Strum-thing big is about to hit Glasgow

The sound of glorious guitars will reverberate across Glasgowwhen Big Guitar Weekend returns to the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in November.

A string of concerts and masterclasses will take place from November 1 to 4 which includes a highly anticipated performance from Royal Conservatoire graduate and guitar hero, Sean Shibe, the chart-topping and award-winning musician who has been described as ‘one of the foremost guitarists of his generation’.

For the first time, Big Guitar Weekend presents BGW Extra, free pop-up performances from Royal Conservatoire students. Gigs take place on Tuesday, October 30 and Thursday, November 1 at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall café between 1-1.45pm.

Big Guitar Weekend is a homecoming for Sean who was presented with the RPS (Royal Philharmonic Society) Music Award for Young Artists earlier this year.

Born in Edinburgh, he graduated from the Royal Conservatoire in 2012 with a Bachelor of Music (Honours). He recently released his critically acclaimed second solo album, softLOUD, which blends acoustic and electric guitars. It follows his 2017 album, Dreams & Fancies, which earned him a nomination in the instrumental category of the BBC Music Magazine Awards.

Sean said: ‘Returning to the Big Guitar Weekend is something that I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. In terms of community involvement, the breadth of programming and the sheer quality of the performances, there isn’t another festival like it in the UK.’

Highlights of Big Guitar Weekend, which is supported by D’Addario, include:

· Sean Shibe & ARTIS GuitarDuo: Sean will share the stage with guitar duo ARTIS in a programme that includes Britten, Bach, Rosseter and Handel.

· Fridays at One with Łukasz Kuropaczewski: well on his way to becoming a major figure on the worldwide classical music scene, Kuropaczewski will deliver an eclectic programme with music from Italy, Mexico, Spain and America in this hour-long lunchtime concert.

· Student Showcases: audiences are treated to two showcases from students of the Royal Conservatoire’s School of Music and the Junior Conservatoire.

· Hilary Rosin Coffee Concert Guitars with Guests: the laidback Sunday morning session is given over to the guitar with Masters students performing alongside Royal Conservatoire lecturer and guitarist Matthew McAllister and alumnus and international performing artist Jamie MacDougall.

· Closing Concert: the weekend comes to a close with the Big Guitar Weekend Guitar Orchestra.

Professor Allan Neave, head of guitar and harp at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, said: ‘Big Guitar Weekend is a highlight in the performance calendar at the Royal Conservatoire and this year it’s bigger than ever with a new community strand that will take pop-up performances to the people of Glasgow.

‘The festival is a celebration of the outstanding, emerging guitarists at Scotland’s national conservatoire and critically acclaimed international guest artists. The eclectic programme has something for everyone … it’s not to be missed!’

For more information on Big Guitar Weekend and to book tickets, visit www.rcs.ac.uk/boxoffice, call 0141 332 5057 or visit RCS at 100 Renfrew Street, Glasgow.