In three days, Music major Shemar Roberts ’26 will be performing in the Eastern Music Festival’s Young Artist Guitar Recital Program at Dana Auditorium. The recital, which features some of the most accomplished young guitarists in the nation, is foremost on his mind, but Shemar can’t stop thinking about shooting pool with his grandfather.

“He used to tell me, ‘you better bring your best game because I’m going to bring mine,’” Shemar recalls. “That’s what this summer (at EMF) has been like for me. There’s so much amazing talent here, people who have made me pick up my playing just to keep up with them.”

Shemar and Lexi McGraw ’25 are two of the 15 young guitarists who are spending two weeks in July performing with world-class musicians at the 63rd edition of EMF at the College. It is the 10th year for the classical guitar program.

“I was intimidated at first but honestly I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity than this,” says Shemar, who is from Greensboro. “Every day, every week I feel like I deserve to be here because I’m getting better.”

That’s the beauty of EMF, says Kami Rowan, Guilford’s Charles A. Dana Professor of Music. Kami teaches at EMF and serves on its board. She says the summer guitar workshop – which she co-founded – is the best in the country.

“When you’re surrounded by these instructors and musicians who are some of the best in the world, you’re only going to get better,” says Kami. “I’m so proud of how far Shemar has come.”

Kami says it’s not always easy for young artists like Shemar to grow into their potential at EMF. “You have to make yourself vulnerable to learn when you’re surrounded by kids who are better than you and have so much more experience than you. That’s what Shemar has done and it’s paying off. He is continually elevating himself because he’s willing to be vulnerable and put himself in a situation  where he’s confident enough to say, ‘I don’t know this, but, man, I want to be better.’ ”

Shemar is a double major at Guilford. He wants to take his Music and Psychology degrees and become a music therapist. He transferred to Guilford in January from UNC Wilmington because of the College’s Music program. “The guitar program here has so many great people, teachers and students. I wanted to go somewhere where people were greater than me. I’m not where they are just yet, but I’m getting there.”

Lexi, who is from Asheville, N.C., was all set to graduate with a Music degree in June before she decided to stay at Guilford and pursue an Education degree as well. She says she might teach Music, but what she really wants to do is become a luthier, someone who builds guitars. She spent last spring in Canada interning as a luthier and built a guitar that she has been using at EMF.

She enjoys playing chamber music with other guitarists rather than performing solo. “I love everyone working together and building up to the performance,” she says. “You’re learning and growing but you’re meeting new people, too.”

For more information about Eastern Music Festival, visit easternmusicfestival.org.