Foundation secures hosting for finals of international guitar competition

As the Crown of the Continent Guitar

Foundation prepares for its second annual workshop, the

organization has staged a major coup by securing the right to host

the finals of the Lee Ritenour Yamaha 6 String Theory International

Guitar Competition.

These sort of major contests usually

take place in New York City or Los Angeles, foundation chairman

David Feffer said.

“This is a big deal,” Feffer said.

“It’s going to get a lot of attention. This really is putting the

event and Bigfork on the map. I thought it was going to take three

or four years. I don’t think I ever imagined in two years we’d be

able to host something like this. To have that is real

tribute.”

Lee Ritenour, a Grammy-award winning

guitarist, composer and producer, debuted the competition last year

with the release of “6 String Theory,” his all-star guitar CD which

has since been named Guitar International’s “Best Album of

2010.”

After serving as an artist in residence

at the foundation’s first workshop held last September at Flathead

Lake Lodge, Ritenour was impressed with what he saw.

“It was one of the most unique,

inspiring workshops I’ve been involved with. It combined great

teachers, great students and an incredible atmosphere that kept

everyone motivated and creative,” Ritenour said.

From there, he was hooked on the idea

of hosting part of the workshop in Montana.

“At the event last summer, he was

absolutely amazed... He thought the finals part of the event was a

really wonderful thing to have here,” Feffer said. “He thought it

would be better to have it be in a place like this — like paradise

— and make it very special.”

Entries in the competition, which

involve an online video submission, were accepted starting Feb. 15

with a deadline now pushed to May 15.

Thirty-six semifinalists — six from

each genre — will get scholarships to attend National Guitar

Workshops around the country. The winners from each genre,

including rock, blues, jazz, acoustic, classical and country

guitar, will be invited out to Bigfork to attend the foundation’s

workshop and participate in the finals Wednesday, Aug. 31 at the

Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts, where their performances

will be filmed and live streamed.

Prizes for the contest include a

week-long stay at the Flathead Lake Lodge for four, a National

Guitar Workshop scholarship, a potential recording contract with

Concord Records and a number of prizes from Yamaha Guitars, Monster

Cable, D’Addario Strings and others.

“We are very excited to bring the

Yamaha 6 String Theory Competition finalists to Montana,” Ritenour

said. “With such a high level of guitarists of all ages entering

during the first year, it’s very exciting to continue it this year

with 36 semifinalists, six finalists and competitions in all parts

of the country.”

This year’s Crown of the Continent

Guitar Foundation workshop will be held from Aug. 28 to Sept. 4.

For this second year of the overall week of workshops, there are a

few additions. Two additional workshops will be offered, advanced

jazz and advanced rock and blues, bringing the total to six. The

acoustic workshop is being replaced by a singer-song writer

workshop.

Joining Ritenour at this year’s

workshop will be Joe Bonamassa, named “Best Blues Guitarist” by

Guitar Player magazine for three consecutive years, and

Grammy-winner Scott Tennant, who also taught at the workshop in its

first year. In addition, eight instructors from the National Guitar

Workshop will also be involved with the event.

“We expect to have almost double the

number of participants,” Feffer said.

Last year, 48 individuals attended the

workshop, but this year Feffer said the cap is being set at 80. At

this point, half of those slots are already filled through

registrations.

“People are literally signing up every

day,” he said.

Feffer said he was pleased with how the

first year’s workshop went and has had positive responses from

those who attended. Many have said they plan to return this

year.

“It was so successful,” he said. “Most

of our supporters have increased their support this year. Many

people have told us they are changing their vacation plans. It’s

created a lot of excitement. It’s very, very cool and rewarding for

those of us who have worked hard to pull it together.”

This year, the foundation has hired a

staff person, Becca Seliskar, to help manage requests and

coordinate the event. A portion of those who have already signed up

for this year’s workshop are making plans to lengthen their stay in

the Valley by adding days before or after the workshop. The

foundation has been fielding requests for information on activities

to do and places to see.

“We’re trying to direct people to local

businesses,” Feffer said.

He said he’s also seen results from the

first workshop in other ways.

“One of our objectives is to have

relationships develop between students, teachers and other

students,” Feffer said. “And a number of collaborative projects

have come out of this. It’s been just really rewarding. It was one

of our hopes.”

Feffer said he recognized the

contributions by members of the Bigfork community to make the event

a success, including volunteers from the Bigfork Rotary Club who

staffed the event. He said many people commented on how comfortable

they were in Bigfork.

“Many of these people travel all over

the world and they said they can’t recall being in any other place

that they’ve felt so comfortable,” he said. “The lodge was

unbelievable. It was just incredible.”

One of the foundation’s long-term goals

as it gets established is to be able to support the community

through funds raised by the workshop. The foundation collaborates

with and intends to support the Glacier Park Fund, Montana Public

Radio and Public Broadcasting, The Montana Land Reliance, North

Valley Music School and Ravenwood Outdoor Learning Center.

Feffer said he hopes the foundation

will be able to start giving back this year.

“We’re close to being able to do so,”

he said.

For more information and to register

for the Crown of the Continent Guitar Workshop, visit

www.cocguitarfoundation.org or email

bseliskar@cocguitarfoundation.org. For more about the guitar

competition, visit www.sixstringtheory.com.