The Guitar Society of Southern Oregon (GSSO) is a public, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization

Our Mission

GSSO connects our community to classical and acoustic guitar music. We have a special interest in furthering music education and appreciation with youth and community members who are under-represented or disconnected from the transformative power of music. We advance these interests, together with partner organizations, by supporting and promoting visiting and local artists, who engage our community with performances of the classical and acoustic guitar.

Our Vision

GSSO creates opportunities in southern Oregon where anyone can experience the beauty of the acoustic guitar. We seek to build cultural awareness and appreciation of the acoustic guitar with an emphasis on the classical guitar in all its genres. In so doing, we will build sustainable education and outreach programs serving people in the Southern Oregon region for whom such experiences are otherwise unattainable. GSSO events and artists will connect people to the transformative power of music, facilitating positive change and personal growth. We strive to build a base of support through our members and volunteers, partner organizations, community service providers, and artists, to bring the acoustic guitars’ unique and democratic voice to people of all ages, cultures, abilities, and economic conditions.

Our History

The Society started as the Jefferson Classical Guitar Society (JCGS) in September 2001 and became active very quickly. Our very first music gathering was on October 5th, 2001 at the First Congregational United Church of Christ.

In 2002, the Society sponsored its first concert and master class taught by James Kline. Since then, the Society has been very busy sponsoring concerts and master classes by artists such as Dusan Bogdanovic, Brad Richter, Michael Partington, Martha Masters, Jason Vieaux, James Edwards, Philip Hii, Ana Vidovic, Mark Taylor, Marc Teicholz, Denis Azabagic, Paul Galbraith, José Luis Merlín, Adam del Monte, David Russell, Johannes Möller, Zoran Dukić, Pedro Cortés, Tavi Jinariu, Jiji (Jiyeon Kim), Yuri Liberzon, and Grisha Goryachev.

In 2022 the Society changed its name to the Guitar Society of Southern Oregon to better reflect its reach and charter.