Northwestern to Play Host to Third Annual Guitar Festival

March 28, 2019

Participants from the 2018 Guitar Festival

Northwestern Oklahoma State University will play host to the Third Annual NWOSU Guitar Festival April 5 between 9:30 a.m. and noon in the Fine Arts building.

The festival’s purpose is to provide young guitarists an outlet to perform and receive constructive feedback.  

“Guitar players do not get to compete within the Oklahoma Secondary Schools Association,” Seth Cudd, assistant professor of fine arts, director of instrumental music and music education, said. “Our Guitar Festival provides students a unique opportunity to perform on guitar and receive feedback. Max Ridgeway, our guitar teacher, is a phenomenal musician, and the festival gives students a chance to get to know him as well.”  

The students participating are mainly from the northwestern region of Oklahoma.

The contest is for middle school and high school students only. The youngest student allowed to perform is from the sixth grade, and the oldest allowed to perform are high school seniors.

The contest will begin at 9:30 a.m.; however, it is not open to the public because they are performing solo acts and not with other performers.

There will be an awards ceremony after the festival at 11:30 a.m. in the Fine Arts Building, room 200, after the contest that will be open to the public. The judge will pick the top three performers of the day, and they will perform again for everyone.

“We’re excited to host the third annual NWOSU guitar festival,” Cudd said. “We look forward to hearing the guitar players from this area.”

In the future, Northwestern may put together a piano contest where students may compete and perform. The piano is another instrument that the OSSAA band district does not allow to perform at the solo ensemble contest.

Contact Cudd for more information at (580) 327-8191 or mscudd@nwosu.edu.

-NW-