THE VANCOUVER CLASSICAL GUITAR FESTIVAL 2026 WILL TAKE PLACE AS IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS, MASTERCLASSES, AND CONCERTS FROM AUGUST 13-16 AT CAPILANO UNIVERSITY,
2055 PURCELL WAY, NORTH VANCOUVER, BC.
The Vancouver Classical Guitar Festival is back August 13-16! This year’s festival is designed as an intensive learning experience in the beautiful setting of Capilano University in North Vancouver. The VCGFest is a unique opportunity for guitarists of all levels to participate in masterclasses, workshops, guitar orchestra, a participants’ concert and to be inspired by faculty workshops and concerts by the legendary Maximo Diego Pujol, and local faculty Michael Kolk, Lucida Zhao, Luis Angel Medina and more.
Launched in 2020 by concert guitarist and pedagogue, Luis Angel Medina, the Vancouver Classical Guitar Festival has evolved into a much-anticipated annual celebration of classical guitar. Dozens of guitarists from Metro Vancouver and beyond have participated in a week of masterclasses, workshops and faculty concerts with top-tier faculty from all over the world including Iliana Matos, Daniel Bolshoy, Marc Teicholz, Ben Verdery, Jorge Caballero, and Jeffrey McFadden.
Festival Schedule
(subject to change)
Thursday, Aug 13
Orientation/Social
5:30-6:30 pm
Maximo Diego Pujol Workshop
6:30-7:30 pm
Open Mic
7:30-9:00 pm
Friday, Aug 14
Guitar Ensemble
10:00-11:30 am
Musicianship
12:00 - 12:30 pm
Brazilian Guitar Workshop
12:30-1:30 pm
Masterclass with Maximo Diego Pujol
3:00-5:00 pm
Opening Concert
7:30-9:30 pm
Saturday, Aug 15
Guitar Ensemble
10:00-11:30 am
Musicianship
12:00 - 12:30 pm
Brazilian Guitar Workshop
12:30-1:30 pm
Flamenco Workshop
3:00-4:00 pm
Saturday Concert
7:30-9:30 pm
Sunday, Aug 16
Guitar Ensemble
10:00-11:30 am
Musicianship
11:30 am - 12:00 pm
Masterclass with Maximo Pujol
1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Student Closing Concert
5:00-7:00 pm
Concert Tickets
As a celebration of classical guitar artistry, the festival also offers single concert tickets to each of the concerts as well as a fantastic concert-pass with a built-in discount. Both faculty concerts will take place at the BlueShore Financial Centre for the Performing Arts at Capilano University.
2055 Purcell Way, North Vancouver
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Single-concert tickets range from $35-45.*
Concert-passes range from $60-80* and include admission to both concerts.
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Click on the images below for each of the concerts and you will be directed to the Eventbrite pages to purchase your concert tickets !
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NOTE: Festival registration (masterclass or full-registration) includes one Concert pass for the participant to attend the concerts. In the case of underage participants, the registration includes one-concert pass for the participant as well as one Accompanying Adult Concert Pass.
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*Vancouver Classic Guitar Society Members are eligible for a 15% off discount on all tickets.
Faculty
This year's VCGFest, presented in collaboration with Capilano University and the Vancouver Classic Guitar Society, is delighted to welcome to the faculty:
Máximo Diego Pujol’s musical journey began in Buenos Aires when he discovered his father’s guitar at age eight. Influenced by the tango and milonga traditions of his neighborhood, he began lessons with Don Gaspar Navarro and performed his first concert just a year later. Although he briefly balanced a career in mathematics with his musical pursuits, he eventually committed fully to his art, completing formal studies at the Buenos Aires Conservatory of Music “Juan José Castro” and studying harmony and composition under Leonídas Arnedo.
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His professional career was defined by a rich immersion in the Buenos Aires night club scene, where he performed with tango legends while developing a unique style that fuses Argentine folk traditions with formal academic concepts. Early successes, such as his award-winning "Sonatina," established him as a significant voice in the guitar world, drawing inspiration from masters like Heitor Villa-Lobos and Leo Brouwer. Today, Pujol is an internationally celebrated composer and performer whose works are a cornerstone of the modern guitar repertoire and are studied at prestigious festivals worldwide.​
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Learn more about Maximo Diego Pujol.
Guitarists-Composer
Maximo Diego Pujol
Michael Kolk
Vancouver Community College​
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Michael Kolk is one of Canada’s leading classical guitarists, performing across North America and Europe as a soloist and with the HK Guitar Duo. He has toured with Prairie Debut and violinist Laurence Kayaleh, collaborating with major ensembles like the Vancouver Symphony and Canadian Opera Company. A prolific recording artist, he has released nine albums on Naxos, Alma Records, and Deosonic Music, featuring classical staples, rare works, and contemporary compositions. A top prize winner in guitar competitions, he holds an ARCT and a Master’s from the University of Toronto. Based in Vancouver, he teaches at Vancouver Community College.
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Read Michael Kolk's full bio at his website: https://www.michaelkolkguitar.com/
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Iminah Kani
Flamenco Guitarist
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IIminah Kani is a Victoria-based flamenco guitarist, composer, and educator known for blending traditional flamenco with fingerstyle, cumbia, and guitarra peruana. A frequent performer at the Victoria and Vancouver International Flamenco Festivals and an award-winning artist, she is currently completing advanced studies at the Fundación Cristina Heeren in Sevilla, Spain. This year, she joins our festival faculty, bringing her rich, expressive musical palette to our participants and audiences.
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To learn more about her work and upcoming projects, visit Iminah Kani's About Page.
Vinny Linhares
Brazilian Guitarist​
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Vinícius "Vinny" Linhares da Silva is a Burnaby-based classical guitarist and educator originally from Goiânia, Brazil, where he earned laureate Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in music. An award-winning competitor, Vinny has been teaching since 2003, guiding his students toward competitive excellence and university admissions using the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) curriculum. He is an active performer and member of the Vancouver Classical Guitar Society and the Vancouver Guitar Orchestra, and he will be joining the VCGFest 2026 Faculty, sharing his music and knowledge.
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Natasha Pashchenko
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Natasha Pashchenko is a music instructor in Victoria and Nanaimo, BC. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Classical Guitar Performance from the University of Victoria, a diploma in Piano Studies from her youth years in Russia, and is a certified Suzuki Guitar Instructor. Currently, Natasha teaches classical guitar and piano from her home studio in Victoria and at the Nanaimo Conservatory of Music. She greatly enjoys sharing her passion for music with students of all ages.
For a few years, Natasha ran the Victoria Community Guitar Ensemble and discovered how much she enjoyed conducting and making music with groups. Afterwards, she took part in such ensemble projects as the 2025 Edmonton Guitar Seminar and the 2026 Northwest Guitar Festival Participant Orchestra. Natasha draws a lot of her inspiration from her student years with the University of Victoria Chorus and believes that a group of guitarists can create remarkable synergy and "sing" together as beautifully as a choir. Natasha is joining us as Festival Ensemble Director this year!
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Learn more about Natasha at: www.goodmusicstudio.org
Lucida Zhao
Co-Director​
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Lucida has over 15 years of experience teaching piano and music theory to students of all ages and levels. She also has extensive experience as a music educator in International Baccalaureate (IB) schools, bringing the benefits of IB values, such as the importance of being an inquirer and communicator, to her teaching across diverse settings. Beyond teaching, Lucida has gained recognition as a collaborative pianist, performing with choirs and other musicians. During her time in Europe, her collaboration with music producers, both as a composer and singer, resulted in signed tracks with record labels such as Blue Soho Recordings.
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Lucida holds a Bachelor of Music as well as a Bachelor of Education from the University of British Columbia. She graduated from her Master of Arts in Music Education degree at the University of Toronto in the fall of 2024.
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Luis Angel Medina
Capilano University Guitar Instructor
VCGFest Founder and Director
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Luis is the founder and director of the VCGFest. He is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) program at the University of Toronto, where he is conducting research on the life and music of the prolific contemporary Mexican composer, Julio Cesar Oliva, under the guidance of world-renowned guitarists Dr. Jeffrey McFadden and Jorge Caballero. He has collaborated with major ensembles and Canadian companies, including the National Ballet of Canada and the Canadian Opera Company. He is the guitar instructor at Capilano University, one of the sponsor's for this year's festival.
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Read more on Luis Angel Medina's teaching, performances, and community involvement at his website: https://www.medinaguitar.com/
How to register
Be sure to read the registration details before submitting your registration and note that, in order to help participants save on fees, we will be accepting e-transfers but will also be accepting credit card payments.
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Instructions:
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After reading these instructions, go to the Vancouver Classical Guitar Society website by clicking the "Register Now" button below.
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Fill out the registration form
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Payment details will be finalized after speaking with one of our volunteers about your registration after submitting your form. Payment can be made by e-transfer or credit card. Credit card payments will be subject to an added processing fee.
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Important note: No refunds will be issued after July 1st.​
Early registration is encouraged.
Registrations must be received by August 1. Registrations after August 1 may be accepted at the discretion of the festival’s director. Please inquire at luismedina@capilanou.ca or outreach@vancouverguitar.org
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Fees and other information...
Full registration
$260 CAD before July 1st*
$310 CAD after July 1st*
Full registration includes admission to all workshops, masterclasses, lectures, and concerts, now being offered in-person. Full participation includes auditing all masterclasses.
Masterclass registration
$335 CAD before July 1st*
$385 CAD after July 1st*
The Masterclass registration includes admission in all workshops, seminars, concerts and one masterclass time slot with our guest faculty.
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A Masterclass is a one-on-one lesson given to by the guest faculty with an audience. It is a great opportunity for students to learn from someone else’s performance. This year's masterclasses are being taught by Maximo Diego Pujol. Only eight (8) masterclasses spots are available.
Extra masterclasses/lessons:
Extra masterclasses are currently not offered but may become available. If you are interested in a private lesson with a faculty member, please inquire with the festival director
Accommodations:
The closest and most convenient accommodation would be the Holiday Inn & Suites North Vancouver which is a 10 min walk to the festival venues or a 6 min bus ride on the 255 or 245.
Registration includes admission to all of the following events and workshops:
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Musicianship with Lucida Zhao
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Guitar Orchestra with Natasha Pashchenko
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Masterclasses with Maximo Diego Pujol
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Friday Night Opening Concert featuring Local Faculty
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Saturday Night Concert featuring Maximo Diego Pujol
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Technique Workshops with Luis Angel Medina
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Flamenco Workshop with Iminah Kani
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Workshop with Maximo Diego Pujol
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Participants’ Closing Concert featuring the Festival's guitar orchestra