1. Würzburger Gitarrenfestival - 26.9. mit Michael Arlt / Wolfgang Kriener (D) - Crossing Strings (A) - Jacques Stotzem (B)

In the organizer's words:

The 1st Würzburg Guitar Festival kicks off with a top-class evening celebrating the diversity of the guitar: Jazz, fingerstyle, classical and crossover meet and show what worlds of sound are contained in six (or more) strings.

Michael Arlt & Wolfgang Kriener (Germany) - "TWO"

A swinging duo that has known each other for decades: guitarist Michael Arlt and bassist Wolfgang Kriener have known each other for over 30 years and share a deep musical bond. They interpret classics by Duke Ellington, Sonny Rollins, Tom Jobim and Jim Hall with dreamlike communication - always freshly arranged and enriched by Brazilian and Cuban rhythms.

The press celebrates the two as "masters of their instrument", attests to their "breathtaking homogeneity" and simply calls their concerts "a highlight". Arlt, who has already performed with international greats such as Red Holloway, Houston Person and Paquito D'Rivera, and Kriener, one of the most sought-after bassists in Franconia, create an intimate yet incredibly powerful sound world as a duo.

Crossing Strings - Markus Schlesinger & Carina Maria Linder (Austria)

Classical music meets fingerstyle - and the clash of two seemingly opposing worlds creates an exciting symbiosis. Carina Maria Linder, trained on the classical guitar with competition successes throughout Europe, and Markus Schlesinger, internationally touring fingerstyle virtuoso and founder of the Vienna Fingerstyle Festival, merge their styles to create an unmistakable duo.

The program ranges from original compositions and newly arranged classics to jazzy and pop evergreens. The two rely not only on their guitars, but also on their voices, which lend the concert additional timbres. They are currently touring Europe and Australia with their latest album "Intersections" - and are now also performing in Würzburg.

Jacques Stotzem (Belgium)

Jacques Stotzem is a legend of the European fingerstyle scene. Born in Verviers in 1959, he has released 18 CDs to date and is considered one of the most versatile and influential acoustic guitarists with his unmistakable style. His music moves between lyrical ballads, imaginative original compositions and energetic adaptations of rock classics - including Hendrix and Rory Gallagher.

His CD "Catch the Spirit" even made it into the Belgian charts in 2009, an extraordinary event in the guitar scene. His new album "Bright or Blue" will be released in September 2025, which he will present for the first time in Würzburg - a work full of serenity, imagination and passion. Stotzem is not only a virtuoso, but also a musician who always takes his audience on a journey full of emotions and timbres.