Each ELLNORA Guitar Festival has always celebrated the contributions of female artists on global guitar legacies. In April 2016 the University of Illinois’ Sousa Archives and Center for American Music acquired Letritia Kandle’s Grand Letar, a one-of-a-kind electric Hawaiian guitar built by her father and National Guitar, and her photographs and personal papers documenting her career as a leading Midwest steel guitar performer and music teacher during the 1930s and 40s.  A special exhibit of her unique collection of papers and music instruments will be displayed in the University of Illinois’ Krannert Center for the Performing Arts Promenade Gallery to open the Festival on Thursday, September 14.  In addition a free lecture-demonstration of her Grand Letar by Paul Warnik and TC Furlong will take place on Friday, beginning at 1:15 in the Foellinger Great Hall on September 15, 2017.

For more information on the exhibit contact the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music at either 217-333-4577 or schwrtzs@illinois.edu.  For more information on the lecture contact the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts at https://krannertcenter.com/ellnora.