On Friday, February 20, Troy University’s John M. Long School of Music hosted over 160 participants for the 12th annual Guitar Festival.
The festival featured guitar concerts, masterclasses, ensembles and competitions and had artists and adjudicators from the United States, Canada, Cuba and Mexico.
Other participants traveled from Alabama, Florida, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Texas Guitar Gallery also joined the event as a vendor.
Dr. Robert Gibson, Lecturer of Guitar, reflected on the impact of this year’s event.
“This is the only event of its kind in the state of Alabama,” Dr. Gibson said. “Our inclusive event attracted guitar enthusiasts, students, and artists from a wide range of backgrounds and ages.”
Echo Mann, a graduate student from Luverne pursuing a master’s degree in music industry, served as the event coordinator for the Guitar Festival. Mann said one of the highlights of the festival is the Festival Ensemble, which brings all participants together to perform several pieces collectively. Other performances included the Troy Guitar Ensemble, Baldwin Middle School and festival newcomer, Carver Elementary.
Mann shared how working with the middle school and elementary students was a personal highlight for her.
“This year, I had the opportunity to work with these students on their guitar skills while Dr. Scott Sexton and John Jenks taught them how to play ‘You are my Sunshine,’” Mann said. “When Dr. Sexton had to leave, I held a guitar Q&A with the students who had very thoughtful, curious and interesting questions about the instrument. This was for sure a highlight for me this year.”
“All in all, this was a very successful event, and we had a great turnout,” Mann continued. “I am ever grateful to all of the staff and Troy University students who helped to run this event, and I give much praise to Dr. Robby Gibson for putting this thing on and making classical guitar even more awesome.”
Pictures from this year’s event can be found here. The winners of the competition are as follows:
College
1st Place – Sam Wilson
2nd Place – Paul Sessoms
3rd Place – Cameron Fernandez
High School
1st Place – Bryan Castillo
2nd Place – Cole Drawdy
3rd Place – Eli Southern
Advanced Middle School
1st Place – Julia Lee
2nd Place – Arlene Collazo Lopez
3rd Place – Bennett Vest
Honorable Mention – Madison Benson & David Shin
Intermediate Middle School
1st Place – Gabriel Carbajal
2nd Place – Aria Fulford
3rd Place – Morris Pettaway
Beginner Middle School
1st Place – Bradley Jang
2nd Place – Annsley Vest
3rd Place – Reymone Oliver
Honorable Mention – Adam Ortega Reyes & Christian Shepherd
Elementary
1st Place – Elijah Roeder
2nd Place – JJ Miller
