News / Grammy nominee
TWO-TIME Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel is to open this year’s Shetland International Guitar Festival in November.
Shetland Arts has announced the lineup for the three-day festival, which is being curated by multiple award winning British jazz guitarist Martin Taylor. He will also base his famous “guitar retreat” in the islands from 5 to 7 November.
Emmanuel is one of Australia’s most respected musicians and will be supported by Norman ‘Girsie’ Goudie & Friends for his concert at Mareel on Thursday 6 November.
He has garnered hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide during a professional career spanning five decades. Performing live is “extremely important” to Emmanuel, who has played over 300 concerts a year for the past seven years.
His live shows are known for their humour, passion and “infectious joy”. Chet Atkins honoured Emmanuel with the title of certified guitar player (CGP) for his contribution to music, a rare distinction shared by only four other people in the world.
Taylor himself will perform a headline concert on Friday 7 November, with support from Brian Nicholson and friends, and the following night will see a show featuring a line-up of Shetland “guitar heroes”. Each concert will be followed by a festival club in the Mareel café-bar.
Taylor is widely considered to be the world’s “foremost exponent of solo jazz and finger-style guitar playing” and is said to “dazzle audiences with a signature style that artfully combines his virtuosity, emotion and humour with a strong, engaging stage presence”.
He was completely self taught beginning at the age of four, going on to invent and develop a “unique” way of playing the guitar emulated by players all over the world.
“I’m already enjoying my first year curating the festival,” Taylor said, “and looking forward to the years ahead. As the festival continues to evolve, it’s still dedicated to the memory of my good friend Peerie Willie Johnson.
“This year, audiences can look forward to some world-class concerts and soaking up the atmosphere in the festival club afterwards. Plus we’re hoping to announce one more special festival event later in the year – watch this space!”
The Shetland Guitar Heroes concert will begin by showcasing young and up-and-coming guitarists from primary school age upwards. The second part of night will showcase a mixed line-up of the isles’ greatest guitarists.
It will then culminate with a “special collaborative, genre-spanning set” featuring several of Shetland’s most accomplished players – with the full line-up to be confirmed.
Taylor’s guitar retreat aims to “gather guitarists of all levels from around the globe with a common goal – learning, playing, eating and sleeping music”.
Shetland Arts marketing officer Lisa Ward said the retreat was “booking up fast”, while there has “already been a lot of interest in the concerts, which are on sale now”.
Ward added a package deal was on offer for anyone who wants to attend all three concerts and “we’re advising early booking to avoid disappointment”.
- You can view the full programme for this year’s Shetland International Guitar Festival here.
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