Verdery

Renowned guitarist Benjamin Verdery is returning to Maui for his annual series of guitar events, with concerts and classes from July 3-12.

Verdery chairs the Guitar Department at the Yale School of Music and has been holding guitar classes in the summer on Maui since 1998. This will be the 18th year he has held the class.

Over 150 guitarists have attended the class over the years, coming from across the United States and all over the world, many of them returning several times.

This year’s class includes as guest teacher the celebrated guitarist Martha Masters. Masters teaches at California State, Fullerton, is a past winner of the prestigious Guitar Foundation of America Competition and currently serves as president of the Guitar Foundation of America.

Free public concerts are slated around Maui.

On Friday, July 7, at 3 p.m. at the University of Hawaii Maui College ‘Ike Le’a Lecture Theatre, Oahu-based guitarists Ian O’Sullivan, Aaron Cardenas and Stephan Kane will be joined by Tyler Rhodes and Roberto & Ernesto Granados in a free concert.

On Sunday, July 9, at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 8992 Kula Highway, advanced class participants Liz Faure, Cardenas, Roberto Granados, Rhodes and Satchel Henneman will perform a free concert of music by Bach, Dyens, Rodrigo, Berio and others.

On Monday, July 10, at 7 p.m. at Lahaina Jodo Mission, 12 Ala Moana St., class participants will perform a free concert featuring solo performances and pieces for guitar orchestra.

On Tuesday, July 11, at 7 p.m. at Keawala’i Congregational Church at 5300 Makena Road, class participants will perform a free concert featuring solo performances and pieces for guitar orchestra.

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