LAHAINA – Renowned guitarist Benjamin Verdery is bringing his annual guitar master class to Maui, with concerts and classes slated for July 5-14.

Verdery is the chair of the guitar department at the Yale School of Music. This is the 17th year that he has held a guitar master class here.

Over that time, over 140 guitarists have come from across the United States and around the world to Maui to study with Verdery – many of them returning several times.

The class includes one-on-one instruction not only with Verdery but also with world-famous guest teachers, including this year David Leisner, an acclaimed performer/composer and faculty member at the Manhattan School of Music.

The class also includes the performance of ensemble music, with the 15 to 20 guitarists in the class performing as a guitar orchestra.

On Tuesday, July 5, at 7 p.m. at Makawao Union Church, 1445 Baldwin Avenue, Verdery, Leisner, Ian O’Sullivan and Simon Powis will perform a special concert to open the week. The suggested donation is $10, with proceeds to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, Makawao Clubhouse.

On Friday, July 8, at noon in the University of Hawaii Maui College Science Building, Oahu-based guitarists O’Sullivan and Stephen Kane, and young San Francisco guitarists Nicholas and Conor Padmanabhan, will perform a free concert.

On Sunday, July 10, at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church at 8992 Kula Highway, advanced class participants John Olson, Gioia De Cari and John Bogan will perform a free concert of music by Leisner, Ponce, Johanson and Legnani.

On Tuesday, July 12, at 7 p.m. at Lahaina Jodo Mission at 12 Ala Moana St., class participants will perform a free concert, featuring solo performances and pieces for guitar orchestra.

And on Wednesday, July 13, at 7 p.m. at Keawalai Congregational Church at 5300 Makena Road, class participants will perform a free concert with solo performances and pieces for guitar orchestra.

For more information, visit benverderymauiclass.com or contact John Olson at verderyclass@gmail.com.