Rantucci Competition and Northeast Ohio Guitar Festival Merge at UA
Akron, Ohio, Dec. 29, 2003The Rantucci International Guitar Competition and the Northeast Ohio Guitar Festival will merge Feb. 19-22 at The University of Akron School of Music.
Classical guitar concerts and competitions, master classes, lectures, a trade show and a jazz brunch will fill the four-day Rantucci Competition/Northeast Ohio Guitar Festival.
All events except the jazz brunch will be at Guzzetta Hall, 157 University Ave., on the UA campus. The jazz brunch will be at Caf Momus, 491 Brown St., Akron.
Classical guitarists Roland Dyens of France, Stanley Yates of Great Britain and Duo Cavatina of Yugoslavia will be among the featured performers.
Based in Buffalo, New York, The Rantucci International Guitar Competition now is in its tenth year. Founded and directed by Mir Ali, president of the Buffalo Guitar Society, the Rantucci has become one of America's most important classical guitar competitions.
It draws guitarists from around the globe for the competition as well as hundreds of audience members for the concerts and other events.
The Northeast Ohio Guitar Festival now is in its fifth year. Founded and directed by Professor Stephen Aron, chair of the Guitar Program at the UA School of Music, it has built a regional reputation for the high quality of its classical guitar events.
By merging the two successful programs, says Aron, we are able to offer an even wider array of classical guitar events and to feature some of the world's most prominent performers.
The general registration fee of $75 includes admission as an observer to all events except the competition quarterfinals, which are closed to the public. Tickets also may be purchased for individual events, with prices ranging from $5 for lectures; $10 for master classes, concerts, and semi-final and final competitions; and $15 for the jazz brunch. The competition entry fee is $125.
For more information on the Rantucci Competition/Northeast Ohio Guitar Festival call 330-972-6188 or visit the festival website at Mir-Ali.com/Rantucci.