CLASSICAL GUITAR EVENTS 2026


Plucked Strings
6 to 7pm every Sunday

rtrfm 92.1
RTRFM is a not for profit radio station
which relies on the support of the public to continue to bring you The Sound Alternative.


Studio Ph 9260 9210
Studio text 0405 921 921 [no reply]
RTRFM email = studio@rtrfm.com.au

http://rtrfm.com.au/shows/pluckedstrings/
Go there to see playlists and re-stream previous shows.


Plucked Strings on Flakebook fbk image

Plucked Strings presenters
Jason on phone 2017.jpg - 25.2 KB
Jason Marais
Natalie Ong
Natalie Ong
Michael Black 2023
Michael Black
Graham 2025 (3076K)
Programme co-ordinator
Graham Hawkes

Plucked Strings is an established radio programme on every Sunday evening from 6 to 7pm. The programme was presented for many years by Naomi Millett and now by Jason Marais, Natalie Ong, Michael Black and Graham Hawkes. They present a varied programme of music from the rich world of the guitar and related instruments, notice of guitar events, live performances, new releases, Guitar Society news, interviews and requests. The RTRFM web site offers live broadcast, re-streaming from archives of previous shows and playlists.

YOUR REQUESTS WELCOME

Between us we have a fair range of music but since we cannot bring a whole library into the studio, a request may take a week or two to be broadcast.

HOW

DURING BROADCAST TIME

RTRFM Studio  9260 9210
RTRFM email = studio@rtrfm.com.au
Studio text 0405 921 921 [no reply]


AT ANY TIME
email = maggragh@gmail.com
phone/text = 0420 619 414
Francisco Tarrega - statue in Villreal
Francisco Tàrrega
21 Nov 1852 - 15 Dec 1909
statue in Villareal, Spain
History of this radio programme
This wonderful program and its predecessors are among the longest running on this station which was also the first FM station in WA.
Plucked Strings celebrated the 30th Anniversary of the first broadcast [6th April 1987] with an anniversary edition of the show on 2nd April 2017.
PLEASE get in touch with additions and/or corrections.  Email Graham Hawkes.

Click here to open a
catalogue of local guitar recordings
broadcast on Plucked Strings

Tricolore (2K) Nous sommes Charlie Hebdo 2015 et n'oublions pas tous les victimes de Islamic terrorists and white supremacists etc.

Antisemitism in Australia on Wikipedia

Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov shared the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize for their courageous fight to safeguard freedom of expression, a key part of democracy, making them representatives for journalists facing threats worldwide.10pointplan.org

"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." François Marie Arouet de Voltaire [1694-1778]
Sir Tim Berners-Lee
by Sean Henry, painted bronze, 2015,46 1/8 in. x 17 3/8 in. (1170 mm x 440 mm) overall. Commissioned; made possible by J.P. Morgan through the Fund for New Commissions, 2014. NPG 6996No paid ads on this site
Your event can be advertised here - free -with thanks to

Sir Tim Berners-Lee


Painted bronze by Sean Henry, 2015
National Portrait Gallery, London


Bilya Koort Boodja Centre Naidoc web page
ALL PASSENGERS

Stop crowding, wasting and making a mess
2026
The diary below is for classical guitar and related music in Western Australia.
Send information by email to Graham Hawkes or by phone/text 0420 619 414.

More information about the performers and events can be found by following links in the diary.
Concluded events below.
Event
PerformersDate / Time Venue
Plucked Strings Michael Black 2023
Broadcast with Michael
rtrfm 92.1


6 to 7pm Sun

Feb 22
On the radio RTRFM 92.1
Live stream on the internet = www.rtrfm.com.au
Plucked Strings

Music by students of guitar recorded at the 2025 Classic Guitar Ensemble Festival
and
it will be the birthday of Cuban composer Leo Brouwer which means his compositions
Graham 2025 (3076K)
Broadcast with Graham
rtrfm 92.1


6 to 7pm Sun

Mar 1
On the radio RTRFM 92.1
Live stream on the internet = www.rtrfm.com.au
Plucked Strings Natalie
Broadcast with Natalie
rtrfm 92.1
6 to 7pm Sun

Mar 8
On the radio RTRFM 92.1
Live stream on the internet = www.rtrfm.com.au
Plucked Strings JasonMarais.jpg - 16.6 KB
Broadcast with Jason
rtrfm 92.1
6 to 7pm Sun

March 15
On the radio RTRFM 92.1
Live stream on the internet = www.rtrfm.com.au
Classical Guitar Society of WA
Training Orchestra


CGSoc logo 2018
Peter A-Mort 24
Director
Peter Altmeier-Mort
Think you might like to get involved?
Get in touch with Peter


at westside@amguitar.com.au

It's on at the end of each month

2-4pm Sat
Mar 28
Instrumental Music School Services
45 Sixth Ave
Maylands
[access via Peninsular Rd off Guildford Rd]
Paco Peña: Flamenco in ConcertPaco at HM 24 (58K) Paco Peña is internationally acclaimed as the greatest living exponent of flamenco guitar. For over five decades, he has transformed the way audiences across the globe experience this most passionate of art forms. To see him perform is to witness flamenco at its purest—alive, uncompromising, and utterly captivating.
Each concert begins with Peña’s spellbinding solo guitar and expands into a full flamenco experience with singers, dancers, and musicians, igniting the stage with fire, virtuosity, and soul. More than a performance, Paco Peña: Flamenco in Concert is an invitation to feel the heartbeat of Andalucía.
7:30pm Wed
15 Apr 2026

Tickets - $114/124
ArtsCultureTrust
Transaction fees apply
His Majesty's Theatre
825 Hay Street
Perth
UWA Con LogoUWA ACCELERATE!
GUITAR PROGRAM
About:
Accelerate! Guitars is UWA's elite performance training program designed for classical guitarists in Years 10-12 who are looking to take their playing to the next level. Participants will have the opportunity to work closely with Chair of Guitar Dr Jonathan Fitzgerald, as well as some special guests. The program includes a wide-range of practical activities including workshops and masterclasses where participants will receive expert individualised input on their current repertoire, and hone their ensemble skills while rehearsing and performing with the UWA Conservatorium Guitar Ensemble. The program will culminate in a joint concert of solo and ensemble repertoire with emerging artists from the UWA Guitar Studio. Places are strictly limited and entry is via audition.
Who is the program for? The program is suited to classical guitar students in Years 10-12, who are currently performing at AMEB Grade 5 or above (or equivalent). The program is ideal for those undertaking WACE/ATAR Music, although enrolment in those programs is not essential.
Cost: Full scholarship program (there is no cost to participants)
4.30-6.30pm Fridays
April 24 to May 15

Application details:
Entry is via audition. Complete the application form at https://www.trybooking.com/DICTM. Then record yourself playing your best piece (on a phone is fine) and send it to us at concerts@uwa.edu.au along with a brief statement about why you’d like to be part of Accelerate.
Application deadline: Thursday 9 April 2026
For further information contact, concerts@uwa.edu.au
Callaway Auditorium
Conservatorium of Music
University of WA
35 Stir.ling Hwy
Crawley
In the Pines 2026

RTRFM’s iconic local music fest In the Pines will take place for an incredible 33rd time in the beautiful surrounds of UWA’s Somerville Auditorium on Sunday 19 April.
In The Pines is WA's original boutique music festival, and has changed little in its history, making sure the music is at the forefront while giving you a safe and picturesque setting to hang out with all your favourite music people.

rtrfm 92.1


11am-9.30pm
Sun 19 April
Somerville Auditorium
University of WA
35 Stirling Highway
Crawley

Live broadcast 11am-9.30pm from
rtrfm.com.au

Mike Dawes
Fingerstyle Guitar Virtuoso
Mike Dawes is an English guitarist known for composing, arranging, and performing multiple parts simultaneously on a single instrument. He is widely considered one of the world’s most creative modern fingerstyle guitarists, using a unique percussive technique to create the sound of a full band—melody, bass, harmony, and drums—all at once.
Expect a high-energy journey through rock history and cutting-edge originals. Mike breaks the boundaries of the acoustic guitar, seamlessly blending heavy metal riffs, pop melodies, and impossible percussion into a performance you have to see to believe.


8-9:15pm Sat
2 May

Tickets from Humantix $49early bird /59
All Saints’ College Performing Arts Theatre
28 Ewing Ave
Bull Creek WA 6149
UWA Con LogoUWA Guitar Studio Lunchtime Concert Come hear some of Western Australia's most talented young guitarists perform an exciting concert of solo and ensemble repertoire for the guitar. 1pm Wed
May 6

FREE ADMISSION
no bookings required
Callaway Auditorium
Conservatorium of Music
University of WA
35 Stir.ling Hwy
Crawley
THE MOONLIT GUITAR

The guitar has a rich history as an instrument of romance and the night. Imagine the seductive serenades of the troubadours of old, the evocative dances of Spain in the Belle Époque, and the introspective and sometimes eerie night music of more modern times. Join us for a colourful journey into the moonlit soundscapes of the romantic guitar, performed by WAAPA staff and students.
MUSIC DIRECTOR JONATHAN PAGET
PERFORMED BY PLECTRA GUITAR ENSEMBLE


WAAPA  logo
7pm Thurs
14 May



Tickets $37 Full
$32 Concession
$30 Friends
Bookings open; Friends 10 Feb
Public 17 Feb
WAAPA Box Office
McCusker Recital Hall
The Minderoo Centre for Performance Excellence
ECU City, 500 Wellington Street
Perth WA 6000
[Use Roe Street entrance ]
CLASSICAL FAST TRACK 1.0

SUITABLE FOR YEAR 10-12 CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS

WAAPA  logo
Classical FastTRACK is WAAPA’s elite training program for young musicians, designed to elevate performance, creativity and musicianship. In this free masterclass, get hot tips on practising, musicianship, stagecraft, memorisation, projection and performance psychology. WAAPA’s expert lecturers help you overcome nerves, and perform at your very best in uditions, exams and performances. 1-4pm Sun
17 May


Free Event:
Registration required at
https://www.waapa.ecu.edu.au/corporate- training-and-short-courses/music
McCusker Recital Hall
The Minderoo Centre for Performance Excellence
ECU City, 500 Wellington Street
Perth WA 6000
[Use Roe Street entrance ]
UWA Con LogoUWA Guitar Studio SOUTHWEST SOUNDS The UWA Guitar Studio presents a vibrant program of solo and chamber works ahead of their 7th concert tour of WA’s South West. Join us for this special fundraising concert and hear exceptional young guitarists perform a dynamic selection of exciting repertoire. 7pm Thurs
June 18

$20 Tickets from Trybooking
Callaway Auditorium
Conservatorium of Music
University of WA
35 Stir.ling Hwy
Crawley
CLASSICAL FAST TRACK 2.0

SUITABLE FOR YEAR 10-12 CLASSICAL MUSIC STUDENTS
Featuring a Special Masterclass with Associate Professor Jonathan Paget, Associate Dean Music and Head of Guitar


WAAPA  logo
Boost your confidence, refine your skills, and turbocharge your performances in WAAPA’s elite training program for young musicians. In this free masterclass, you’ll perform a solo work and receive expert advice from WAAPA’s classical music lecturers on enhancing your performance and releasing your inner virtuoso. If you’re preparing for a solo performance, audition or exam, this is your fast track to music excellence. 1-4pm Sun
26 July


Free Event:
Registration required at
https://www.waapa.ecu.edu.au/corporate- training-and-short-courses/music
McCusker Recital Hall
The Minderoo Centre for Performance Excellence
ECU City, 500 Wellington Street
Perth WA 6000
[Use Roe Street entrance ]
UWA Con LogoUWA Guitar Studio Lunchtime Concert Come hear some of Western Australia's most talented young guitarists perform an exciting concert of solo and ensemble repertoire for the guitar. 1pm Wed
Aug 6

FREE ADMISSION
no bookings required
Callaway Auditorium
Conservatorium of Music
University of WA
35 Stirling Hwy
Crawley
WULFIN LIESKE (GER):
GUITARIST AND COMPOSER
Wulfin Leiske 26 (4K)

WAAPA  logo
DIRECTED AND PERFORMED BY VISITING ARTIST WULFIN LIESKE (CLASSICAL GUITAR)
An award-winning soloist and winner of multiple international competitions, German guitarist Wulfin Lieske has forged a unique pathway as a leading exponent of late 19th century guitar music performed on original instruments. As an elite solo performer, chamber musician and accomplished composer, his output extends to orchestral work, concerti and opera. In this stunning concert, Lieske performs a selection of his evocative modern music and showcases the genius of the late Romantic creative force, Francisco Tárrega
7pm Thurs
13 Aug



Tickets $55 Full
$50 Concession
$48 Friends
Bookings open; Friends 23 June
Public 30 June
Box office phone 6304 6895
McCusker Recital Hall
The Minderoo Centre for Performance Excellence
ECU City, 500 Wellington Street
Perth WA 6000
[Use Roe Street entrance ]

Laura Lootens
Classical Guitar Virtuoso
With a sound that commands attention from the first note, Laura Lootens has emerged as one of the most exciting voices of the classical guitar. Her performances fuse fearless virtuosity with an impressive stage presence, centered on a fascination with contrast where tension and release are the lifeblood of music.
A musical prodigy, Laura began her university studies at just fifteen. After winning First Prize at the 2022 Andrés Segovia International Competition, she joined the faculty of the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich at the age of just twenty-two.


8-9:15pm Tue
22 Sep

Tickets from Humantix $49early bird /59
All Saints’ College Performing Arts Theatre
28 Ewing Ave
Bull Creek WA 6149
AUSTRALIAN REVERIE

Experience a treasure trove of Australian music for piano and guitar from the past to the present day. Some of Australia’s most brilliant composers are featured in this gorgeous program including works by Esther Rofe, Margaret Sutherland, Carl Vine, Miriam Hyde, Peter Sculthorpe, Elena Kats-Chernin, and many more. From lyrical Romanticism to shimmering Impressionism and inventive modernist works, it's a feast for the senses, played by some of WAAPA’s brightest piano and guitar talents.
MUSIC DIRECTORS
TONYA LEMOH and
JONATHAN PAGET
PERFORMED BY CLASSICAL PIANO AND GUITAR STUDENTS


WAAPA  logo
7pm Wed
23 Sept



Tickets $37 Full
$32 Concession
$30 Friends
Bookings open; Friends 23 June
Public 30 June
Box office phone 6304 6895
McCusker Recital Hall
The Minderoo Centre for Performance Excellence
ECU City, 500 Wellington Street
Perth WA 6000
[Use Roe Street entrance ]
RED DUST ELEGY

The piano and guitar have experienced a flowering of creative activity in Australia, with major works by leading composers and a culture of evocative new works by composer/performers. WAAPA's Classical Piano and Guitar students and staff perform a selection of these new and recent Australian works in a mesmerising musical tribute to the natural beauty of our country, from its rugged outback deserts to enchanting maritime landscapes.
MUSIC DIRECTORS
TONYA LEMOH and
JONATHAN PAGET
PERFORMED BY CLASSICAL PIANO AND GUITAR STUDENTS


WAAPA  logo
7pm Thurs
24 Sept



Tickets $37 Full
$32 Concession
$30 Friends
Bookings open; Friends 23 June
Public 30 June
Box office phone 6304 6895
McCusker Recital Hall
The Minderoo Centre for Performance Excellence
ECU City, 500 Wellington Street
Perth WA 6000
[Use Roe Street entrance ]
UWA Con LogoUWA Guitar Showcase Concert Students from the UWA Guitar Studio present a dynamic program of solo and ensemble works. 6pm Thurs
Oct 1

$20 Tickets from Trybooking

School students attend for FREE (contact concerts@uwa.edu.au to register for tickets)
Callaway Auditorium
Conservatorium of Music
University of WA
35 Stir.ling Hwy
Crawley
UWA Con LogoUWA DAY OF GUITAR Classical guitarists of all ages and abilities are invited to join us at the UWA Conservatorium of Music for an inspiring day of performances, workshops, guitar comparison demonstrations, master- classes and guitar orchestras led by some of WA's finest performers and educators. The day will culminate with attendees participating in a massed guitar orchestra, alongside performances from the UWA Guitar Studio.
Expand your knowledge, refine your technique, and hone your ensem- ble and performance skills in a friendly, supportive environment sur- rounded by guitar enthusiasts young and old!
For more information, email concerts@uwa.edu.au
1-5pm Sat
Oct 24

Registration:
$10 Participants/$5 Observers
Includes BBQ and Concert
Callaway Auditorium
Conservatorium of Music
University of WA
35 Stir.ling Hwy
Crawley
    Concluded events below    
Event
PerformersDate / Time Venue

Yuki Saito
Winner of the 2019 Melbourne Guitar Festival International Concert Artist Competition
Yuki Saito is widely recognised as one of Japan’s most compelling young artists — a musician of clarity, refinement, and understated intensity. Born in Tokyo and introduced to the guitar at the age of five, he studied under many of Japan’s leading teachers before continuing his training in Weimar with Prof. Ricardo Gallén. His rise has been marked by major international prizes across Europe and his selection as a EuroStrings Young Star. 7:30-8:45pm Wed
4 Feb
Tickets from Humantix $49early bird /59

This was a splendid recital.
Yuki Saito on Yutube
North Perth Town Hall
26 View St
North Perth WA 6006

Radamés Gnattali [dob 27/1/1906 - 1988]
Plucked Strings

Music by the legendary Radamés Gnattali
Graham 2025 (3076K)
Broadcast with Graham
rtrfm 92.1

Interview with Yuki Saito
see Feb 4th diary entry


6 to 7pm Sun

Jan 25
On the radio RTRFM 92.1
Live stream on the internet = www.rtrfm.com.au
Review of events from past years
97   98   99   00   01   02   03   04   05   06   07   08   09   10   11   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25  
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