Ann Yao and Rui Yang
Ann Yao and Rui Yang Credit: Courtesy

For as much as we Americans revere the guitar, the popular conception of it is tragically narrow. It’s about to get global up in here with Timucua’s International Guitar Festival, the monthlong series kicking off this week. This celebration of strings begins simultaneously near and far with Ann Yao and Rui Yang, two local practitioners of an ancient craft from a world away.

Specialists in traditional Chinese instruments, Yao plays the guzheng (plucked zither) and Yang the erhu (two-stringed violin). Together, through original and modern compositions, they’ll give proper spotlight to the classic Eastern dance between these two timelessly elegant instruments. Afterward, the festival will showcase guitar music from Israel, Colombia, Italy and America throughout August.

7:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, Timucua Arts Foundation, timucua.com, $22.50-$30.

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This article appears in Aug. 5-11, 2026.

Music columnist.