{"id":369632,"date":"2026-08-12T19:22:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-12T19:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/369632\/"},"modified":"2026-08-12T19:22:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-12T19:22:11","slug":"timucua-international-guitar-festival-hosts-six-stringed-artistry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/369632\/","title":{"rendered":"Timucua: International Guitar Festival hosts six-stringed artistry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Six strings unite six performances at the Timucua Arts Foundation<\/a> this month, providing a common musical thread for audiences to follow through multiple centuries and musical styles.<\/p>\n

The fifth annual International Guitar Festival<\/a> gathers performers from Colombia, Israel, Italy and America, showcasing melodies from around the world. The series of shows at the white house<\/a> \u2014 the Glazer family\u2019s home and 100-seat performing arts venue \u2014 continues on select nights this weekend through Aug. 23.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people have played guitar for fun,\u201d said Benoit Glazer<\/a>, the co-founder of Timucua Arts Foundation. \u201cEven if they end up doing something else in life, they become a very good audience. They\u2019ve tried, they\u2019ve worked at it and see that they couldn\u2019t make it, but they\u2019re happy to see somebody who really mastered the instrument.\u201d<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s lineup includes Ohad Niceberg<\/a>, Ronn McFarlane<\/a> and Andrew McEvoy<\/a>, Carlos Serrano<\/a>, Alberto Lombardi<\/a> and Jimmy Robinson<\/a>, playing on five separate nights. Earlier this month, two Central Florida-based performers showcased the Chinese guzheng and erhu, both guitar-adjacent string instruments, to kick off the series.<\/p>\n

Serrano said the guitar allows each player to find his or her own unique way of expression.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an instrument that lends itself for the exploration, the curiosity and for everybody finding their own personal voice,\u201d he said. \u201cNo matter how much you try, two guitarists cannot sound exactly the same \u2014 whether they play the same repertoire or not.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"OhadOhad Niceberg is one of the guitarists performing at Timucua Art Foundation’s International Guitar Festival. (Yossi Zwecker\/Courtesy Timucua Art Foundation)<\/p>\n

On Aug. 14, Niceberg, a \u201crising star\u201d of the New York City jazz scene, will fuse jazz with other genres for an innovative, virtuosic performance.<\/p>\n

On Aug. 15, McFarlane, a Grammy-nominated lutenist, will showcase the lute, a Renaissance-era stringed instrument, for the first time at Timucua. He will be joined by Virginia-based guitarist McEvoy.<\/p>\n

\"AlbertoAlberto Lombardi is one of the guitarists performing at Timucua Art Foundation’s International Guitar Festival. (Courtesy Timucua Art Foundation)<\/p>\n

The final weekend of the International Guitar Festival features Serrano on Aug. 21, Lombardi on Aug. 22 and Robinson on Aug. 23.<\/p>\n

Serrano, a South Florida-based musician from Colombia, played at Timucua in 2023 and is looking forward to returning to the intimate venue once more.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was a great experience. The audience was very close to the stage, which I prefer. I want to share with them, talk to them, see them and hear them,\u201d he said. \u201cI think it\u2019s great that they vary the performers and the style that they showcase, even within the guitar festival.\u201d<\/p>\n

During his Timucua show, Serrano will perform four sonatas, each from a different century, starting with the 18th century.<\/p>\n

\"CarlosCarlos Serrano is one of the guitarists performing at Timucua Art Foundation’s International Guitar Festival. (Thomas Uriarte\/Courtesy Timucua Art Foundation)<\/p>\n

\u201cThe contrast will allow the listener to stay interested. My job as a performer is for them to be able to relate to those emotions. I want them to get excited when the music is supposed to be powerful. I want them to feel a calm when there\u2019s a soothing passage,\u201d he said. \u201cMy job as a performer is for them to be able to relate without me having to explain in detail.\u201d<\/p>\n

Lombardi, who hails from Italy, will showcase a variety of his styles \u2014 from fingerpicking on an acoustic to electric guitar work with a drum machine \u2014 and distinct covers of recognizable songs. He will also play some of his originals.<\/p>\n

\u201cI fell in love with arranging songs and writing songs on the acoustic guitar alone with no production, no drums and no other instruments,\u201d he said. \u201cNow I\u2019m trying to blend my past as an electric guitar player and singer-songwriter with this acoustic guitar thing. I\u2019m trying to put it all together.\u201d<\/p>\n

New Orleans-based Robinson first picked up a guitar when he was 10 years old after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. He started playing in garage bands, studied classical guitar in college, got into jazz fusion and then progressive rock.<\/p>\n

\"JimmyJimmy Robinson of New Orleans is one of the guitarists performing at Timucua Art Foundation’s International Guitar Festival. (Cy Leong\/Courtesy Timucua Art Foundation)<\/p>\n

Through learning all of those styles, Robinson developed the innovative playing techniques he now uses to showcase his mastery of the fretboard. Now decades into his career, he also prefers to play in rooms where he has a captive audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cI used to play in a lot of noisy barrooms,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t do those anymore; I\u2019m only looking for listening environments \u2014 which is why I was very happy when Benoit contacted me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Serrano said the guitar will always remain a beloved instrument with a place in many styles of music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe guitar is, has been and will always be a popular instrument \u2014 whether we take it to classical, jazz and improvisation, rock and the liberation of it or popular music. The guitar will always be there in different ways and styles, fulfilling different roles within culture and music,\u201d he said. \u201cEverybody can find a guitar and play it in different ways, make it their own and enjoy it all the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find me\u00a0@PConnPie on Instagram<\/a>\u00a0or send me an email:\u00a0pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>. Stay up to date with our latest travel, arts and events coverage by subscribing to our newsletters at\u00a0orlandosentinel.com\/newsletters<\/a>.<\/p>\n

If you go<\/p>\n

The International Guitar Festival has shows starting at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14, 15, 21, 22 and 23 at 2000 S. Summerlin Ave. in Orlando. Tickets are $30 for each individual show or $140 for a festival pass (before fees). Discounts are available for teachers, students, military members and seniors. Shows are also available via livestream or video on demand for $10 (before fees). More information: timucua.com<\/a><\/p>\n

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