For release: March 18, 2013
For press information, contact Curt Guenther, 901-678-2843

Performances by virtuoso artists Lily Afshar, David Mozqueda, and Daekun Jang will highlight the Annual Memphis International Guitar Festival at the University of Memphis Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music. The event, which will be held April 5-7 in Harris Concert Hall, 3775 Central Avenue, will include three concerts, a competition and master classes.

Artistic director of the Festival, U of M professor Afshar has been called “one of the world’s foremost classical guitarists” by Public Radio International. She was honored with the 2000 Orville H. Gibson Award for Best Female Classical Guitarist and has won the Grand Prize at the Aspen Music Festival Guitar Competition. Her collaborations have resulted in premieres of new works by many contemporary composers, and her four CDs and DVD have attracted critical acclaim.

Afshar was “Artistic Ambassador to Africa” for the United States Information Agency. She is head of the University of Memphis guitar program.  She is a recipient of the U of M’s Board of Visitors Eminent Faculty Award and the Alumni Association Distinguished Teaching and Research Award.

Critics have called Daekun Jang “… one of the best guitarists of his generation who can bring life into the musical notes through his magnificent techniques and full poetic feelings." Jang has won more than 20 prizes at various guitar competitions, among them first prize at the Luys Milan International Guitar Competition, the Kukulcan International Guitar Competition, and the Zarautz International Guitar Competition.

A noted solo and chamber performer, Jang has given recitals throughout Europe and Asia. He has appeared as a soloist with such orchestras as Orquesta Clásica Santa Cecilia, the Mexico City Symphony Orchestra, the Europea Mediterranea Symphony Orchestra, Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra, Millennium Symphony Orchestra, KBS Philharmonic Orchestra and Arco Diavolo Chamber Orchestra. He has published three CD’s: “Songs of the Guitar,” “Impressions of Spain” and “Azahar.”

For two years, David Mozqueda won first place in classical guitar in the “Concurso Cultural para la Niñez” in México City. From 1982 to 1987 he won first place in four international competitions organized by Fine Arts National Institute in México. In 1993 he took second prize in the “The Great Lakes Classical Guitar Competition” and in 1994 won second prize in the “Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Manuel M. Ponce.

Mozqueda has performed as soloist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of Jalisco, Orquesta Filarmónica de Michoacán, Orquesta de Cámara del Conservatorio de Las Rosas, Orquesta Filarmónica de Guanajuato and others. He has played in festivals including the Festival Chitarriztico, festivals in Rörsrat, Dortmund and Köhln, Festival Internacional de Guitarra in Cuernavaca and Kingstone Chamber Music Festival in Rhode Island.

He has recorded CD’s with the “Cuarteto Concertante,” ensemble “Ars Antiqua” and his solo CD, “MEMORIAS.” He is currently recording his second solo CD.

The schedule of events is as follows:

Concert Schedule

April 5           7:30 p.m.      Lily Afshar

April 6           7:30 p.m.      David Mozqueda

April 7           7:30 p.m.      Daekun Jang

Master Class Schedule

April 5           1 - 6 p.m.      David Mozqueda

April 6           1 - 6 p.m.      Daekun Jang

April 7           1 - 6 p.m.      Lily Afshar

Competition Schedule

April 5           9 a.m.          First Round

April 7           9 a.m.          Finals

For admission to multiple events, a 3-day pass to all events is $75, and a 1-day pass to all events that day is $30.  Tickets to evening concerts only will be sold at the door; their cost is $20 for the general public, $10 for seniors and non-U of M students, and free for U of M students, faculty and staff.  More information is available by calling 901-678-2541.

The Festival is sponsored by the Augustine Foundation, which sponsors the study and performance of classical guitar.

More information about the festival is available online at www.memphis.edu/guitarfest, or from Lily Afshar at 901-678-3788 or lafshar@memphis.edu