URI Guitar and Mandolin Festival
The University of Rhode Island Guitar and Mandolin Festival has been a cornerstone of the national guitar and plucked-string community since its founding in 2015 under the artistic direction of acclaimed guitarist Adam Levin. Levin, director of the classical guitar program at URI, is a sought-after educator, performer, and recording artist whose recent albums have all reached the Top 10 on the Billboard Traditional Classical Albums Chart.
Now celebrating its 10th Anniversary, the festival continues to thrive through a robust partnership with the Rhode Island Guitar Guild (RIGG) and the University of Rhode Island Department of Music. What began as a regional event has transformed into a globally recognized celebration of the guitar and mandolin, with an emphasis on performance, education, mentorship, and cultural exchange.
In 2023, the festival expanded to include mandolin programming through the launch of the Course in Mandolin Excellence, led by Israeli mandolin virtuoso Jacob Reuven. Its overwhelming success prompted a rebranding to become the URI Guitar and Mandolin Festival, the only event of its kind in Rhode Island and one of the most inclusive festivals in the country.
The 2025 festival offers an unprecedented variety of programming:
Concerts featuring world-renowned artists such as Tommy Emmanuel, Meng Su, Yamandu Costa, Mike Marshall & Caterina Lichtenberg, Duplessy & the Violins of the World, and many others
- Over $12,000 in virtual competition prizes for guitar and mandolin
- A week of masterclasses, workshops, lectures, and private instruction
- A multi-level mandolin program for students aged 9–90
- A Rising Stars Young Guitarist Program (ages 6–16)
- Composer residencies, student showcases, and community performances
- A Luthier Expo, educational outreach events, and a vibrant concert series across South County
The Rising Stars Competitions for high school and young adult guitarists provide international visibility and career-launching performance opportunities. The winner of the Oscar Ghiglia Prize receives a professionally produced video package, international concert engagements in Italy, Spain, Costa Rica, and the U.S., and an invitation to return to URI as a featured artist.
Events take place at venues throughout South County, including the URI Fine Arts Center, Courthouse Center for the Arts, The Towers, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, St. Augustine’s Episcopal Church, and Pump House Music Works.
✨ Selected Past Artists Include:
Adam Levin, Adrián Montero, Alex Austin, Amanda Kaya, Amanda LaMarca, Amit Kavthekar, An Tran, Andrea Gonzalez Caballero, Andrew York, Anne Waller, Artyom Dervoed, Atla DeChamplain, Badi Assad, Ben Verdery, Bokyung Byun, Bridget Kibbey, Carlo Marchione, Caterina Lichtenberg, Chef Michelangelo La Luna, Chinnawat Themkuwan, Christopher Ladd, Corey Harris, Céili Connors, Daniel Acsadi, Danilo Prefumo, Dave Zinno, David Veslocki, Dennis Costa, Derek Gripper, Dimitris Kotronakis, Dor Amran, Duke Robillard, Duplessy & the Violins of the World, Eglise Gutiérrez, Ekaterina Skliar, Elena Papandreou, Eliot Fisk, Elisa La Marca, Eric Zillmer, Fareed Haque, Filippos Manoloudis, Francesco Russo, Franco Azzinari, Frank Wallace, Gabriel Locati, Gaëlle Solal, Goran Ivanovich, Greg Fundis, Greg Hanson, Greg Loughman, Grisha Goryachev, Hamilton de Holanda, Jason Anick, Jay Azzolina, Jeisson Ramirez Salas, Jeremy Jouve, Jim Davidson, Joe “Sonny” Barbato, John Cesar, Jonathan Kossler, Jontavious Willis, Jordan Luff, Jose Lezcano, Juan Falú, Juan Pablo Salas, Juan Pastor, Kaki King, Katarzyna Smolarek, Kevin Loh, Lorenzo Micheli, Luca Stricagnoli, Luther Enloe, Maarten Stragier, Marcos Portinari, Marilynn Mair, Mark Davis, Mark Maxwell, Mark T. Small, Marshall Bruné, Martha Masters, Mathias Duplessy, Matt Anderson, Matt DeChamplain, Matteo Mela, Matthew Rohde, Mauro Zanatta, Max Goldman, Max O'Rourke, Meng Su, Michal Shein, Mike Block, Mike Hardy, Mike Marshall, Nicoló Spera, Pasquale Grasso, Patricia Price, Paul Wiancko, Peter Janson, Peter Zisa, Pierre Bibault, Purbayan Chatterjee, Quentin October, Raphael Feuillatre, Redmond O'Toole, Richard Bruné, Richard Reynoso, Robert Beckers, Robert Bekkers, Roie Hay, Salomão Soares, Scott Borg, Sharon Isbin, Snir Shrim, Spencer Ladd, Stephen Aron, Suzanne Viloteau, Thatcher Harrison, Thiago “BIG” Rabello, Thomas Viloteau, Tommy Emmanuel, Vicki Boyle, Victor Main, William Knuth, Yacouba Sissoko, Yamandu Costa, Zaira Meneses, and many more.
In 2020, the URI Guitar and Mandolin Festival partnered with the Rhode Island Guitar Guild (RIGG), a nonprofit dedicated to enriching Rhode Island’s musical life. Through this partnership, the festival and RIGG jointly offer concerts, performance parties, online competitions, and year-round educational programming for professionals, students, and amateurs alike. RIGG membership is open to all.