Registration for the 2021 virtual Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival (GVPAF) closes very shortly, so register without delay. With the virtual format, GVPAF can accept entries and provide adjudications to all students, regardless of location. This is exciting news for students/musicians who missed last year's cancelled festival. Even more exciting is the new "opportunity to participate in a Local Stream Qualifying Round which allows for recommendation and advancement to the National Music Festival". Check the rules and the syllabus at GVPAF for details.
This year's adjudicator for the Classical Guitar section is Adam Cicchillitti. Adam will also perform at the end of the Festival.
From the GVPAF website:
There were several media accolades over the past years for Montreal-born guitarist Adam Cicchillitti. The renowned American magazine Classical Guitar called him “a superb Canadian guitarist” and CBC Music included him on its list of Canada’s top thirty most promising young musicians in classical music, describing him as an “ardent ambassador for classical guitar.” Adam has recorded two albums with the Analekta record label and will release his third in the spring of 2021, which will feature original arrangements of 20th century French piano and harp music for two guitars. In 2019, Adam commissioned 16 new works with fellow McGill-graduate Steve Cowan, including five world-premiere recordings on the all-Canadian album Focus. In 2021, he will continue forging a path of new repertoire for his instrument by commissioning six new concerti for two guitars, to be premiered with the Thirteen Strings Chamber Orchestra. He has toured Canada with Jeunesses Musicales and Debut Atlantic and is currently on tour with Prairie Debut. Adam is a specialist in child pedagogy, is the founder of the guitar school at Ottawa Suzuki Strings and he is currently completing a doctorate in music performance at McGill University supported by les Fonds de recherche de Québec.
VGS is excited to continue our support of the GVPAF - Classical Guitar division and this year's registrants in categories: Junior, Intermediate, Senior (per the GVPAF Syllabus) may be eligible for reimbursement of their registration fees. (a maximum of 15 reimbursements, on a first come first serve basis, from participants in the Greater Victoria area)
The form can be submitted any time after registration is paid and can be accessed here: GVPAF REIMBURSEMENT. Approved reimbursements will be processed after adjudications are completed in April.
AGM RESULTS
On January 23rd, the Victoria Guitar Society held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) via ZOOM. Thanks to all those who attended.
We would like to welcome Mr. Brendan Meagher to the Board of Directors. This is Brendan's first term on the board and he brings a background in accounting/finance with a CPA designation and an MBA in finance. He has also been sharing his musical skills on the classical guitar as a member of the VGS Community Guitar Ensemble for several years.
Continuing Directors include Dr. Alexander Dunn, Marissa Kitson, Margaret Horsford and James Austin. Natasha Pashchenko continues on staff as the Guitar Ensemble Music Director and also helps with all our new outreach and education initiatives.
The Society is looking forward to keeping students, performers, audience and teachers learning, listening and connecting in 2021, so keep checking our website for the most up-to-date activities.
