The Miami
Classical Guitar
Society

The Miami Classical Guitar Society is a non-profit organization created to promote greater appreciation for the classical guitar in our community and to give music lovers the opportunity to enjoy performances by local, national and international classical guitarists. Other important objectives include enhancing the level of classical guitar education in our city and offering local talented artists the means to further develop their talent through master classes, lectures, and competitions. Carlos Molina founded The Miami Classical Guitar Society in August of 1988.

 TheMiami Classical Guitar Society began its activities with the “1988-1989 Masters Concert Series”, featuring guitarists Juan Mercadal, Manuel Barrueco, David Tanenbaum, Flores Chaviano, Yasmin and Lou Mowad, and Adam Holzman. This first series was an absolute success. After a few months we recruited over one hundred members for our organization.

The following year, 1990, the MCGS presented the first “International Series” with guitarists from several countries, including Olivier Chassain from France, Ricardo Cobo from Colombia, Francisco Cuenca from Spain, and Carlos Molina and Benjamin Verdery from the U.S. The MCGS also began offering master classes, and a five lectures series on the history of the guitar, by Carlos Molina.

The MCGS has sustained its cultural endeavor, featuring many of the most renowned national and international artists in the guitar world. In the subsequent years, we have invited Stephen Aron, Manuel Lopez Ramos, Ivan Rijos, Elephteria Kotzia, Miguel Angel Girollet, the Falla Guitar Trio, Ricardo Iznaola, David Russell, Lily Afshar, Javier Garcia Moreno, David Russell, Carlos Molina, Ruben Riera, Albert Kunze, Fernando Maglia, Carlos Barbosa-Lima, the Masters-Carlton Duo, Adam Holzman, Ivan Rijos, Ernesto Diaz Tamayo, Los Angeles Guitar Quartet, John Holmquist, Antigoni Goni, the Quaternaglia Guitar Quartet, Cristobal Pazmino, Fabio Zanon, Jorge Morel, Quartet Entrequatre, Judicael Perroy, Denis Azabagic, Nikita Koshkin, Hugo Geller, Panibianco del Monaco,William Kanengiser, Lorenzo Micheli, Martha Masters, David Martinez, Vladislav Blaha, Ernesto Bitetti, Juuso Nieminen, Roland Dyens, Pedro Mateo González, Nexus Guitar Quartet, Ricardo Gallén, Rafael Padrón, Iliana Matos, Carles Pons, Jeremy Jouve, and Andras Csaki, to our annual series, from over twenty one countries.

International festivals

In 1991, the MCGS was chosen by the Guitar Foundation of America to host and organize an international guitar festival that would represent the U.S. Under the direction of Carlos Molina, the “Guitar Festival of the Americas”, celebrated at Florida International University, was the largest gathering of professional guitarists and aficionados in the state of Florida. Twelve concerts, twelve lectures, four master classes, an international competition, a vendor’s exposition, and an opening and closing reception gathered more than 150 guitarists in five days of incessant work. Some of the most prestigious guitarists performed at the festival: Manuel Barrueco, Roberto Aussel, Manuel Lopez Ramos, Norbert Kraft, Carlos Molina, Luis Quintero, Adam Holzman, Richard Stover, Ricardo Cobo, and Richard Provost.

In 2002, the MCGS produced “Sun Waves Guitar Fest 2002”, an international guitar festival, hosting once again the GFA International Convention and Competition, and directed by Carlos Molina. Concerts by David Russell, Benjamin Verdery and Rye Schmidt, Badi Assad, Manuel Barrueco, Jorge Morel, the Martinez Andújar Duo, Gabriel Guillén, Elena Papandreu, Eric Franceries, Olivier Chassain, Ricardo Gallén, Jaime Marquez, the Prague Guitar Quartet were the highlights. There were lectures by specialists, master classes, an international competition, a vendor’s exhibit, a gallery exhibition of art, an opening gala/fiesta with popular guitar music, and even a boat tour through the Miami Bay… An unforgettable historic event! Three hundred and seventeen guitarists, professors and aficionados attended!

 The following year, 2003, the MCGS produced the First International Course of Artistic Expressions for the Guitar at the Spanish Cultural Center, with Carlos Molina and Ricardo Gallén (Spain) as professors and concert artists.

The First International Guitar Competition of Miami and II Course of Artistic Expressions was organized in 2004, again with Carlos Molina and Ricardo Gallén, and the Nexus Guitar Quartet (Italy), as guest artists and jurors.

 Parallel events

In addition to the annual guitar series’ concerts, the MCGS has organized a diversity of events, including offering dozens of master classes and lecture-recitals in conjunction with the series' events with many of our national and international guest artists. Other events have included French musicologist Robert Vidal, who presented a commented film of Andrés Segovia. Social events, including honoring Juan Mercadal’s fiftieth anniversary as a performer, and gala dinners with David Russell and other guest artists. Moreover, in 1989, the MCGS organized the Miami Guitar Ensemble, constituted by members of our organization, which gave concerts in our community.

In 1996 we had the First Guitar Ensemble Festival, with the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet as our principal guests. The festival ended with a Community Guitar Orchestra of close to 100 guitarists, conducted by Carlos Molina. The following year, we held the Second Guitar Ensemble Festival with the Quaternaglia Quartet from Brazil.

Honoring the Spanish composer Rodrigo's 100 th birthday, a special “In Memoriam Joaquin Rodrigo Guitar Series” was held. Besides the series’ concerts, we had other important events: an illustrated lecture on the transcendence of Rodrigo’s music for guitarists, by Carlos Molina, and a full Rodrigo concert by Marisa and Carlos Molina, which also included piano and flute.

The Miami Classical Guitar Society continues with its initial goals of promoting the art of classical guitar. Today Miami finally has a thriving guitar movement and one of the most active guitar societies in the United States. The MCGS offers several membership categories, including Regular Member, Student Member, Joint Member, Friend, Patron, Donor, and Benefactor. In addition to discounted concert tickets, and regular information about events related to the guitar, members are given the opportunity to meet and share with artists at receptions and social events.