Welcome!

Year six. It almost seems surreal to say it, but time has a way of marching forward. Since our inaugural in 2004, we've had a few changes... a venue change in 2007 with the acquisition of the Loughborough Lake Holiday Park, a postponement in 2008, and a fantastic 2009 that saw our new and permanent indoor venue. It was the famous 'Guitar Weekend' at the house of Don Ross in September of 2001 where this idea took hold - and here we are now almost ten years later. Great music, great food and a chance to gel with people like yourselves who travel wide and far to meet and enjoy a weekend like no other. The people you meet, the friends you make. Funny thing this thing called music.

Welcome back. - Del

Performance Highlights

Award-winning spoken word artist Holmes Hooke continues to be sought out as performer-host by festivals and clubs the world over. This “national treasure” (CBC) has recorded three CDs, illustrated and authored a children's book, and had compositions performed by over 40 artists. Holmes' words will definitely “transport and move you” (Artsforum.) His poem “Plant A Tree” was included in a capsule buried in Scotland, to be opened in a huge ceremony one hundred years from now. Holmes says he definitely plans to be there.

Preview Jack Frasier by Holmes Hooke

Performance Highlights

For over 25 years, guitarist David Barrett has played with some of the biggest names in Canadian music history, touring and recording in just about every genre of music. As well as many collaborations, David has a series of self produced solo guitar albums. In addition to being a guitarist, Barrett is a composer and multi-instrumentalist, with his music often heard in film and television. In recent years, Barrett played lead guitar with The Classic Albums Live series, was the Director Of Special Events at The Toronto Fingerstyle Guitar Association, and is currently a coach at The League Of Rock. Barrett is now conducting guitar workshops and playing solo concerts in Canada.

Preview Number Four by David Barrett

Performance Highlights

Craig's fresh take on song structure and groove as well as his personal, yet accessible, melodies have found him loyal fans and a recording contract with CandyRat Records. In 2006 Craig placed 3rd in the fingerstyle competition at the Canadian Guitar Festival in Odessa, Ontario. He followed that up just a year later by taking 1st place in the same competition at Loughborough Lake Holiday Park. Craig has toured with such esteemed guitarists as Andy McKee, Don Ross, Stephen Bennett, and Antoine Dufour for shows in Quebec, the Midwest, and East Coast.

Preview Three Mile Bikeride by Craig D'Andrea

Performance Highlights

Ewan Dobson has won first prize in nearly every single Classical Guitar competition across the country. His impressive list of credentials include winning the Grand Prizes from both the Burlington Rotary Fall Music Festival and the Pickering Rotary Music Festival and representing Ontario twice at the National Finals of the prestigious Canadian Music Competitions (CMC), having been awarded the top prize in guitar. Most recently, Ewan was crowned the 2009 Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Champion. Hen then captured first prize in the acoustic category at the 4th Montreal Guitar Grand Prix. However, Ewan caught the attention of the world by capturing 3rd place at the 38th International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship held in Winfield, Kansas.

Preview Level 5 by Ewan Dobson

Performance Highlights

With three solo albums of original material released to critical acclaim, two live performance DVDs, and more than 15 million views on YouTube, Antoine Dufour has emerged as a young star of fingerstyle acoustic guitar, building a worldwide reputation for innovation and creativity. Antoine has toured across Canada, Europe, the UK and the USA. He has performed at major festivals such as The International Montreal Jazz Festival. Antoine won the first prize at the Canadian Fingerstyle Guitar Championships and placed third at the International Fingerpicking Championships in Winfield, Kansas.

Preview Catching the Light by Antoine Dufour

Performance Highlights

Drawing from folk, jazz, pop, soul and world music, Vicki Genfan is redefining ‘singer/songwriter culture.’ With a mastery of the acoustic guitar that borders on pure alchemy, audiences are mesmerized by the waves of sound Vicki creates with just two hands and her voice. Using 29 alternate tunings and the percussive technique she calls 'slap-tap', you'll find the addition of her pure, expressive vocals that dig deep and stir the heart to be the perfect accompaniment on many of her songs. Vicki's most celebrated award came in the form of first prize in the 2008 Guitar Player Magazine's 'Guitar Superstar' Competition.

Preview Groovin by Viki Genfan

Performance Highlights

Michael Manring is best known for radically expanding the limits of the fretless electric bass and for his adventurous solo concerts. He has appeared on over 200 recordings and toured throughout the world. He has received Grammy and Bammie nominations, the Berklee School of Music Distinguished Alumni Award, two Gold Records, two Just Plain Folks awards and the Bassist of the Year award from the readers of Bass Player Magazine. He was also the subject of a PBS TV documentary, The Artist's Profile: Michael Manring.

Preview I Left America by Michael Manring

Performance Highlights

In little over ten years as a professional musician Tony McManus has come to be recognised throughout the world as the leading guitarist in Celtic Music. In 2002 he was nominated as Musician of the Year by both the BBC Folk Awards and The Scottish Traditonal Music awards and hit the Critic’s Album of the year list in Acoustic Guitar magazine and named “Live Ireland Awards” Album of the Year. In January of 2009, Tony was the Acoustic Guitar Readers Choice Gold Medal Winner. Tony’s latest CD, The Maker's Mark, has been nominated for album of the year by the MG Alba Scottish Trad Music Awards and he has been nominated as “Solo Instrumental Artist” of the year for the Canadian Folk Awards.

Preview Laird of Dumblair by Tony McManus

Performance Highlights

Inspired by Buddhist philosophy and by his love of the open road – he’s an avid motorcyclist - Ray Montford, the one-time accompanist for the Rankin Family and Mary Jane Lamond, composes stirring instrumentals that wring emotion from every note. He was named 2007’s Instrumentalist to Watch by Galaxie. Ray's moving instrumentals have been heard on CBC radio and in the CBS television series The Eleventh Hour, the CBC TV documentary Marymount Again, and the PBS/Vision TV series Marginless Living and Who is My Neighbour – among other places. He is a regular at Toronto’s Beaches Jazz Festival and has toured The Netherlands with Autorickshaw’s Ed Hanley.

Preview Believe in Angels by Ray Montford

Performance Highlights

Gareth Pearson is a talented acoustic guitarist from Cwmbran in South Wales. He started playing the guitar at the age of 14 and quickly developed a distinctive finger-picking style which has earned him praise and accolades from all over the world. Now aged 21 he has an enviable list of achievements behind him including tours with guitar greats such as Tommy Emmanuel and Jan Akkerman. Gareth also has a formidable string of concerts and guitar festivals behind him including The Canadian Guitar Festival and The Montreal Jazz Festival. He regularly conducts guitar workshops when appearing at festivals. Gareth’s arrangement of the MGMT track Time To Pretend is currently sitting at number 14 in the most “loved” chart on the Hype Machine.

Preview Time to Pretend by Gareth Pearson

Performance Highlights

One of today's true innovators of guitar composition and technique, Don Ross is one of the most respected musicians in Canada and one of the top guitarists in the world. In September 1996, he managed to do what no other player has done: win the prestigious U.S. National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship for the second time (he first won in 1988). The competition, held yearly in Winfield, Kansas, cannot be won only with immaculate technique, but the player's music must also display a high degree of emotion and intensity — hallmarks of Don's style. Don continues to do extensive touring in Europe, Canada, the United States and Asia's Pacific Rim. When he's not on the road, Don lives with his family in Halifax on the east coast of Canada.

Preview Any Colour But Blue by Don Ross

Performance Highlights

Born and raised an hour east of Chicago in South Bend, Indiana, Denny Snyder picked up the guitar at age eleven and still hasn’t put it down. Influenced by an incredibly diverse group of musicians and sounds, he says he is a melting pot of everything he’s ever heard. Denny has somehow managed a fusion of blues, fingerstyle and slide player guitar stylings that enthralls audiences and the critics alike. In 2007 Denny moved to Montreal, released Full Circle in 2009 and promptly won Blues disc of the year in Québec.

Preview Lac Echo by Denny Snyder

Performance Highlights

Kelly Valleau is a spanish fingerstyle guitarist hailing from the "Great White North", that's Canada if yeah didn't know eh!....the breeding ground for spanish fingerstyle guitarists. A performer, composer, arranger, transcriber, teacher, student and all around good guy. This multi-dimensional guitarist has forged a unique solo guitar style, firmly rooted in classical composition with modern guitar techniques. "Musica para la Guitarra" is the first solo cd from Kelly Valleau. Nine originals and a couple killer arrangements to tweak your ears. Dark, dissonant, melodic, rhythmic music....HEAVY WOOD!!

Preview Fur Ludwig by Kelly Valleau

Performance Highlights

Jimmy Wahlsteen plays guitar using his very own personal fingerpicking technique and sound over inovative open tunings. The self produced instrumental album "181st Songs" contains multitrack recorded material with expressive guitar arrangements and brilliant guest musicians. The core of all songs is the acoustic guitar mixed and enhanced with percussion, strings and lots of additional guitars. The arrangements and productions of the songs are pop inspired. Jimmy leaves the fusion genre unexplored and brings his inspiration in songwriting from artists like Paul Simon and John Martyn. Jimmy made his name as one of Sweden's most hired session musicians, frequently appearing on Swedish television as musical director and band member on numerous television shows and touring international artists.

Preview It's your Favorite by J. Wahlsteen

Performance Highlights

We are very pleased to welcome back Andrew to The Canadian Guitar Festival. He gave fantastic performances at our 2005 and 2006 Festivals. Worldwide, over 1-million albums - including Andrew's own compositions - have been sold. Andrew's finger-style guitar work is technically brilliant yet possesses a highly melodic structure. He is one of the few who combines international class guitar playing with skilfully crafted and beautiful songs. A humble and gifted musician, Andrew's music will take you on a spiritual journey over the mountains of his soul and rivers through it.

Preview I Believe by Andrew White

Performance Highlights

Matthew Woodward is a highly respected and sought-after guitar instructor. He began teaching music in the early 1980's for Renaissance Music and later co-founded Kingston School Of Music, managing their downtown Kingston location for eight years. Since 1992 he has taught guitar privately from his own studio, where he enjoys coaching beginner to professional level players. Many of his students have gone on to become successful musicians and music instructors.