Welcome from WYGF’s Director

After the huge success of the first ever World Youth Guitar Festival in 2007, we are thrilled to announce that WYGF09 will take place from 11-14 August 2009.

We are moving venues to Dean Close School in Cheltenham which not only boasts superb facilities, but also the 560 capacity Bacon Theatre for the WYGF International Recital Series and WYGF Student Concert.

The WYGF09 guest artist roster will include some familiar faces back by popular demand such as Gary Ryan, Mark Eden and Chris Stell (Eden Stell Guitar Duo), and some new ones, in the shape of special guest artists Martha Masters and Brad Richter from the USA, and the UK’s Graham Anthony Devine, Mark Ashford, and Peter Nuttall. To find out more about our 2009 season artists then visit our tutor pages where you can marvel at all the wonderful things they have done.

So, what is WYGF all about?

Well, simply put, it is a chance to meet with young guitarists from all over the world and join together to make music.  All students play in one of the WYGF guitar orchestras which receive daily coaching sessions from our guest artists, and then the rest of the timetable is packed full of workshops, masterclasses, concerts and coaching. Evenings at WYGF are not spent in front of the TV with a mug of cocoa – far from it. We have the hugely popular WYGF talent show, Guitar ’Oscars’ night (with more fabulous guitar related goodies to award than you can shake a music stand at), and, if we can twist their arms again, the infamous tutors’ pantomime.

With approaching 200 students in 2007, the popularity of WYGF exceeded our expectations, so if you are interested in coming along in 2009 either as an individual student, or as part of an existing guitar group then book your places early to avoid disappointment. You can also register for our email newsletters so that we can keep you  up-to-date with the latest news at WYGF.

WYGF is a wonderful opportunity to immerse yourselves in four days of guitar playing, and we really do welcome players of all abilities from the early stages of playing, right up to those considering embarking on a musical career, and because all our guitar orchestras are graded to ability, no-one feels out of their depth.

WYGF is an experience not to be missed, but don’t just take our word for it. Our 2007 students had a lot to say for themselves, as you will be able to see from their ’Big Brouwer’ diary room videos, but our reviews page will speak for itself if you need any convincing.

Helen Sanderson – WYGF Director