{"id":111140,"date":"2026-10-05T15:49:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:49:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=111140"},"modified":"2026-10-05T15:49:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-05T15:49:01","slug":"uris-11th-guitar-and-mandolin-festival-takes-the-stage-beginning-oct-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/uris-11th-guitar-and-mandolin-festival-takes-the-stage-beginning-oct-18\/","title":{"rendered":"URI\u2019s 11th Guitar and Mandolin Festival takes the stage beginning Oct. 18"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Oct. 5, 2026 \u2013 The warm, mellow sounds of guitars and mandolins will once again blend with the cool autumn air across the University of Rhode Island campus and neighboring southern Rhode Island communities in late October.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 11th<\/sup> annual URI Guitar and Mandolin Festival will bring together the global string artist community for a weeklong celebration of music beginning Oct 18. Guitarists and mandolinists from all corners of the world, including Brazil, Peru, Australia, Costa Rica, Italy, France, South Korea, Israel, Greece and Japan, will descend upon the Ocean State to delight local music enthusiasts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ten performances will be held Oct. 18-25<\/strong> on the Kingston Campus and the surrounding area.  Thirty notable artists, including Duke Robillard, Eliot Fisk, Jorge Caballero, Antoine Boyer, Eleonora Strino, Vincent Beer-Demander, Fabio Gallucci, Ian Coury, Jacob Reuven, Duo Sonidos, Adrian Montero Moya, URI Associate Teaching Professor, Instructor of Classical Guitar and festival founder Adam Levin<\/a> and more will be featured. URI music students and alumni and faculty will also take the various stages during the festival, including at the General Stanton Inn, the URI Fine Arts Center and Edwards Hall Auditorium.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Duke
Rhode Island blues legend Duke Robillard will perform at this year\u2019s festival on Oct. 18. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The seven-day festival will also offer several educational and competition programs, including masterclasses by guest artists, workshops, a guitar and mandolin competition and an expo featuring instrument makers showcasing their work. These educational opportunities will provide students a chance to learn from the best performing an array of genres, including jazz, Latin mix, classical and blues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The festival is a melting pot, of sorts, where aspiring artists can meet their heroes\u2014and possibly even collaborate with them\u2014in front of a live audience, creating a special atmosphere at the University and points elsewhere, and establishing itself as a cultural mainstay at URI, according to Levin.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Japanese
Japanese mandolinist Suzuna Takahashi and Greek guitarist Sotiris Athanasiou, last year\u2019s URI Guitar Competition winners, will perform live at this year\u2019s Guitar and Mandolin Festival on Oct. 20.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cOver the past decade, this festival has become a stomping ground for artists and students alike to have a conversation, to engage one another in a relaxed environment. A student can ask an artist, \u2018how can I play this passage better?\u2019 And an artist can offer one-of-a-kind feedback into how to refine their artistry,\u201d Levin said. \u201cWe’re providing access to the best classical guitar and mandolin education to a broad group of students, regardless of age and skill. We’re here to make great music, to listen to multi-genre and multi-cultural music, and to share ideas. That’s a really powerful message to those who are considering coming to the festival this year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

New this year, URI is welcoming renowned Brazilian classical guitarist Jo\u00e3o Luiz Rezende as artist-in-residence and composer-in-residence to the festival. A two-time Latin Grammy nominee and professor at the Yale University School of Music, Luiz Rezende has performed across the world with artists such as Yo-Yo Ma and Carlos Prieto. His interests include bridging classical, jazz, and Latin American music, and discovering ways to make classical music education more accessible to communities with limited access to music. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Adam
Duo Sondios, featuring URI Associate Teaching Professor, Instructor of Classical Guitar and festival founder Adam Levin, left, and partner William Knuth, will perform on Oct. 22.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Luiz Rezende will deliver lectures and masterclasses, as well as premiere his new piece \u201cSonata for violin and guitar,\u201d which Levin and his duo partner William Knuth of Duo Sonidos commissioned for violin and guitar, on Thursday, Oct. 22<\/strong>, at the United Theatre in Westerly\u2014marking the first time the festival will perform there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe are beyond excited to host acclaimed artist and composer-in-residence Jo\u00e3o Luiz Rezende at the 2026 festival,\u201d Levin said. \u201cHe will provide knowledge and guidance on composition, Brazilian music and workshops geared to guitarists. Plus, bringing the festival to the United Theatre is a wonderful opportunity for us to introduce ourselves to a new audience and a new community in an entertaining and eclectic way.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n