A celebration of guitars in Big Sky: International Guitar Night features four virtuosos

ARTS COUNCIL OF BIG SKY

The Arts Council of Big Sky kicks off its winter concert season with a celebration of fingerstyle acoustic guitar, when four acclaimed musicians share the stage at the Warren Miller Performing Arts Center on Thursday, Feb. 18.

“International Guitar Night” is one of the most popular touring showcases of guitar music, and features some of the hottest players in the world – including Lulo Reinhardt, the grand nephew of the famous Django Reinhardt. Brian Gore, Mike Dawes and Andre Krengel will also join Reinhardt on the WMPAC stage.

Since it began in 1995, this annual tour has been a forum for the world’s finest guitarists and composers to play their latest original songs and share musical ideas.

“We’ve been wanting to bring this international event to Big Sky for a long time,” said ACBS Executive Director Brian Hurlbut. “Not only will it showcase the excellent acoustics in the [WMPAC] theater, but it will be fun to watch. These four players are incredible.”

Gore is a San Francisco guitar poet that is gaining a reputation as one of the most interesting and influential performers of the next generation in fingerstyle guitar. His lyrical, understated compositions integrate classical and percussive techniques that display what the Los Angeles Times calls “a characterful bounce and spaciousness all his own.”

Since Dawes released his debut single with Candyrat records in 2012, his international profile has exploded. The young performer’s virtuoso style, littered with subtle nuances and micro-techniques has earned the 24-year-old British guitarist massive international critical acclaim. Dawes’ stage show has a youthful energy and charisma that blows the lid off the traditional guitar concert.

Reinhardt is a third generation master from Germany, and has retained the incredible Reinhardt soul, speed and dexterity while updating the repertoire. Lulo has expanded on the legacy of his granduncle Django with Latin-flavored rhythms and melodies, and has attained a worldwide reputation for his varied projects over the years.

For Krengel, who was born in a small German village, playing guitar is a journey and music is a language that connects us to people without words. He is a versatile and virtuosic guitar player who is mainly self-taught, with his own unique style of playing. Krengel is also one of the foremost and prominent players in Germany.