Weslaco's Braught Theater to Host Festival de Guitarra, July 8 & 10

WESLACO--The Braught Theater at 525 S. Kansas is once again hosting some of the leading classical guitarists in the world in Weslaco’s annual summer concert series: Festival de Guitarra. 

On July 8, the award-winning Guitarras del Valle Ensembles will be performing under the direction of Eduardo Miranda.   Then on July 10, the highly acclaimed professional guitarist Matt Hinsley will appear.  Both concerts will begin at 7 p.m. 

Tickets for the concerts will be available at the box office for $7 on Wednesday and $10 for Friday’s performance

Hinsley’s Friday evening performance will be preceded by refreshments in the theater’s courtyard garden at 6:30 p.m.  .

The City of Weslaco has partnered with Guitarras del Valle to provide a cultural outlet for the classical guitar in the Rio Grande Valley.   School founder, Eduardo Miranda, is excited to present his two ensembles of talented young people once again in the City’s beautiful small theater. 

“The Braught Theater is known to provide the best acoustics in the Valley, and the spot has become an important venue for the classical guitar in South Texas,” says Miranda.

On Wednesday, July 8, the concert will feature musicians ranging in age from eight to fifteen years.  Although young, these guitarists have already gathered an extensive list of accomplishments. 

Besides delighting Valley audiences with their masterful playing, they have earned a first place entry at the Annual Guitar Ensemble Festival in Brownsville, Texas for the past five years, including one sweepstakes award.  Recently, they took the first five places at the UTPA Guitar Festival Solo Competition.

Friday’s audience will be treated to the virtuoso guitar playing of Matt Hinsley. He is an active performer who has received numerous performance-based awards and gives concerts throughout the United States. 

Hinsley says the guitar has held magical power for him from a young age and has determined the direction of his life, leading him to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and his Doctor of Musical Arts in 2003. His three recordings are available signed the evening of his performance or on Amazon.com.

The Festival de Guitarra is sponsored by the Friends of the Weslaco Public Library, Guitarras del Valle and the City of Weslaco.