Kwantlen芒鈧劉s music department is hosting its 17th annual acoustic concert on Saturday night.
What do a French hot club jazz group, a Canadian unsung guitar guru, and a veteran finger-style guitarist have in common?
They芒鈧劉re the headliners in a guitar festival in 91原创 this week.
For the 17th year running, Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) is hosting the Fraser Valley Acoustic Guitar Festival at the 91原创 campus. The first two days (Thursday and Friday) are filled with student workshops, followed by a public concert on Saturday night.
Van Django, a four-man acoustic string ensemble of some of Canada芒鈧劉s most talented and eclectic musicians; Ari Lahdekorpi, a journeyman guitarist who has worked with numerous blues legends and pop crooners; and Kent Hillman, a musician who plays jazz, classical, and South American music, will perform at the Saturday event, announced organizer and event founder Don Hlus, an instructor at KPU since the school芒鈧劉s music department opened in 1993.
芒鈧揗ost people are surprised that these internationally acclaimed artists would travel to the Fraser Valley to play a show, but these same artists love to introduce their music to new audiences,芒鈧� Hlus said.
芒鈧揑t is such a thrill for them and to those who attend. And it is all happening right in our backyard.芒鈧�
Hlus founded the event to entertain and inspire the Valley芒鈧劉s music community, and to give high school and post-secondary music students a chance to work with, and learn from, internationally and locally distinguished artists.
芒鈧揟he idea behind the guitar festival came in conversations with several high school guitar instructors over 17 years ago,芒鈧� Hlus explained.
芒鈧揅ollectively, we wanted to create an opportunity for young musicians to see the artistic and creative potential within themselves. We also wanted the opportunity to support that creative development in others芒鈧� In the fifth year, my phone started ringing off the hook because people in the community were hearing about these world-class guitarists coming to the valley and wanted an opportunity to hear them in their own backyard. And that is how the evening concert came into being.芒鈧�
This year芒鈧劉s festival, themed The Gut, is being held in the university芒鈧劉s 91原创 auditorium at 20901 91原创 Bypass, starting at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15. Tickets are $20/adults or $15/students and seniors in advance (online at www.brownpapertickets.com/event/530313) or an extra $5 at the door.
