ABOUT FESTIVAL

The musical festival «The World of Guitar» was first held in Kaluga in 1998. This happened thanks to its talented founder and constant leader Oleg Akimov, the Kaluga Regional philharmonic soloist and teacher of Kaluga musical college named after S. I. Taneev. At the beginning the festival was financially supported by a joint effort of guitar music fans, sponsors and friends. Thanks to their enthusiasm and organizational skills the festival survived and became a significant event in musical life of the town.

For the last 10 years «The World of Guitar» has considerably extended its boundaries. It is now not only the unique phenomenon of the Russian festival life. It has gained international status and has become known in the world musical circles. Allusions to the festival can be found on many popular musical websites of Europe, United States and Latin America. Applications for participating in the festival are sent from all over the world.

For 5 days every May the highest creative level and lively atmosphere of communication unite musicians of different nationalities. They play music of various styles and trends and use different instruments, but they all share the same passion — for guitar art.

During the years of its existence «The World of Guitar» has presented admirers of classical and modern music with a great number of bright names of talented Russian and foreign performers.

The festival has become international thanks to the following musicians from different countries: Joram Zerbib and Jaron Hasson (Israel), Luz Maria Bobadilla (Paraguay ), «EOS guitar quartet» (Switzerland), Juan Francisco Ortiz (France), Jorge Cardoso (Argentina), Eva Fampas (Greece), flamenco-group «Luis Robisco Group» (Spain), Algimantas Paulukevichus (Lithuania), Anabel Montecinos (Spain), Cecilia Sequeira and Fernando Lima (Бразилия), Andres Tapia (Chile), «4-tissimo Guitar Quartet» (Russia-Belarus-Ukraine).

The variety of performers from Russia and the spectrum of their music are surprisingly broad:

• The Alexei Kozlov group «Arsenal»,
• The Symphony orchestra of Russia directed by People` s artist of the USSR Veronica Dudarova,
• The Symphony orchestra «Russian Philharmonic»,
• Alexander Martynov,
• Dmitry Illarionov,
• Sergey Rudnev,
• Sergey Ilyin,
• Alexander Vinitsky,
• Temur Kvitelashvili,
• Roman Miroshnichenko,
• Dmitry Chetvergov,
• Igor Boyko and «Boyko Band»,
• Two Siberians and many others.

Some participants such as flamenco groups «Los de Moscu» and «Almas del Fuego» took part in the festival more than once. Ivan Smirnov, a remarkable Russian guitarist, can be called a peculiar «talisman» of the festival.

The popularity of the festival has grown greatly since its beginning. No wonder it now attracts distinguished world famous guitarists. May, 2004 was marked by the performance of one of the greatest contemporary musicians Al di Meola.

In 2006 the legendary Spanish guitarist Vicente Amigo, who is predicted to become «Paco de Lucia of the XXI century», played his famous «Un Momento En EL Sonido» («The Moment of Sound»). It was performed in Russia for the first time. The warm welcome in Kaluga won the heart of the recognized master of flamenco and the invitation to take part in the 10-th anniversary festival was accepted with pleasure and at once.

The 10-th Festival was very representative. It was marked by the performance of such greatest «stars» as: Vicente Amigo (Spain), who played the flamenco concert «POETA» with the symphonic orchestra of Russia, Francis Goya (Belgium) and legendary Paco de Lucia. The king of flamenco came to Russia after 20-years interval specially to take part in 10-th festival «The World of Guitar».

«The World of Guitar» is not only a bright musical event with talented and celebrated participants. The festival also started a lot of attractive traditions arousing sincere feelings and respect to its organizers and participants. During the 5 days of the festival program Russian and foreign guitarists give daily master classes. Warm, friendly atmosphere and the opportunity of free communication appeal to musicians and guests of the festival. Another good tradition with the participants is to give charity concerts in hospitals, children` s and invalid homes — the kind attitude, enthusiasm and inspiration are so helpful and necessary. «The World of Guitar» gave birth to another interesting annual event, Children` s festival «Pervaya Struna» («The First String») which also represents a wide spectrum of guitar music and attracts new and new young participants and listeners. Oleg Akimov, the founder and constant leader of the festival, who gained the recognition for his creative work, organizational skills and devotion to music, was appointed Head of the Kaluga town culture and sports department in 2005. It has become a new important step both in cultural development of the regional centre and in further extension of the guitar festival.