Festival of Guitar Music “Menestrel”
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| Country and Region | Belarus — Vitebsk |
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| Type of Festival | Music |
| Location of Festival | Vitebsk, Vitebsk, Belarus |
| Festival Address Information | Festival of Guitar Music “Menestrel” |
| Festival Description | The Festival introduces the guitar as not only a solo instrument but also features the richness of its sound when accompanied by a symphony orchestra—or played as accompaniment—or as a duet with lute, flute, or piano. Each Festival opens up surprising potentialities of the guitar, and keeps making the spectators familiar with its rich, centuries-old history and with the names of the greatest composers—Bach, Ponce, Tarrega, Albenis, Villa-Lobos, Barrios and others. The “Menestrel” is traditionally held at the “junction” between winter and spring. The characteristic feature of the “Menestrel” is that it is held in a cozy auditorium (up to 200 persons), with candlelit tables for the spectators. The stage and the musicians perform within common theatrical scenery—“the vaults of a Gothic cathedral”, “the inner courtyard of a patrimonial estate”, “the streets of a medieval town”. Within the context of the performance, slides are projected on screens. In all, the festival is a feast of the senses. |
| Festival Dates | February 24, 2007 |
| Festival Links |
Festival Story:
The Festival of Guitar Music “Menestrel” was established in February 1992 by Eduard Chernivchan. The 1992 and 1993 Festivals were dedicated to the classical heritage. It was not “Menestrel” then, but “The Chamber Festival of Classical Guitar Music”. Since 1994, the Festival has widened the parameters of guitar music to include the music of talented arrangers and modernist, and composers, to familiarize the additional guitar schools and directions. Thus, at the 1997 and 1998 Festivals solo concerts were given by original musicians from Moscow—Ivan Smirnov and Victor Zinchuk. All Festival events traditionally take place in the Vitebsk Business and Cultural Center of the Joint-stock company “The Classics of Fashion Industries”.
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