Inaugural Edinburgh Guitar & Music Festival set for May 2013

Inaugural Edinburgh Guitar & Music Festival set forMay 2013 -

Preparations are now underway for the inaugural Edinburgh Guitar& Music Festival, the largest of its kind to be held inScotland. The three-day festival takes place in Edinburgh'shistoric Corn Exchange from 25th-27th May 2013 and aims to attractparticipants and visitors from all over the world with an extensiveprogramme of performances, seminars and competitions, as well as atrade exhibition.

Performances will embrace a variety of genres and styles,featuring an international line-up of artists that includesacoustic guitar virtuoso Peter Finger from Germany, Italianfingerstyle guitarist Daniele Bazzani, swing jazz guitarist AnthPurdy and Scotland's jazz virtuoso Nigel Clark with many more tofollow.

In the Festival's seminar programme, visitors can learn skills,tips and tricks from leading performers and practitioners. Withsomething for every guitarist, sessions include Guitar Looping(Haftoe Medboe), Rock 2 Jazz (Pete Sklaroff), Altered Tuning (PeterFinger), Slide Guitar (Tom Doughty), Becoming a Studio Guitaristand Getting the Right Sound (Hugh Burns), through to Surviving as aRock Guitarist with tour veteran and writer Phil Hilborne. Anadditional programme of industry seminars will see guest speakersfrom the music and audio industries cover a range ofbusiness-related topics relevant to guitarists of all levels.

Aiming to support the next generation of guitarists, theFestival also features two schools' competitions, the EGMFestivalJuniors Guitar Competition (for 11 to 14 year olds) and theEGMFestival Seniors Guitar Competition (for 15 to 18 year olds).Finalists will be selected from recorded entries and invited toperform live at a special event on Sunday 26th May. Three prizeswill be awarded in each category, with supporting schools alsoeligible to win vouchers for equipment purchase. The seniorcompetition is sponsored by Edinburgh-based festival partner RedDog Music.

The Festival is also partnering with Nordoff-Robbins MusicTherapy (Scotland), helping to promote a series of fun activitiesaround the festival period that raise awareness of the charity andits work. A trade exhibition will run throughout the festivalsupported by equipment manufacturers and distributors from Scotlandand beyond.

Festival organisers report a positive start to preparations forthe brand new event. "The Festival aims to provide a uniqueinternational stage for showcasing the work of both professionaland amateur guitarists," say Ged Brockie and Adam Dzierzek ofGuitar & Music Festivals Ltd. "However, it's also very much acommunity event and we are delighted to be receiving support fromlocal businesses, as well as the backing of leading figures such asEdinburgh's Lord Provost, as we embark on what will hopefullybecome an annual event in the international guitar calendar."

For further information about the Edinburgh Guitar & MusicFestival programme (including exhibitor and partner opportunities)visit: www.edinburghguitarandmusicfestival.co.uk