Sydney Guitar Festival Focus: James Norbert Ivanyi

Which act made you want to pick up the guitar and why? Led Zeppelin. Jimmy Page's playing just captivated me in a way that I'd never felt before.

What's your preferred guitar and amp set up? My Suhr Antique Custom Classic-S with my Friedman BE100 rig. Live, I use my Suhr Custom Modern and a Fractal Audio AX8 digital amp modeller.

What are you going to talk about/play at the Festival? My masterclasses focus on the application of the technique sets required to play my music. For the show, I'll be playing music spanning all of my solo albums, including a new one I've never played at home!

Are you planning to catch any of the other performances or workshops? If so, what are you hoping to get out of it? Absolutely. I'll be trying to attend as many as possible, time permitting. Especially excited to see Richie Kotzen.

What advice would you give to a beginner guitarist attending the Festival? Absorb as much of it as you can. Keep an eye on how an artist presents their show and what gear they are using. Network with other musicians and keep an open mind.

If you could play with any performer, who would it be and why? Haken, because I absolutely adore the band and the style of music. Luckily, I am playing with them in September. Very happy about that!

When and where can we catch you at the Festival? 26 Aug, Factory Theatre - and at the pre-show masterclass. Hope to see you there!