Mark your calendars for GuitarFest 2025!
GuitarFest 2025 is scheduled for March 28-30, 2025 (Fri-Sun).
We hope to see you there!
This website currently shows GuitarFest 2024 information as an example of the kinds of activities and guests typically occuring at the festival. As GuitarFest 2025 approaches, the new guest artists and event schedule will be posted.
GuitarFest 2024
April 19 - 21, 2024
Schedule of Events • Artists • Competition Rules
Dr. Adam Kossler, Artistic Director
Appalachian GuitarFest is now combined with the Boone Suzuki Guitar Workshop.
REGISTER NOW for GuitarFest 2024! Registration closes Thursday, April 18 at 8:00am EST.
Artist Biographies
Read more about our guest artists!
René Izquierdo • Elliot Frank • Stephen Bondy • Douglas James • Andy Page • Billie Feather • William Kossler Justin Craig • Jason Pickard • Adam Kossler • The Schaefer Center presents Snarky Puppy
GuitarFest Sponsors
Divison I Competition Prizes
Altamira Grand Prize: $1500
2nd prize: $800 & Altamira 20% off online coupon
3rd prize: $500 & Altamira 20% off online coupon
4th prize: $300 & Altamira 20% off online coupon
Special Prize
“George Thomas Panormo” awarded by Dr. Douglas James for the best interpretation of romantic guitar work. This prize will be awarded in the Semi-final round of the competition.
For the purpose of this competition, “Romantic Guitar Work” is defined as: a work written for pre-Torres instruments that precedes the Spanish nationalist style during the 1800’s. Composers may include, but are not limited to Giuliani, Sor, Regondi, Coste, Carulli, Aguado, Legnani, Carcassi, Paganini, Lhoyer, etc. Please feel free to contact Dr. Adam Kossler with any questions about at repertoire kossleraj@appstate.edu.
See Thomas Viloteau perform on a George Thomas Panormo.
See the full competition details here.
Please note: All prizewinners must complete appropriate IRS (Internal Revenue Service) forms to receive disbursement of prize monies. Payments of $1,500 or more may be subject to North Carolina or Federal withholding.
Prize Award eligibility is conditional upon authorization for employment in the United States, or otherwise eligible to receive payment under state and federal laws.
School-Age Division Prizes
Division II
Altamira 1st prize: $500 and Altamira N600 (valued at $1799)
2nd prize: $300 & Altamira 20% off online coupon
3rd prize: $200 & Altamira 20% off online coupon
Division III
Altamira 1st prize: $300 and Altamira N400 (valued at $899)
2nd prize: $200 & Altamira 20% off online coupon
3rd prize: $100 & Altamira 20% off online coupon
Division IV
1st Prize Certificate and free registration for GuitarFest 2025
2nd Prize Certificate and free registration for GuitarFest 2025
See the full competition details here.
In order for a prize to be awarded to a winner who is under 18, the parent or legal guardian will need to complete the forms to receive the prize on behalf of the minor. See the Prize Eligibility section in the competition rules.
High school guitarists may be interested in Cannon Music Camp, a comprehensive music camp at App State from June 22 - July 13. Learn more at cannon.appstate.edu! Applying early to camp is recommended if seeking a camp scholarship.
Hotel Booking
Thank you to our GuitarFest hotel sponsors! La Quinta Inn & Suites and Graystone Lodge offer an exclusive discount for GuitarFest attendees. Booking early is recommended.
Use the links below to book at the discounted rates. You will need to navigate to the GuitarFest dates (April 19-21) in the hotel's calendar to see accurate pricing and remove the "rate not available" notice.
- La Quinta booking link for GuitarFest (10% discount)
- Graystone Lodge booking link for GuitarFest (15% discount)
Poster
Snarky Puppy Performance
Snarky Puppy will be performing in the Schaefer Center on April 20 at 7:30pm! One ticket is included with full GuitarFest registration, and additional tickets can be purchased at https://theschaefercenter.org/event/snarky-puppy/.
Guitar at Appalachian State University
Guitar at the Hayes School of Music
The Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University has a thriving guitar program with a wide variety of degree programs. Highlights of our program include...
- Undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and certificate programs for guitarists
- Appalachian State GuitarFest: March 28-30, 2025
- Matanya Ophee Music Collection in the Belk Library
- Guitar Orchestra with over 25 guitarists
- Cannon Music Camp for high school musicians
- Guitar lessons for youth and adults (non-credit) through the Community Music School
Degree Programs for Guitarists
The Hayes School of Music offers many music degree options for guitarists.
Auditions are required for all music degree programs, including the music minor.
Music Degree Programs
- B.M. in Music Performance
- B.M. in Music Education
- B.M. in Music Therapy
- B.S. in Music Industry Studies
- Master of Music Therapy
- Master of Music in Performance
Minors and Certificates
The Ophee Collection: Historical Guitar Music
Appalachian State University has recently acquired the collection of historical documents once belonging to publisher and musicologist Matanya Ophee. Highlights from the Ophee Collection include over five hundred first and early editions of major guitar composers including Fernando Sor, Mauro Giuliani, Matteo Carcassi, Ferdinando Carulli, and many others, as well as the only complete manuscript of the Dix Etudes by Giulio Regondi, discovered by Ophee in 1987. The collection also includes the personal scores and papers of Argentinian guitarist Doming Prat (1886–1944), as well as a large amount of rare music for the Russian 7-string guitar from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries