Fest’, a celebration of music centered around the instrument will be held in Colombo today (Jan 24) at the Royal College Nava Rangahala. The musicians will also travel to Kurunegala, Jaffna and the Rajarata University for more shows.
Ken Gonzo Sugamata. Pic courtesy Guitar Fest
Attendees can expect a wonderfully diverse range of performers to take to the stage, says Mohomed Iqbal, Secretary of the association.
Alongside reputed local performers such as Rohan Silva fans will be privy to performances by two international musicians-Japanese guitarist Ken Gonzo Sugamata, a specialist in classical and Brazilian styles of samba and bosanova, and a young Indian classical guitarist named Ungrumso Raman. Raman was the winner of the Classical Guitar Competition 2015 conducted by the Asian Guitar Federation in New Delhi.
The Guitar Fest was introduced in 2011 to help audiences “inculcate an appreciation” for the variety of musical genres that a guitar is in instrument to, says Mr. Iqbal.
“We have two motives-one is to help people develop an appreciation for musical culture and the other is to commend the generosity of musicians who volunteer their time and talents with us.”
They also aim to develop young talent in the regions they’ll perform at, so the show is never the same from city to city.
Guitar Fest Colombo happens on 24 January at the Royal College Navarangahala in Colombo. Guitar concerts will also be held in Town Hall Kurunegala, Rajarata University, Mihintale and at Veerasingham Hall, Jaffna on January 25 , 26 and 27 respectively. Entrance is free.
