The Bielefelder Gitarrenforum is a registered non-profit union. It
was founded in 1996 in the city of Bielefeld (northwestern part of
Germany) by local guitar teacher Hans Irmer who is 1st chairman now.
The union´s objective is to make music for the classical guitar
- also in combination with other instruments - accessible to a bigger
audience by organizing at least three concerts per year. Beyond that,
the Forum aims to organize masterclasses, seminars, festivals, competitions
etc., to promote guitar music intensively.
Since the first concert in june 1996 the Forum has grown to be a
steady part of the cultural scene of Bielefeld as well as of the region
East Westphalia´s. Because of their high quality the concerts
attract guitar music lovers from a wide-spread region (to know more
about the concerts see rearviewmirror). Nevertheless, the Gitarrenforum
does not limit its activities to the classical guitar only, but offers
the audience interesting combinations with other instruments, e.g.
the violin or the flute, but also with more exotic instruments such
as the bandoneon, the domra or the charango.
Climax
of the Forum´s guitaristic year is the International Guitar
Festival which is held since 1998 every year in autumn. It features
concerts, a master class with internationally renowned artists, music
and guitar exhibitions, lectures and ensemble classes. Venue for the
festival as well as for the regular concerts is the municipal Music
and Arts School, idyllicly situated on the hill Sparrenberg, close
to Bielefeld´s 13th century castle, the Sparrenburg (see picture).
The Gitarrenforum organizes all these events without public support.
Financial basis of the union´s work are membership fees of the
- right now - about 60 member families and single members. For their
annual fee of 61 euros (member families), 35 euros (single members)
or 20 euros (students) the members get free entrance to at least three
concerts each year. Apart from that, they receive free or reduced
entrance to further activities - depending on the union´s financial
situation. Besides tax-valid donations help the forum to keep the
high artistic level.
The union´s board consists of the following members:
