July 29 – 31, 2016
5th Annual
July 29 – 31, 2016
~ by Paige Langenderfer courtesy photo
The fifth annual Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival will take place July 29 through 31, 2016 and will feature a Friday evening open mic night at the Brown County Inn and a competition and concert on Saturday at the Brown County Playhouse. In 2012, Chuck Wills cofounded the event with fellow musician Kara Barnard.
The competition is open to only 40 competitors and appeals to fingerstyle guitar musicians from around the globe. Musicians have traveled from as far away as Italy, Japan, Spain, and Turkey to compete.
Wills describes fingerstyle as the most challenging form of guitar playing.
“ It’ s like the Olympics. The player is creating both rhythm and melody with their thumb and fingers. Fingerstyle can sound traditional like Chet Atkins, or more contemporary like Andy McKee,” he said.“ All of our players train and practice intensely. Not just to play each note the best they can, but to create their own song arrangements. Part of their score is on originality and arrangement of their piece.”
Most serious players will practice anywhere from six to eight hours a day to get in shape for a competition, Wills said.
The style of music played by the musicians runs the gamut of musical categories, from classical guitar to modern new age to flamenco. Wills said there are many ways of playing fingerstyle as well, such as fingerpicking, Travis picking, new age fingerstyle, slackkey guitar, classical, and flamenco.
“ At the competition, you will find fingerstyle guitarists playing jazz, classical, country, rock, and nearly every type of music out there,” Wills said.
The competition is intense, Wills said, as players are competing for a grand prize $ 5,000 guitar built by Thomas Roeger, of Tom’ s Guitars and Ukuleles in Bloomington. The winner will also win a $ 1,500 recording package from FretMonkey Records.
New to the competition this year will be the addition of“ The People’ s Choice Award.” Audience members will get to vote for their favorite player and the winner will go home with a Telecaster-style electric guitar.
Following the competition, the finalists will take the stage for a celebration concert at the Brown County Playhouse.
“ The concert is a celebration, with the best of the best taking the stage,” Wills said.“ The show includes more than just fingerstyle guitar. Tim and Myles Thompson bring the mandolin and harmony vocals, and our headliner Michael Kelsey always puts on a riveting show that seems like part music, part magic.”
Tickets to the competition and the concert are open to the public and can be purchased at the Brown County Playhouse or online at < browncountyplayhouse. org >. For more information about the Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Festival, visit < indianastringfest. com >.•
Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre at the Artists Colony Inn“ Let’ s Have Us a Weddin’”
This arranged marriage has some challenges with family on the groom side from London and on the bride’ s side from Paris, KY. Will you hear the vows or will a murder stop the ceremony?
Menu:
BBQ Chicken Prime Rib Salad / Dinner Roll Baked Beans Green Beans New Potatoes Corn Wedding Cake
$ 45 per person •( 812) 988-0600 July 23, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 1, 15, 29, Nov. 12
36 Our Brown County July / August 2016