video by Andre Feriante
Langley, WA – After more than a year of empty music venues, Multi-Instrumentalist / Composer Andre Feriante brings his annual guitar festival back to Langley! The Whidbey Island Guitar Festival is a three-day event celebrating the many voices of the guitar as presented by some of the greatest instrumentalists of the west coast. This year it will be held in partnership with the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts in Langley, WA on July 23, 24, and 25.
The 2021 festival features notable greats like Sunday’s headliner Roger Fisher, guitarist from the band 'Heart'. Django Fest favorite Trio Dinicu, with guitarist Tommy Davy, violinist Luanne Homzy, and bassist Frank Anastasio, will bring their energy to the festival stage on Sunday as well. Saturday finds Danny Godinez, a NW acoustic guitar wizard who has performed with Carlos Santana. As always, festival goers will have the opportunity to enjoy the music of Andre Feriante, one of the few guitarists of his generation to study in Spain with Maestro Andrés Segovia. He’ll be featured both Friday night and Saturday.
Friday night starts with Whidbey Island mainstays Troy Chapman and Keith Bowers joining Andre to kick off the event. Saturday and Sunday are rounded out with early music musician Gus Denhard, classical guitarist Hilary Field, sarod player Richard Russell, and frequent Feriante collaborator, guitarist Eric Fridrich.
Throughout the festival, guests will experience musical styles from the ancient, to classical, to contemporary... from folk to jazz to world music. The instruments played will be just as diverse, showcasing the many siblings and cousins of the guitar. This is quite possibly the only festival of it’s kind anywhere to bring such diverse styles and instruments to one stage.
Feriante’s inspiration for this festival stems from a desire to bring people of different walks of life and different interests together. It’s an opportunity for fans of one kind of music to experience other styles as well. It’s a chance to expand horizons musically, and make new friends in the process. Andre’s hope is to help people find unity, understanding, and peace through music.
The Whidbey Island Guitar Festival is now an offering of the new nonprofit group, One Moon Studio. The organization was started by Andre Feriante and business partner Shawn Berit to provide a spotlight to virtuoso musicians and artists of many kinds. One Moon Studio is an umbrella program of Whidbey Island Arts Council, a 501C3, not-for-profit organization. For more about One Moon Studio, visit www.onemoonstudio.org
This is a wonderful opportunity to spend the weekend at one of the northwest's favorite destinations, Whidbey Island. Stay at one of our wonderful B&B’s or vacation homes, enjoy top level dining, and experience a variety of virtuoso musicianship that can only be found here.
Tickets and Info: https://www.wicaonline.org/events-calendar-view/2021/7/23/whidbey-island-guitar-festival
