From left, Ben Verdery, Scott Tennant and Ian O’Sullivan are among the master guitarists performing in the concert series.

LAHAINA – Renowned guitarist Benjamin Verdery is returning to Maui for his annual series of guitar events, with a week of concerts and classes 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 19th 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 Scott Tennant, member of the Grammy Awardwinning Los Angeles Guitar Quartet. Tennant teaches at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California.

Free public concerts are slated.

On Tuesday, July 3, at 7 p.m. at Makawao Union Church, 1445 Baldwin Avenue, the Maui Guitar Extravaganza – a special concert to open the week – will feature Verdery, Tennant and Ian O’Sullivan. The suggested donation is $10, with proceeds to benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Maui, Makawao Clubhouse.

On Friday, July 6, at 3 p.m. in the University of Hawaii Maui College ‘Ike Le’a Lecture Theatre, Room 144, Oahu-based guitarists O’Sullivan, Aaron Cardenas and Stephan Kane will be joined by California guitarists Nicholas and Conor Padmanabhan in a free concert.

On Sunday, July 8, at 2 p.m. at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 8992 Kula Highway, advanced class participants Cardenas, Kane, Libby Myer, Max Mondzac and Nate Huvard will perform a free concert of music by Brouwer, Granados, Tansman and others.

On Monday, July 9, 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.

And on Wednesday, July 11, at 7 p.m. at Keawala’i Congregational Church at 5300 Makena Road in Makena, 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.