Headlining guitarist Shin-ichi Fukuda.

Tuesday, Aug. 5, was the first day of the Guitar Foundation of America’s (GFA) biggest classical guitar event in San Francisco, featuring both the International Solo Competition 2008 and the GFA International Convention in tandem.

The six-day event, which will be running every day until Sunday, Aug. 10, is being held at two venues: the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, 50 Oak St.; and the Herbst Theatre, in the War Memorial and Performing Arts Center, 401 Van Ness Ave.

This 26th annual gathering is different from other guitar competitions in that it will feature a slew of different guitar-related events, including competitions, lessons and lectures, thus giving attendees not only the chance to see GFA master-strummers in action but also to learn from them as well. The competitions will be taking place at the conservatory while the daytime events will be held at the War Memorial Performing Arts Center.

One of the headlining artists who will appear is guitar legend Shin-ichi Fukuda. Originally from Osaka, he began studying classical guitar at the age of 12 under famous guitarist Tatsuya Saitoh. He also studied at the École Normale de Musique in Paris. Fukuda graduated at the top of his class and went on to study with other guitar masters and win top prizes at many competitions all over the world, such as the Paris International Guitar Competition. He has also trained an entire generation of noted Japanese guitarists such as Akiko Saito, Kaori Muraji, and Daisuke Suzuki.

One of Japan’s most prolific guitarists, he is scheduled to perform at the conservatory on Thursday, Aug. 7, at 8 p.m.

Other renowned performers include Polish guitarist Marcin Dylla, Czech guitarist Pavel Steidl and masters of other stringed instruments such as the lute.

A youth solo competition will be held from Aug. 8 to 10, showing how the organizers wanted not only to exhibit today’s brightest but also give a chance to tomorrow’s virtuosos.

Tickets for daytime events starting daily at 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. are $30 each and evening tickets are $38. For more information, visit the website at www.guitarfoundation.org.