Hedges, an extraordinary musician named by Guitar Player magazine as one of the "25 Guitarists Who Shook the World" blended elements of jazz, folk, classical and other styles into a hybrid he applied such tongue-in-cheek labels as "violent acoustic," "heavy mental," and "acoustic thrash."  Paying tribute to the genius of this American original, who died in an car crash in 1997, are three former colleagues: the formidably talented bass guitarist Michael Manring, French Algerian acoustic guitar wizard Pierre Bensusan, and, in a rare performance on Hawaiian slack key guitar, George Winston.

This program explores the legacy of legendary rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix, featuring a trio of progressive guitarists: jazz/experimental guitarist David Torn, classical guitarist/composer Benjamin Verdery and rock guitarist Vernon Reid (of Living Colour, and the Black Rock Coalition).

The warmth and splendor of Italy has inspired guitarists and composers for five centuries. Our day-long celebration of Italian guitar music, from the Renaissance and Baroque to Berio and the music of today,  as performed by artists includingEliot Fisk,Bill Kanengiser,Connie Sheu,Dale Kavanagh,Emanuele Segre,Jason Vieaux,Nigel North,Hopkinson Smith,Pino Forastiere,The Harlem Quartet, andLionheart.

Silent Films/Live Guitars: Groundbreaking guitarists premiere original film scores for silent comedies by Buster Keaton.

Groundbreaking guitarists premiere original film scores for silent films by Buster Keaton.

Groundbreaking guitarists premiere original film scores for silent films by Buster Keaton.

2012 marks the 30th anniversary of Brian Eno's landmark tribute to the NASA moon landings,Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks. The New York Guitar Festival presents a rare live re-imagining of this masterpiece featuring the Brooklyn ambient ensemble Itsnotyouitsme, legendary NY guitar master Larry Campbell and special guests David Torn, Noveller, Tortoise's Jeff Parker, and Phish's Mike Gordon.

This concert will feature the cross-cultural mix of Minnesota guitar virtuoso Steve Tibbetts and Norwegian hardanger fiddler Knut Hamre, as well as the Newman and Oltman Guitar Duo with the Turtle Island String Quartet in the world premiere of a new composition by Dusan Bogdanovic (himself an outstanding guitarist). Bogdanovic draws on American jazz, Byzantine music, Western classicism and his own Balkan roots.

This concert will focus on the rarely-heard guitar music of pioneering minimalist composer Terry Riley, performed by his son Gyan Riley, as well as other compositions performed by his All-Stars, featuring Terry Riley on keyboards, Krishna Bhatt on Sitar, George Brooks on Saxophone and other of Riley’s favorite collaborators. A gala festival of Riley’s music presented in association with the World Music Institute.