Welcome to London Guitar Festival 2026!

The 23rd edition of IGF’s London Guitar Festival brings you a wonderful series of concerts from major international artists, plus workshops and new IGF commissions, continuing IGF’s groundbreaking work with new music and new artists.

Opening the festival on 21st October, we welcome master sitar player Roopa Panesar, in concert with Gurdain Rayatt (tabla) and collaborating with guitarist Giuliano Moderalli on a brand new IGF commission for sitar and guitar.

Roopa is considered one of the finest sitar players to emerge on the Indian classical music scene from the UK. Embracing both Indian and Western classical music, she leaves audiences captivated at festivals around the world.

Internationally acclaimed guitarist Xuefei Yang’s fascinating journey began after the Cultural Revolution, when she became the first recognised Chinese guitarist on the world stage. Xuefei will also teach a masterclass on Sunday 25th October, an opportunity not to be missed!

The above concerts are part of IGF’s La Leona project featuring women composers and performers

Renowned multi-award-winning guitarist Martin Taylor MBE returns to the stage with his brand-new solo show Standards, celebrating the golden age of jazz through new arrangements of classics from the Great American Songbook. Martin’s long history with IGF began in the 1990s, with the Bath International Guitar Festival. Audiences can expect an evening of stories that transport you behind the music – from smoky jazz clubs to concert halls around the world.

We present two concerts by the exceptional young guitarists making their debut on our Young Artist Platform. Our La Leona programme celebrates women composers, and these outstanding young musicians will perform new pieces from IGF’s commissioning programme 2025-2026.

YAP awardees, Matilde Freiria, Fábio Fernandes, Shubbe Kabanda and Alexander Krylov will perform Freya Waley-Cohen’s Night Sky in a Stone, Laila Arafah’s afterform, Isabella Gellis’ Lullaby and Cheryl Frances-Hoad’s The Millipede is Walking.

IGF’s YAP aims to help young musicians in the critical phase between the final stages of music education and the concert platform. The programme provides much-needed performance opportunities and mentoring for young guitarists starting out in their careers, as well as the opportunity to work with a composer and premiere a new work.

Part of IGF’s La Leona project featuring women composers and performers

Come and join us and immerse yourself in that most colourful and versatile of instruments: the guitar!

Tom Kerstens, Artistic Director