New York Guitar Festival proudly welcomes back Sharon Isbin, whose performance last year was a major highlight of the 2017 Festival. This time, Isbin’s program will feature a combination of solos and duos with her guest, the Brazilian jazz guitarist Romero Lubambo. Isbin and Lubambo, who performed together in the award-winning documentary Sharon Isbin: Troubadour, share a lyrical sensibility that makes their duets a natural elision of improvisation, classical music, and cross-cultural exploration. A two-time Grammy winner and founder of the guitar department at Juilliard, Isbin has premiered works by Tan Dun, John Corigliano, and Christopher Rouse, among other composers, that were written especially for her. Isbin’s most recent recording, Alma Española, pairs her with the mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard for a set of Spanish art songs by Montsalvatge, Agustín Lara, and Lorca. Hailed as much for her “mesmerizing finesse” as for the range of her repertoire, Isbin has recorded everything from Baroque and Renaissance to contemporary classical to Latin American traditions in Journey to the Amazon.

Known for the introspective lyricism of his classical guitar style as well as the exuberant spontaneity of his flamenco repertoire, Adam del Monte delights and moves audiences with his mastery of both art forms. In addition to performing iconic works by Albéniz and Tárrega, del Monte has composed two concertos for flamenco guitar and orchestra. His most recent recording, Asi lo siento yo, features collaborations with other flamenco musicians in songs that integrate aspects of tango, jazz, and Gypsy soul. Del Monte has also made music for the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, Osvaldo Golijov, and film composer John Williams. Joining del Monte for his afternoon program will be the flamenco dancer and choreographer Sonia Olla (described by the New York Times as “a furnace of earthy sensuality”) and her partner, the Seville-born cantadore Ismael Fernández.

Triple threat Marija Temo does it all: she sings, dances, and fiercely plays flamenco guitar. Praised for her formidable chops, Temo plays a guitar specifically tailored to the nuances of both classical and flamenco; she co-designed this unique instrument with luthier Tom Rodriguez. Although immersed in flamenco tradition, Temo also plays pop crossover and solos with symphonies. Composer Loris Ohannes Chobanian wrote the Concierto del Fuego especially as a showcase for Temo’s individual synthesis of classical rigor and Spanish style. She performed in Fuego Ibérico, a flamenco musical inspired by cabaret. Currently, she serves as Guitar Chair at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Temo received a Master’s degree from the Peabody Conservatory, where she studied with Manuel Barrueco. Her solo recital at this year’s NYGF marks her first appearance at the Festival since “Audible Cloisters” in 2016.

Classical guitar legend and Festival friend Pepe Romero returns to the NYGF for the first time since 2014. On that occasion, Romero gave an all-Bach recital. This time, the maestro will pay tribute to his father, Celedonio Romero, and the music of Spain, particularly that of his native Málaga. Romero will focus on flamenco guitar, bringing with him a to-be-announced roster of special guests, singers, and dancers. Among his celebrated accomplishments, Romero has premiered works – composed especially for him – by Rodrigo and Torroba. He’s recorded more than 60 albums across his career, 30 of which were as part of a quartet with his father and brothers in The Romeros, an ensemble widely regarded as “The Royal Family of the Guitar.” In addition to championing new works for the instrument, Romero has also rescued previously lost concerti by Giuliani and Carulli, among others, bringing them out of the archives and into the light.

Building on last year’s sold-out event, the New York Guitar Festival and WNYC’s New Sounds present a four-week series that features a diverse cast of guitar slingers performing newly commissioned works and special collaborations.  The festival will take over The Greene Space stage every Thursday evening, from May 18 to June 8, featuring multiple short sets and onstage interviews with New Sounds hostJohn Schaefer.

Building on last year’s sold-out event, the New York Guitar Festival and WNYC’s New Sounds present a four-week series that features a diverse cast of guitar slingers performing newly commissioned works and special collaborations.  The festival will take over The Greene Space stage every Thursday evening, from May 18 to June 8, featuring multiple short sets and onstage interviews with New Sounds hostJohn Schaefer.

Building on last year’s sold-out event, the New York Guitar Festival and WNYC’s New Sounds present a four-week series that features a diverse cast of guitar slingers performing newly commissioned works and special collaborations.  The festival will take over The Greene Space stage every Thursday evening, from May 18 to June 8, featuring multiple short sets and onstage interviews with New Sounds hostJohn Schaefer.

Building on last year’s sold-out event, the New York Guitar Festival and WNYC’s New Sounds present a four-week series that features a diverse cast of guitar slingers performing newly commissioned works and special collaborations. The festival will take over The Greene Space stage every Thursday evening, from May 18 to June 8, featuring multiple short sets and onstage interviews with New Sounds hostJohn Schaefer.

The Life of a Luthier: How visibility can create the next generation of guitar builders. Local repair women and luthiers Rachel Rosenkrantz, Mamie Minchand and Chloe Swantner discuss their experiences in starting, maintaining and inspiring the humble career of guitar building. Moderated by Fabi Reyna, founder and editor-in-chief ofShe Shreds Magazine.

The Ruts of Performance: Guitarists Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn, Erika Anderson (EMA) and Ava Mendoza share and explain their methods of moving past creative walls. Moderated by Fabi Reyna, founder and editor-in-chief ofShe Shreds Magazine.

The guitar is still an instrument most often associated with guys.Fabi Reynawants to change that. Not just by being a badass guitarist herself, but by creating a place where the ever-growing community of female guitarists can learn from and support each other. That place isShe Shredsmagazine, which she founded and which celebrates women, and girls (Fabi is an alumna of the Rock Camp For Girls), who play guitar or bass and who totally rock. Literally and figuratively.

The world is full of great guitarists, and India is full of gifted classical musicians. But in both worlds,Debashish Bhattacharyacuts a singular figure. Playing a specially-designed slide guitar, he has made his instrument an extraordinarily versatile and emotive purveyor of India's ancient raga tradition, while attracting fans from around the world. He'll talk withJohn Schaeferabout feeling at home between musical worlds.

Sharon Isbinhas been at the forefront of the classical guitar world for over 40 years. More than a virtuoso, she has commissioned more new concertos than any other guitarist, including a major new work by John Corigliano. And she has a long history of performing with leading Brazilian and jazz musicians as well. Truly the First Lady Of The Guitar, she talks withJohn Schaeferabout a career that has sent her from Italy as a young girl to the White House in 2009.

It’s a first in Festival history: A marathon devoted entirely to... ragas! The Winter Garden at Brookfield Place will host thisFREE-ADMISSIONall-day event. In Hindustani classical music, melodies and modalities are thought to reach full potency at a particular hour, in tune with the Earth on its axis. OnFriday, May 19, ragas will flow from morning until midnight atBrookfield Place’s Winter Garden. At 8 AM, Debashish Bhattacharya, one of the world’s pre-eminent slide guitarists, begins the Marathon with a raga specifically for early morning. At noon, the sarodist Anupam Shobhakar performs a raga made for midday; at 5 PM, a power trio of guitarist Gyan Riley, sitarist Krishna Bhatt, and percussionist Dan Weiss takes over with an early evening raga; and Bhattacharya returns at 7.

It’s 2016. I’m at Heathrow right now, flying back to South Africa having enjoyed my fourth visit to New York in just three years. But, this visit was very different.

This past weekend, I played two of the most spectacular venues in the world within the span of 24 hours.  It all started in London, on Friday night.  I’d been on tour as the support act for my favorite punk rock icon, Iggy Pop.  London was my last date on the tour and our show that evening was at the legendary Royal Albert Hall.

This is the 6th year of the Alternative Guitar Summit, but it still feels brand new. There seem to be brilliant guitarists everywhere that are finding new roads into our imaginations.

South African guitarist Derek Gripper is the kind of musician who makes painstakingly difficult technique sound like the product of effortless musicianship and adventurous curiosity. Though he trained a classical violinist, he is perhaps best known for transcribing music played on the 21-stringkorainstrument from West Africa and arranging it for guitar. Last year, he presented aTEDx talkabout his work and we strongly encourage you to check it out. This week, we chatted with Derek about his journey from violins to guitar, sojourn full of detours to places like India and Mali and composers like Bach and Toumani Diabaté.

An evening of music and conversation with Rez Abbasi, Derek Gripper, Kaki King and Glenn Jones. Hosted by WNYC New Sounds' John Schaefer.

Creation: A panel discussion on trends in composition,  commissioning,  performing and publishing new music for classical guitar. FeaturingRobert Cuckson,Marco CappelliandAndrew McKenna Lee. Moderated byMichael NewmanandLaura Oltman, of the Newman Oltman Duo.