The 11th annual Tennessee Guitar Festival and Competition will take place May 31 through June 2 in Hinton Hall of the Wright Music Building on the MTSU campus.

Registration begins at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 30, in the Wright Music Building lobby.

This year’s national guitar competition, with more than $3,000 in prize money, will bring in some of America’s best young guitarists to compete for the $1,500 first prize.

“This competition brings in world-class guitarists,” said Dr. William Yelverton, festival director. “This is a unique opportunity to hear some of the finest young guitarists in America compete for prestige and prize money.”

Jorge Caballero

Headlining this year’s festival are guitarists Jorge Caballero, Ben Bolt and Carlos Castilla. Bolt and Castilla will be in concert at 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 31. Caballero will perform at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 1. Guitar competition finalists will perform at 8 p.m. on Saturday, June 2.

“The Saturday night finals will be awesome,” said Yelverton, a professor in the School of Music.

In addition to the concerts and competition, the festival will feature guitar master classes June 1 at 1 and 3:30 p.m. and June 2 at 1 p.m. Competition begins with the preliminary round at noon May 31.

Events are open to the public. Admission to an individual concert is $10 with students 16 and under admitted free. A registration fee of $30 will gain admittance to all concerts, lectures, workshops and master classes.

More information on the festival and competition can be found at www.TennesseeGuitarFestival.com.

— Tim Musselman (Tim.Musselman@mtsu.edu)