Presented by Massey Theatre
International Guitar Night (IGN), the world’s premier touring acoustic guitar festival is back! IGN has a deep history in Canada, having launched on the West Coast and maintained a solid presence for over two decades. This 2027 tour continues IGN’s tradition of bringing audiences the best acoustic guitarists from around the world.
This year’s tour features classical and flamenco guitarist Itamar Erez, Spanish classical guitarist Victoria Ruiz de la Rubia, fretless guitar pioneer and jazz artist Cenk Erdoğan, and contemporary blues and jazz manouche master, Remi Harris.
The 2027 International Lineup
ITAMAR EREZ (Canada)
World Jazz, Middle Eastern, Flamenco Fusion
Itamar Erez is a globally recognized composer and guitarist whose music blends the delicacy of Middle Eastern melodies, the passion of flamenco, and the freedom of jazz. A proud Vancouver resident and faculty member at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School of Music, Itamar is a highly acclaimed artist in both Canada and abroad. He is the recipient of both the 2014 ACUM Prize for Special Achievement in Jazz and the prestigious 2014 Landau Prize. His 2019 release, Mi Alegria, received a nomination for the 2020 Instrumental Artist of the Year Award from the Canadian Folk Music Awards. Itamar has performed at high-profile international venues, including Carnegie Hall, the Barbican Hall in London, and the Sydney Opera House.
VICTORIA RUIZ DE LA RUBIA (Spain)
Spanish Classical Guitar Virtuoso
Victoria Ruiz de la Rubia is a fiery and technically masterful classical guitarist from Spain, representing the modern voice of a celebrated European tradition. Born in Málaga, Spain, Victoria graduated with highest honours from the Málaga Conservatory and completed her master’s degree at Germany’s prestigious Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt. Her technical command and musicality have earned her the Special Prize of the Málaga Music Foundation and the Audience Award at the Málaga Crea competition in both 2023 and 2024. Her repertoire spans from the Baroque elegance of Bach to the flamenco of Paco de Lucía, demonstrating an interest in rock, jazz, and the Latin American popular tradition. As Ricardo Gallén notes, “Her performances are full of lyricism, refined taste, and great projection, supported by a round and powerful sound that delights the listener.”
CENK ERDOĞAN (Türkiye)
Fretless Guitar Pioneer and Anatolian Jazz Artist
Cenk Erdoğan is an award-winning composer and virtuoso whose work represents a uniquely Turkish approach to the instrument. Cenk was recognized with a GRAMMY Award in the Best New Age Album category in 2021 for his performance on Jim Kimo West’s More Guitar Stories. In his home country, his compositions won him the Yeşilçam “Soundtrack of the Year 2009” award for the film Issız Adam. He is a sought-after educator, having been invited to conduct a workshop at Berklee College of Music focused on the fretless guitar and Turkish modes. Cenk is familiar to IGN audiences, having toured Europe and the U.S. as part of the project in 2019 and 2020, solidifying his status as a renowned global touring artist. He has collaborated with major figures in contemporary world music, including Trilok Gurtu, Dominique di Piazza, and Dave Weckl.
REMI HARRIS (United Kingdom)
Jazz Manouche and Contemporary Blues
Remi Harris is one of the UK’s most successful jazz guitarists, renowned for combining jazz manouche with rock, pop, and blues. Remi performed at some of the world’s most prestigious venues, including Buckingham Palace, the Montreal Jazz Festival, and the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall with Jamie Cullum. He receives airplay on Jamie Cullum’s Radio 2 program and Cerys Matthews’ BBC Radio 6 show. Remi’s shows incorporate the music of Django Reinhardt, Peter Green, and The Beatles.
