International Guitar Festival Expands to Hospitals & Nursing Homes

The Adelaide Guitar Festival — the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere — is moving beyond the concert halls to hospitals, aged-care homes and suburban bars.

As South Australian paper The Lead reports, the biennial event runs from 11-14 August to celebrate the world’s most popular instrument, with performances, workshops, masterclasses, artist talks, panel discussions and programs for emerging musicians.

Adelaide Guitar Festival Artistic Director Slava Grigoryan said an extended line up of public performances in the weeks ahead of the festival’s opening would focus on a more inclusive experience. The new Resonance program brings world-class guitarists to nursing homes and hospital wards around South Australia’s capital.

“Over many years there are a lot things have been researched and written about the power of music for people dealing with physical ailments, treatments, and recovery,” Grigoryan said in a statement.

“The real message behind Resonance, beyond wanting to share music and provide a health service, is we want to reach out and share the festival experience with listeners who can’t make it to the venues. That’s an important part of why we are doing this.”

Grigoryan's sentiments were echoed by Dr Catherine Crock — of the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, as well as the founder of aural therapy company the Hush Music Foundation — who will serve as part of the Resonance discussion panel.

“Music has such an ability to affect your emotions. If you have the right sort of music, it can really help with the healing process,” she said in a statement.

“It goes beyond entertainment into how it’s going to emotionally impact people trying to get well or who are trying to cope in a stressful environment. It is like bringing the community together.

“Being able to have the experience brought to people who are unable to go to the festival is really a beautiful thing.”

More than 300 artists will perform at this year's Adelaide Guitar Festival, including Punch Brothers, the Guitar Festival Symphony Gala and Grammy-winning folk artist Bela Fleck.

For more information, see the event's website.