Once a year, Celtic guitarist Tony McManus stops his international touring dates and schedules a performance to play for his hometown audience.
“It’s the only chance I am going to have to play at home this year,” said McManus, whose touring schedule included 16 countries this year.
“I’ve just come back from Finland, Sweden, Italy, Croatia and Slovenia,” McManus said.
This year’s performance takes place on Nov. 3 at 8pm at the Elora United Church.
It all happens in conjunction with an annual event, the Elora Guitar Seminar, hosted by McManus who hopes to inspire other guitar enthusiasts.
“This event anchors me to Elora. I always know I have to be home, in town, for that weekend,” McManus said. “It helps to keep the seminar going, so I know I can play here.”
The seminar, now in its sixth year, is a three-day workshop held at the Drew House, where experienced guitar players gather to learn enhanced skills from the likes of McManus, known as the “Jeff Beck of Celtic guitar” and fellow workshop instructor, American guitarist Rolly Brown, whose credentials include winning the U.S. National Finger Style Guitar Championships, and recently sharing the stage for performances with fusion jazz legend John McLaughlin.
“He is an enormously gracious artist,” McManus said of Brown, who is returning for his third teaching gig with McManus.
“Rolly is a world class teacher of various [music]styles in guitar.”
The sold-out seminar will welcome 14 accomplished musicians from across North America to town to learn expert guitar skills.
“The farthest person is coming in from Texas,” McManus said, adding that in the past the seminar, which always sells out, attracted musicians from France and England.
“Rolly and I alternate classes through the day and do a question and answer period later,” McManus explained.
With different teaching styles and playing techniques, seminar participants have the opportunity to experiment and be critiqued on their playing.
“Roly has an amazing grasp of music theory and he makes it very accessible,” McManus said.
“Hopefully it will be an interactive experience,” he added. “I love the sounds of a room full of guitars being played together … it’s a beautiful thing.” Brown will join McManus on the stage on Nov. 3, a rare opportunity to see two musical guitar legends in conversation, musically speaking.
McManus hopes to use the forum to introduce audiences to music from his fifth solo album. “I am working on an album of an interpretation of classical pieces from medieval to the 20th Century,” McManus said.
The Nov. 3 concert begins at 8pm, at the Elora United Church, 75 Geddes Street.
Tickets are $25, available at Sante Natural Food Emporium, 130 Metcalfe Street, or at the door of the event. For more information on Tony McManus, visit his website at www.tonymcmanus.com.
