A London Guitar Festival panel discussion featuring composers and guitarists Effy and Litha Efthymiou, Electra Perivolaris, Eleanor Kelly, Katalin Koltai, Sarah Lianne Lewis and Shannon-Latoyah Simon led by Thérèse Wassily Saba

One of the most exciting new IGF projects, which was devised during the lockdown is La Leona: Women and the Guitar. New works have been commissioned under the La Leona project, which offers commissions and training for women composers to create guitar music.

Through La Leona, IGF is encouraging young women composers who are taking their early steps in establishing their careers, giving them the opportunity to work through the full creation process, offering support through collaboration with the performer and finally guaranteeing a première and repeat performances in important concert venues, such as Kings Place.

Australian born Thérèse Wassily Saba obtained her degrees in Music and Arabic from the University of Sydney before completing her studies in classical guitar in Spain with José Luis González. She has been based in London for over 30 years where she works as a writer, editor and musician. While working as the News Editor of the monthly Classical Guitar Magazine for 25 years, she also published articles and interviews in magazines such as International Record Review, Flamenco International and Gendai Guitar. She contributes to the German contemporary music dictionary – Komponisten der Gegenwart and is working on a biography with the instrument maker Paul Fischer.