With music at their fingertips, and each with something inherently unique about their playing, several outstanding Queensland guitarists will strut and strum their stuff on the stage of Pomona’s beautifully preserved Majestic Theatre on 5 November.
For artistic director Simon Gardner, the Noosa Guitar Festival is a celebration of all-things guitar: highlighting the seemingly endless possibilities of the instrument in the hands of the artists who play them.
He purposely selected guitarists for the event who each have an extensive repertoire in a particular genre along with original releases and or extensive touring experience with major artists.
“A lot of times we don’t recognise the contributions and output of these artists as they are usually backing other renowned performers,“ Gardner said.
“But they are fantastic in their own right. Networking is a very positive step for artists looking to build a musical career.“
Dominic Ward and Clancy Anderson met at Queensland Conservatorium where they both studied alongside Internationally celebrated guitarist Karin Schaupp.
As Solstice Guitar Duo, Ward and Anderson deliver beautiful ballads, Spanish serenades and flashy Irish jigs that are loaded with sizzling energy and passion.
“As an emerging guitar duo, performing at the Noosa Guitar Festival is a major leap forward for Solstice,“ Ward said.
“Getting to play in the same lineup as these superb guitarists is inspiring – a testament to the work we’ve done. From the rock mastery of Simon Gardner to the smooth jazz style of Jamie Clark, the Festival is going to blow people away with what the guitar can do.“
Simon Gardner is acknowledged as one of Brisbane’s premier rock guitarists and pre-eminent guitar teachers.
Since 2020, his expertise in faithfully recreating the signature guitar melodies and nuances of some of the most memorable pop, rock, soul and folk songs from the 1960s have been on show in Good Morning Vietnam – Music from the Vietnam War era.
While touring that show in NSW last year, he and Wild Goat Entertainment’s Melanie Evans conceived the idea for a guitar-celebration event; drawing their inspiration from the Crossroad Guitar Festival, a series of music festivals and benefit concerts founded by Eric Clapton.
“We will be holding true to the ethos of Crossroad by having six talented and successful artists of varying genres perform throughout the afternoon: which then culminates in a super jam at the end. I wanted to create a very diverse music program as I am passionate about guitar in all of its iterations.“
Gardner will be performing a set of his progressive rock compositions and also on the program will be Solstice Guitar Duo, Golden Guitar Award-winner Michael Muchow, the poetic easy-listening of Tim Sladden, and the clever finger-picking of Jamie Clark.
“It’s a very inclusive festival aimed at music lovers who are into guitar-centric music and so there will be some spicy metal thrown in by JayBird Byrne and Charlie Sloan – two young players with exceptional technique and flare. The king of instruments needs to be celebrated in all of its glory!“
