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Concert Series

For the past 20 years, William Jenks founded and operated a world-renowned classical guitar concert series now known as the U.S. International Guitar Series where he has presented over 200 concerts and 100 master classes of some of the greatest classical guitarists in the world including John Williams, David Russell, Eliot Fisk, Manuel Barrueco, the Assads, Sharon Isbin, Ana Vidovic, and the Romeros to name a few. This invaluable series has been an inspirational source for musical audiences that enjoy the subtle beauty of the classical guitar as well as providing an important source for  aspiring students, and artists alike. After establishing this unprecedented series in Portland in 2005 putting it on par with the greatest organized classical guitar concerts and festivals of the world, Jenks expanded the series to include the areas of Los Angeles and the Big Island of Hawaii. In September of 2018, he along with the board of directors he established the nonprofit organization called U.S. Classic Guitar. The new organization encompasses a much larger vision for multiple concerts across the U.S. while staying committed to music education. As of September 1st, 2024, William Jenks is currently on sabbatical from presenting concerts to focus on his music and teaching. U.S. Classic Guitar is temporarily closed but please stay tuned for the imminent return of this exciting series in the near future.

2005-2018 The Portland Classic Guitar Years

2018-2024 The U.S. Classic Guitar Years

Concert Series Venues

​Portland Classic Guitar, originally founded by William Jenks in 2001, initially began presenting concerts and master classes at the shop in 2005 which was a high-end classical guitar instrument dealer and teaching studio in Milwaukie just southeast of downtown Portland. In 2011, he then moved the shop to the West Linn area and continued to present concerts and master classes in other venues including Marylhurst University's Wiegand Hall and Saint Anne's Chapel where Jenks was on staff as the guitar professor and guitar ensemble director from 2016 through the year Marylhurst University closed in 2018. Other venues in Portland included the First Congregational Church in downtown Portland, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, the Newmark Theatre, and the Rolling Hills Community Church. In 2018, the series then expanded to Los Angeles and Hawaii and became the nonprofit organization known as U.S. Classic Guitar. For the Portland area, these concerts took place at the First Unitarian Church of Portland Main Sanctuary and Eliot Chapel, the Portland Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, and Christ's Church Episcopal Parish in Lake Oswego. The Los Angeles concerts took place at the First Congregational Church in downtown Los Angeles and the private residence of the the grandson of the late Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco in the Mar Vista area. The Hawaii concerts took place on the Big Island at a private residence in Hawii known as Cliffs of Bellavista and the Kahilu Theatre.

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In loving memory of the amazing artists that have passed away and performed in the series in the past, we deeply thank you for sharing your incredible gift with us and your music will live on in our hearts forever.

Lily Afshar (1960-2023)

Michael Chapdelaine (1956-2023)

Carlos Barbosa-Lima (1944-2022)

David Grimes (1940-2021)

Rico Stover (1945-2019)

Roland Dyens (1955-2016)

Concert Series Photo Gallery

Browse through some of our photos from over 200 concerts spanning over the last 20 years with many of the greatest guitarists in the world such as John Williams, the Romeros, David Russell, Manuel Barrueco, Ana Vidovic and many more.

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