Welcome to the 2023-24 season of the Guitar Society of Toronto!
We are excited to be welcoming many wonderful international artists to our concert stage, many making their first appearance in Toronto. Daniela Rossi and Andrea de Vitis both performed in online concerts but will be here in person this season. Ensemble concerts this year include Quartet Malamatina, (with local guitarist Tim Beattie) to open the season, and Boyd meets Girl, a guitar-cello duo in January. GFA winner Lovro Poretic appears in November, and February will see a welcome return of Czech guitarist Pavel Steidl, his first since 2016.
April will feature the tenth edition of our very popular Toronto Guitar Weekend – a wonderful opportunity to spend a few days of total immersion in guitar! This year we are thrilled to feature the return of Cuban-American guitarist Manuel Barrueco – he last performed for us more than 10 years ago! The 2024 event will also celebrate the life and legacy of founder Eli Kassner on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Friday night will feature some very special guest performers, and Saturday will honour Eli’s contributions both as teacher and performer, with talks and screenings of films and videos. It promises to be another fun and educational weekend, with lectures, luthier fair, master class, and open mic, as well as the tremendously popular Brunch with the Artists.
We are happy to be able to continue to present classical guitar performances in schools, made possible with a grant from the Kenneth G. Mills Foundation. We have renewed our focus on commissioning new music, and continue to support guitar students with scholarships. Our community guitar orchestra allows guitarists of all ages and levels to learn and perform in an ensemble setting, and our Café Concert series of open mics is an opportunity for members to listen or perform in a relaxed atmosphere with friends. Explore our web site for information about all of these.
As you know, we are a not-for-profit organization, and depend on the generous support of our donors, sponsors and volunteers. We are so grateful; we could not do what we do without them!
It is my honour to be entering my ninth year as President of this wonderful organization, one of the oldest and most respected guitar societies in the world. I hope you will consider becoming involved, as a member, donor, or volunteer. Check out the Membership and Donor pages on the web site, and don’t hesitate to contact us – we want to hear from you!
Let’s make this season another one to remember!
Heather Morand Clark,
President