FREE ADMISSION!
Kean Guitarfest 2025 celebrates the classical guitar in all its splendor. The festival will showcase regional guitar ensembles (4:00 pm) and continue with a recital (7:00 pm) by internationally acclaimed classical guitarist Gohar Vardanyan.
Guitarfest Schedule
4:00 – 5:50 pm
Regional High School Guitar Ensemble Showcase, including the NJMEA Honors Guitar Ensemble
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Gohar Vardanyan’s solo recital and the New Jersey Guitar Orchestra (NJGO) performance
Seating is General Admission, and the event is free and open to the public.
About Gohar Vardanyan
Gohar Vardanyan (b. 1984) is an acclaimed Armenian-American classical guitarist recognized for her technical mastery, artistic expression, and passionate performances. She has captivated audiences across the United States and internationally, appearing at prestigious venues such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC. She has performed for major guitar societies in Seattle, San Francisco, Houston, Miami, and New York City, among others, and has been featured on National Public Radio (USA) and Radio Nacional (Argentina).
Ms. Vardanyan has collaborated with the Juilliard Opera Center and has appeared as a soloist with the Great Lakes Chamber Orchestra, Island Symphony Orchestra, and the Panama National Symphony Orchestra. She has also been a featured artist at international guitar festivals in Sweden, Italy, Panama, Canada, and Mexico. Her artistry has been recognized on the cover of Classical Guitar Magazine, and Guitar International Magazine has praised her as “the complete package” with “a musicality and emotional quality beyond her years,” highlighting both her compelling interpretations and virtuosic technical ability.
Beyond her performing career, Ms. Vardanyan is a dedicated educator and recording artist. She has released two albums, her debut album Paisajes and her more recent – Grand Solos. She is also the author of four instructional books published by Mel Bay Publications and has an extensive collection of instructional and performance videos available on both her YouTube channel and the Strings by Mail channel. She maintains a private teaching studio in New York City and regularly conducts master classes and technique workshops during her concert tours.
Born in Armenia, Ms. Vardanyan began studying guitar at the age of five under the guidance of her father, Vardan Vardanyan. By eight, she had already made her public debut and appeared on Armenian National Television. She was a first-prize winner in the Armenian National Music Contest Amadeus and was selected for the prestigious “New Names” program for exceptional young musicians. Her early performances took place at renowned venues such as Komitas Chamber Music Hall and the Small Philharmonic Hall in Armenia. She continued her studies with Antigoni Goni at Juilliard’s Pre-College Division (New York) before attending the Interlochen Arts Academy (Michigan) under the mentorship of John Wunsch. She later earned the Young Artist’s Certificate from Interlochen Center for the Arts and received the Harold Randolph Prize in Performance from the Peabody Conservatory.
Ms. Vardanyan holds a Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School, where she studied with Sharon Isbin, and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Peabody Conservatory, where she trained under Manuel Barrueco. She is also an alumna of the Aspen Music Festival and School.
Other Musical Events
Bookmark and visit the Kean Music Conservatory page to find out about the musical arts at Kean University. The program performs various ensembles throughout the school year, like the Choral Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble and the Wind Ensemble, among other events.
Tickets & Directions
215 NORTH AVENUE, HILLSIDE, NJ 07205
Enlow Recital Hall is located on the East Campus of Kean University, within the Nathan Weiss Graduate College building.
FREE ADMISSION
This event is free and open to the public, and seating is first-come-first-served.
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