The New England Guitar Society (NEGS) was founded in 2004 by two Milford-area classical guitarists, James Baird and Cem Duruöz. Their intent was to provide a place for area classical guitarists to meet, share ideas, perform, and grow as musicians. They also created an ambitious series of guest artist concerts which brings in world-class players from around the world for public concerts and masterclasses each year. The series also showcased students from Hartt, Mannes, and Yale in alternating years.
NEGS is a member committee of the Milford Arts Council. The MAC's acoustically rich chamber concert hall is the home of the guest artist series. Most of our meetings are held at the MAC’s Firehouse Gallery in the Walnut Beach neighborhood of Milford. Zoom access is also provided for most meetings for those who cannot attend in person.
NEGS meets on the second Sunday of each month at 2 PM. Activities include informal solo performances, ensemble readings, and lively discussions (and commiserating!) about the classical guitar.
Besides the monthly meetings, there are multiple performance opportunities for members each year. We perform twice a year at the Stratford Library and have been performing as part of the MAC’s popup concert series during the summer at the Milford Historical Society.