ACOUSTIC GUITAR MEETING 16th edition
2013, May 22-23-24-25-26
Firmafede Fortress, Teatro degli Impavidi, historical center of Sarzana

The AGM16 will take place inside the Firmafede Fortress, in the Theatre of Impavidi and in the streets and squares of the historical center of Sarzana (La Spezia). In this way more areas of the city will be involved in the event, offering all visitors the opportunity to live the ospitality and beauty of Sarzana.
The event is today considered one of the great international appointments of the acoustic guitar universe, not to be missed by luthiers, companies, artists and guitar lovers, able to bring the public closer to very high quality musical ideas.

The first 3 days of the AGM, Wednesday 22, Thursday 23, Friday 24 will be dedicated to the Lutherie and Guitar Didactic Courses. Morning and afternoon fulltime workshops for all those who wish to learn or improve guitar making techniques and playing techniques. The Courses will be held inside the beautiful ImpavidiTheatre, very close to the Firmafede Fortress.
The teachers will be Kevin Ryan, extraordinary luthier from California, Richard Hoover, founder and director of the Santa Cruz Guitar Company, who will lead lutherie course, and Tony McManus, Clive Carroll, coordinated by Davide Mastrangelo, who will lead the guitar didactics course, which will mostly focus on tecniques and arrangiaments in the celtic music.
All program and subscription details will be published on the dedicated page of the website.

Friday May 24, Saturday May 25, Sunday May 26, from 11am to 7pm, will be dedicated to the Lutherie, Import, Vintage Guitars and Accessories Exhibition, which will fill all the rooms and spaces inside the Firmafede Fortress, with the best luthiers, guitar makers and companies coming from all over the world. (122 stands in 2012).
On display will be all the creations of the lutherie, the best guitar brands and the latest market news, with demonstrations, presentations and conferences. All the most important guitar organizations in Italy will be present and will organize events. The visitors will also find stands dedicated to guitar publications, magazines, collectors, CDs, Vinyls, DVDs and an area for private exchange market.
From the success of the last years,  the special area ”Ukulele Village” will be confirmed again,  with Ukulele exhibitors, performances and events.

Subscriptions to reserve the stands are now open. All the information on the dedicated page for exhibitors.
Visit also the accomodation list page of Hotels, B&B, etc. for staying in Sarzana.

Thursday May 23, the first part of the evening concert on the main stage, at 7pm, will be dedicated to the “NEW SOUNDS OF ACOUSTIC MUSIC” -Carisch 2013 Award “In memory of Stefano Rosso”, a young guitarists contest which every year discovers new talents in the guitar music. A jury of journalists, artists and experts in the field will choose the winners, both in the fingerstyle and songwriting field.
The second part of the concert, at 9pm, will present some of the best international guitar players.
The full program will be published soon.

Friday 24 and Saturday 25, starting at 9pm, the best international guitar players, both in solo and in ensemble, will perform on the main stage: usually unforgettable concerts!
The full concert program will be published soon.
Saturday 25, the central part of the concert will be dedicated to the City of Sarzana-Liguria Region Award “STRINGS & VOICES for DIALOGUE & CIVIL RIGHTS”, 5th edition.
 A celebration of the popular song as a prominent instrument of social commitment, for dialogue and civic progress, and its interpreters par excellence: the voice and the acoustic guitar. The Award will be presented to the winner artist by the Major of the City of Sarzana. (1st edition attribuited to the memory of Woody Guthrie, 2nd edition to Jackson Browne, 3rd edition to the memory of Victor Jara and Violeta Parra, 4th edition to Francesco Guccini).
Martin Guitars-Eko partners of the event.

Concerts and performances of the best guitarists on the main stage will go on  for all day Sunday 26  (free entrance).

There will be very interesting conferences during the AGM, located inside the Firmafede Fortress and addressed to luthiers, guitar makers and interested public.
The first one will be lead by John Thomas (musician, writer and journalist of The Fretbourd Journal) with the title “Kalamazoo Gals: A Story of Extraordinary Women and Gibson’s “Banner” Guitars of WWII”. An interesting story of the women who saved the Gibson Guitar Company during the war.
Others will be:
“Top voicing and wood selection considerations for the vintage Martin”, lead by the American luthier John Slobod and focused on Martin Guitars, modern and “Pre war”, about what role woods play in the voice, the top selection, bracing, scale length, neck shapes, glues and finishes, etc…
“Folk Revival and Guitars: as the traditional British music evolves from the second half of the 1900″, lead by Gianni Cunich and Fabio Lossani, who will speak about the stylistic evolution of the English, Scottish, Irish and all Celtic music, by the work of the most representative guitarists. There will be live music examples and video projections.
“A Discussion On Guitar Shapes and Tonewoods” lead by Andy Lund which will focus on Taylor Guitars and, for the first time in Italy, Kim Breedlove will present “History of Breedlove Guitars: Art, Music, Love”  a journey in the lutherie, in the personal history of Kim and his brother Larry and as they developed the Breedlove Guitar Company.
Fingerpicking.net organization will present many editorial works and other activities about the world of the acoustic guitar.

Seminars, workshops, events will fill all the rooms and corners of the Firmafede Fortress and also the historical center of the City of Sarzana will be a location  for concerts and jam sessions, involving all the City in the nice atmosphere of the AGM.

The entrance area of the Fortress, prepared by the traditional sponsor “Heineken”, will present concerts every morning and will welcome all the visitors. To visit the AGM in Sarzana is an opportunity for deepening guitar culture, a moment of business, but also a time of fun and joy, in a beautiful location and in a nice and welcoming town.

Thanks to all partners and sponsors that make this possible.
Have a good trip if you want to visit us in Sarzana on May 22-23-24-25-26!

PARTNERS E SPONSORS:

Città di Sarzana – Regione Liguria – Ministero dei Beni Culturali, Soprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici e Paesaggistici  della Liguria – Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca, Direzione perla Liguria, CSA La Spezia- Università di Pisa,  Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia,  Corso di laurea in Cinema Musica Teatro – Fondazione Campus Studi del Mediterraneo, Università del Turismo, Lucca – ARTEmisia Servizi Culturali S.c.r.l – Heineken Italia spa – Eko Music Group – Martin Guitars – Fishman Pickups – Carisch spa distr.  Ramirez Guitars – Mogar Music spa distr. Ibanez Guitars – Taylor Guitars – Aramini, distr. Larrivée, Lakewood, Sigma Guitars, DR Strings – National Reso-phonic Guitars – Santa Cruz Guitar Company – Gold Music distr. Breedlove, Tanglewood, Alvarez, Cole Clark Guitars – Yamaha Guitars – Deering Banjo Company – Domus Musica distr. Dogal Strings, Shadow – John Pearse Strings –  B-Band Transducers
S.R. Technology P.A. Systems, Official Sound
Fingerpicking.net – CentroStudiFingerstyle – Accademia di Chitarra “LIZARD” – A.D.G.P.A. ofItaly
MEI-AudioCoop – The Sound of the Valve – “Mama Africa Meeting”, Pontremoli (MS)
Magazines: “DismamusicaMagazine”,  “Chitarra Acustica”, “Guitar Club”,  “Chitarre”, “Strumenti Musicali”, “Suonare News”, “Seicorde”, “Buscadero”, “Il Blues”,  “Pagine Musica”
Media partners: Fingerpicking.net – MEI-AudioCoop – Folk Bulletin – Mentelocale.it – Radio Babboleo – Blue Liguria

As always, in the third week of January 2013, we will visit the NAMM Show in Anaheim, Los Angeles US and will be available to meet you there.

POSTER AGM16

LUTHERIE, GUITAR DIDACTIC COURSES
(Wed22-Thu23-Fri24)

The first 3 days of the AGM, Wednesday May 22, Thursday May 23, Friday May 24 will be dedicated to the Lutherie, Guitar Didactics Courses. Morning and afternoon fulltime workshops for all those who wish to learn or improve guitar making techniques and playing techniques. The Courses will be held inside the beautiful ImpavidiTheatre, very close to the Firmafede Fortress.

The teachers will be Kevin Ryan, extraordinary luthier from California, Richard Hoover, founder and director of the Santa Cruz Guitar Company, who will lead lutherie course, and Tony McManus, Clive Carroll, coordinated by Davide Mastrangelo, who will lead the guitar didactics course, which will mostly focus on tecniques and arrangiaments in the celtic music.

program/registration

LUTHERIE, IMPORT, VINTAGE GUITARS & ACCESSORIES EXHIBITION
(Fri24-Sat25-Sun26, h.11am-7pm, free entrance)

-CD, DVD, Vinyls, rarity collection, publishing and magazines Exhibition
-Conferences, Workshops, concerts, events, etc. programma completo
-Seminars and meetings by Centro Studi Fingerstyle, Italian ADGPA, “Fingerpicking.net”
-UKULELE VILLAGE
info espositori

CONCERTS on Main Central Stage, Firmafede Fortress

Thursday May 23rd h.7pm:

“NEW SOUNDS OF ACOUSTIC MUSIC”, CARISCH 2013 Award in the memory of Stefano Rosso

participants:

Dario Bellaveglia, Federico Franciosi, Alessandro Sipolo, Francesco Garolfi, Federica Musicò, Francesco Tonazzini, Samuele Borsò, Giuseppe Michieletto, Joan Thiele, Yuri Yague

Jury:
Stefania Rosso (Stefano Rosso’s daughter), Andrea Carpi (journalist), Davide Mastrangelo (CentroStudiFingerstyle), Giovanni Unterberger (Lizard), Reno Brandoni (Fingerpicking.net), Marino Vignali (ADGPA), Germano Dantone (Carisch), Giovanni Ravaglioli (Heineken), Alessio Ambrosi (Armadillo Club), Richard Hoover (luthier), Tony McManus (guitarist), Haley S. Robertson Brozman

The best proposals will be awarded by CARISCH, JOHN PEARSE STRINGS, B-BAND Transducers

Thursday May 23rd, h.9pm:

VINCENZO ZITELLO (Ita)
TONY MCMANUS (UK)
TRIBUTE CONCERT TO THE MEMORY OF BOB BROZMAN (UK-US-La Reunion)
featuring John McSherry, Donal O’Connor, Daniel Shane Thomas, Jim Norris, René Lacaille, Marc Lacaille

Friday May 24th, h.9pm:

CRAIG THATCHER & NYKE VAN WYK (US)
CLIVE CARROLL (UK)
MARCUS EATON & KITCH MEMBERY (US-Australia)
HANS THEESSINK (NL)
“ITALIAN BLUEGRASS ALL STARS” featuring Danilo Cartia, Massimo Gatti, Leo Di Giacomo, Anchise Bolchi, Icaro Gatti & special guests

Saturday May 25th, h.9pm:

GIACOMO LARICCIA (Ita)
CARLO FAIELLO & PARANZA VESUVIANA (Ita)
SOLORAZAF (Madagascar) & ANDREA BOZZETTO (Ita) present
“A Musical Tribute to Mama Africa”  featuring  Oum, Gabin Dabirè, Sanjay Kansabanik, Souleymane Dembelé (Africa-India)
FINAZ (Ita)
TRIO FERNANDEZ (Ita) presents “PICCOLA ORCHESTRA BANDABARDO’” featuring Finaz, Erriquez, Ramon

in the evening:
“Strings & Voices for Dialogue & Civil Rights Award”, 5th edition
in memory of MIRIAM ZENZILE MAKEBA

This award aims to recognise artistic expression in both musical and social fields, and the extraordinary commitment in the fight for civil rights.

The Award will be presented to Mr. Roberto Meglioli, manager of the South African artist and  a very close friend and collaborator for more then 20 years.

The Award, the engraved plaque made by Master Luigi Mainolfi, will be presented to Roberto Meglioli by the Major of the City of Sarzana.
dedicated page and motivations

Sunday May 26th, from11am to 7pm (free entrance):

MATTEO CRUGNOLA (Ita) winner of “New Sounds of Acoustic Music” 2012, fingerstyle guitar
DANIELE LI BASSI (Ita) winner of “New Sounds of Acoustic Music” 2012, songwriter
JOE CHIARELLO (Ita)
“LADIES & GUITARS” featuring Joan Thiele, Milena Piazzoli, Valeria Caputo, Kiana Luna
Gold Music/Breedlove Guitars partner of the event
CHRIS PROCTOR (US)
CRAIG THATCHER & NYKE VAN WYK (US)
PAOLO SCHIANCHI (Ita)
JUAN LORENZO TRIO (Ita) presents
“Flamenco De concierto”

ADMISSIONS:
Exhibition and daily events in the Firmafede Fortress, from 11am to 7pm: free entrance
Evening concerts on the main stage, Thu23-Fri24-Sat25: Tickets € 20 – Advance ticket sales on www.happyticket.it (€ 20+2)
Discount tickets (Armadillo Club members, students) € 16 – (no advance ticket sales)
Three nights subscription (Thu-Fri-Sat) € 50, reserved seats, 2nd and 3rd lines, adavance sales at  info@armadilloclub.org 

THURSDAY MAY 23

h.7pm:
NEW SOUNDS OF ACOUSTIC MUSIC  Premio Carisch 2013 In memoria di Stefano Rosso
Young guitarists contest

Performances on the main stage of:

Dario Bellaveglia, Federico Franciosi, Alessandro Sipolo, Francesco Garolfi, Federica Musicò, Francesco Tonazzini, Samuele Borsò, Giuseppe Michieletto, Joan Thiele, Yuri Yague

Jury composed by: Stefania Rosso (figlia di Stefano Rosso), Andrea Carpi (giornalista), Davide Mastrangelo (CentroStudiFingerstyle), Giovanni Unterberger (Lizard), Reno Brandoni (Fingerpicking.net), Marino Vignali (ADGPA), Germano Dantone (Carisch), Giovanni Ravaglioli (Heineken), Alessio Ambrosi (Armadillo Club), Richard Hoover (liutaio), Tony McManus (musicista), Haley Brozman

Awards offered by: CARISCH spa, JOHN PEARSE STRINGS, B-BAND TRANSDUCERS

h.9pm in concert:

VINCENZO  ZITELLO   (ITA)

  www.vincenzozitello.it

TONY  MCMANUS  (UK)

 www.tonymcmanus.com

TRIBUTE CONCERT TO THE MEMORY OF BOB BROZMAN 

featuring John McSherry, Dónal O’Connor, Ross Martin, Daniel Shane Thomas, Jim Norris, René Lacaille, Marc Lacaille (Ireland-US- La Reunion)

FRIDAY MAY 24 h.9pm

CRAIG THATCHER & NYKE VAN WYK (USA)

https://acousticguitarvillage.net/www.facebook.com/craigandnyke/info

CLIVE  CARROLL  (UK)

www.clivecarroll.co.uk

MARCUS EATON & KITCH MEMBERY (USA/AU)

www.marcuseaton.com https://acousticguitarvillage.net/www.facebook.com/kitchmusic/info

HANS THEESSINK  (NL)

www.theessink.com

“ITALIAN BLUEGRASS ALL STARS”  con
Danilo Cartia, Massimo Gatti,  Leo Di Giacomo, Anchise Bolchi, Icaro Gatti & special guests

SATURDAY MAY 25 h.9pm

GIACOMO LARICCIA (ITA)

www.giacomolariccia.com

CARLO FAIELLO & PARANZA VESUVIANA  (ITA)

“terra ‘e mare…attraverso il mare e la terra”

SOLORAZAF & ANDREA BOZZETTO (AFRICA-ITA) presentano:
“A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO MAMA AFRICA” con Oum, Gabin Dabirè, Sanjay Kansabanik, Souleymane Dembelé (AFRICA-INDIA)

FINAZ  (ITA)

https://acousticguitarvillage.net/www.facebook.com/FinazOfficialPage

TRIO FERNANDEZ (ITA) presenta: “Piccola Orchestra Bandabardò”
con  Finaz,  Erriquez,  Ramon
Erriquez: voce e chitarra  Finaz:  voce e chitarra  Ramon: tromba e percussioni

www.bandabardo.it

SUNDAY MAY 26 h.11am-7pm

MATTEO CRUGNOLA (ITA)

DANIELE LI BASSI (ITA)

JOE CHIARELLO  (ITA)

“LADIES & GUITARS” con  Joan Thiele, Milena Piazzoli, Valeria Caputo, Kiana Luna
partner Gold Music/Breedlove Guitars

CHRIS PROCTOR (USA)

CRAIG THATCHER & NYKE VAN WYK (USA)

PAOLO SCHIANCHI (ITA)

JUAN LORENZO TRIO (ITA) presenta “Flamenco De Concierto”

WELCOME CONCERTS – Fossato stage Firmafede Fortress

Friday May 24 from11am to 7pm: BLUEGRASS MEETING!

Saturday May 25 from 3 to 5pm: Performances of the ACADEMY “Andrea Bianchi” SARZANA

Saturday May 25 from 5 to 7pm: Performances of the  MODERN MUSIC INSTITUTE SARZANA

Sunday May 26 from 11am to 4pm: Performances of the LIVE MUSIC ACADEMY SARZANA

DAILY CONCERTS – Torre stage Firmafede Fortress

Friday May 24 – Saturday May 25 – Sunday May 26 from 11:30am to 6:30pm
coordinated by Anacleto Orlandi & Luca Bertone
palcodellatorre@gmail.com

CONCERTS IN THE HISTORICAL CENTER OF SARZANA

Saturday May 25 and Sunday May 26: Performances of MAX PRANDI, MILENA PIAZZOLI, MAX DE BERNARDI & DARIO POLERANI, “SLIM RIVER BOYS”, “TONDO LISCIO ACUSTICO DUO”

Program of the conferences – workshops
inside the ground floor room of the Tower