International classical guitar competitions are public events designed to identify and award outstanding classical guitar soloists, ensembles, and composers. They allow artists to promote themselves and gain exposure. Some competitions also have newly composed "set" pieces which serve to increase the classical guitar repertoire.
Early history The guitar seems to be the absentee in musical competitions until the Second World War. In 1949 the "First Guitar Competition", now the Tokyo International Guitar Competition was held and the Modern Japan Guitar Federation was established in Tokyo, Japan. It was not held in 1954, 1955, and 1956, but continued from the 6th edition since 1957. From the 25th edition in 1982 became the Tokyo International Guitar Competition. The first international guitar performance competitions in Europe were promoted and initiated in the 1950s by virtuoso Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia. In 1956 he managed to get the guitar discipline to be included in prestigious multi-instrumental Geneva International Music Competition. The 1960s led to born within the compass of Segovia two European competitions that marked the history of guitar and which remains active until today, i.e. 1967 - International Guitar Competition "Francisco Tárrega" in Benicàssim, Spain and 1968 - Competition "Premio Città di Alessandria" in Alessandria, Italy, which in 1995 would be renamed International Classical Guitar Competition "Michele Pittaluga - Premio Città di Alessandria" on the occasion of its founder passing. Over time, Segovia kept promoting competitions by giving his support to ones which had evident professionalism contents. Between 1959 and 1990s the Concours International de Guitare was organized by O.R.T.F., which then became Radio France. The competition was born at the behest of Robert J. Vidal, deputy producer of the French radio station. In 2007 a new competition, International Classical Guitar Competition Robert J. Vidal in Barbezieux, France was established in his memory. In 1972 Giuliano Balestra founded International Guitar Competition "Fernando Sor" in Rome, Italy Since 1973 the city of Gargnano, Italy has been hosting the "Incontri Chitarristici" which included the International Classical Guitar Competition, since 1976. In 1982 the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition was established and shortly became one of the most desired awards in the classical guitar world thus given a start to classical guitar popularisation in the US. In 1985, the European Year of Music, Andrés Segovia International Classical Guitar Competition was established in La Herradura, Spain in the honor of maestro.
Present times In recent years, many international classical guitar competitions were established. The overall level of the competitions was raised by increasing prizes value up to $30,000 in the US, $22,000 in Europe, and $10,000 in Asia. Finals with the orchestra became more common. Introduction of online streaming of the competition rounds and YouTube applications greatly improved neutrality and public reception of the judgment. Many classical guitar competitions now take place during guitar festivals, and therefore the competition event can be attended by the general public, as an audience. Youth international competitions became more popular, attracting children and amateurs by the lower comp level and affordable prizes.
Competitors In the international classical guitar competitions, the typical age of the competitors is from 18 to 35. Some competitions don't have age restrictions. The youth competitions are usually up to 25 years old. As a result of an increased number of competitions, some competitors have won unusual (more than 15) number of 1st Prizes in the professional (adult) competitions: 19 - Marcin Dylla, 19 - Goran Krivokapić, 55 - Marko Topchii.
List of international competitions for classical guitar
US and Americas Competition Name Town Country Last year active 1st prize cash, USD Parkening International Guitar Competition Malibu, CA USA 2019 30,000Baltimore International Guitar Competition Baltimore, MD USA 2022 35,000 ($20,000 Cash Award & $15,000 Augustine Career Cash Award) JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition (biennial) Buffalo, New York USA 2020 12,500 International Guitar Competition Maurizio Biasini (biennial) Bologna, Basel, San Francisco, Paris Italy, Switzerland, France and USA 2024 12,000 Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition (ICAC) New every year USA 2025 10,000 Dr. Luis Sigall International Music Competition (Guitar every 5 years) Viña del Mar Chile 2017 10,000 Miami International GuitART Festival and Concert Artist Performance Competition Miami, FL USA 2018 5,000 University of Rhode Island Rising Stars International Guitar Competition Kingston, RI USA 2024 5,000 Wilson Center Guitar Competition & Festival Wisconsin USA 2019 5,000 Festival y Concurso Internacional de Guitarra de la Habana (biennial)Havana Cuba20185,000 Culiacan International Guitar Competition Culiacán, Sinaloa Mexico 2020 4,000 Indiana International Guitar Festival & Competition Bloomington, IN USA 2019 4,000 Texas International Guitar Festival and Competition Dallas, TX USA 2020 3,000 Guitar Symposium & Competition Columbus, GA USA 2020 2,000 LASP Classical Guitar Festival & Youth Competition Milwaukee, WI USA 2022 500
Europe Competition Name Town Country Last year active 1st prize cash, USDTampere Guitar FestivalTampereFinland2023none Alhambra International Guitar Competition Valencia Spain 2018 () Frauchi International Competition (biennial: odd years) Moscow Russia 2021 () 2nd European Bach Guitar award Darmstadt Germany 2025 () Francisco Tárrega International Guitar Competition Benicàssim Spain 2021 () International Guitar Competition Maurizio Biasini (biennial) Bologna, Basel, San Francisco, Paris Italy, Switzerland, France and USA 2024 () Michele Pittaluga International Classical Guitar Competition Alessandria Italy 2018 () International Classical Guitar Competition Robert J. Vidal Barbezieux France 2016 () Andrés Segovia International Guitar Competition Almuñecar Spain 2024 () Miquel Llobet International Guitar Competition Barcelona Spain 2022 () Paganini Guitar Festival Competition Parma Italy 2023 () European Bach Guitar award Darmstadt Germany 2022 () Viseu International Guitar Competition (biennial: even years) Viseu Portugal 2018 () Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Clásica Gredos San Diego Madrid Spain 2018 () Budapest International Guitar Competition & Festival Budapest Hungary 2017 () Silesian Guitar Autumn, Jan Edmund Jurkowski Memorial Guitar Competition Tychy Poland 2018 () Incontri Chitarristici di Gargnano - Concorso Internazionale Gargnano Italy 2019 () Liechtenstein Guitar Festival ligita, International ligita Guitar Competition Eschen Liechtenstein 2018 () International Guitar Competition "Ruggero Chiesa - Città di Camogli" (biennial: even years) Camogli Italy 2018 () International Guitar Competition Heinsberg (biennial: odd years) Heinsberg Germany 2017 () International Guitar Competition "Ville d'Antony" Antony France 2018 ()London International Guitar Competition London UK 2018 () International Competition of Guitar - Mottola Mottola Italy 2018 () International Guitar Competition Fernando Sor Rome, Madrid Italy, Spain 2018 () Deutscher Gitarrenpreis Darmstadt Germany 2024 () Linares International Guitar Competition "Andrés Segovia" Linares Spain 2018 () Dutch Guitar Foundation International Guitar Concerto Competition Groningen Netherlands 2020 () Koblenz International Guitar Competition Koblenz Germany 2018 () Iserlohn International Guitar Competition Villigst and Iserlohn Germany 2021 () International Guitar Competition Nürtingen (biennial: even years) Nürtingen Germany 2018 () European Classical Guitar Competition "Enrico Mercatali" Gorizia Italy 2023 () International Guitar Competition "Paris Guitar Foundation" Paris France 2019 () Zagreb Guitar Festival and International Guitar Competition Zagreb Croatia 2017 () Twents Gitaar Festival Enschede Netherlands 2018 ()Bale-Valle Guitar Competition Bale-Valle Croatia20221136 (€1,000) Transilvania International Classical Guitar Competition Cluj-Napoca Romania 2023 () Sarajevo International Guitar Festival Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina 2018 noneVolos international Guitar festival & competition Volos 2017 none International Guitar Competition Berlin Berlin Germany 2018 none
Asia, Australia, and Oceania Competition Name Town Country Last year active 1st prize cash, USD Qingdao International Guitar Art Festival and Competition Qingdao China 2019 () Daejeon International Guitar Competition Daejeon South Korea 2017 10000 International Guitar Festival China Changsha Changsha China 2018 10000 Tokyo International Guitar Competition Tokyo Japan 2018 () Taiwan International Guitar Festival & Competition Taipei Taiwan 2018 8000 Adelaide Guitar Festival and International Classical Guitar Competition Adelaide Australia 2018 () Altamira International Virtual Guitar Competition Hong Kong China 2021 6500 Singapore international Guitar Festival and Competition Singapore Singapore 2016 2000 Asia International Guitar Festival & Competition Bangkok Thailand 2018 none Saigon International Guitar Festival Ho Chi Minh Viet Nam 2024 none
Youth and Discontinued Discontinued (inactive) Competition Name Town Country Last year active Guitar Masters International Guitar Competition & Festival Wrocław Poland 2016 International Classical Guitar Competition Stefano Strata - città di Pisa Pisa Italy 2015 Calcutta International Classical Guitar Festival & Competition Kolkata India 2014 World Guitar Competition Novi Sad Serbia 2013 International Guitar Competition Rene Bartoli Aix-en-Provence France 2006 International Guitar Competition Mauro Giuliani Bari Italy 2004
Youth (junior) competitions Competition Name Town Country Last year active LASP Classical Guitar Festival & Youth Competition Milwaukee USA 2022 International competition for young guitarists Gauting Germany 2016 Gevelsberg Guitar Competition Gevelsberg Germany 2016 International Competition for Young Guitarists «Andrés Segovia» Monheim am Rhein Germany 2024 Terra Siculorum International Classical Guitar Festival and Competition Odorheiu Secuiesc Romania Transilvania Youth Guitar Competition Cluj-Napoca Romania 2023Vojvodina Guitar Fest International classical guitar competitionNovi SadSerbia2018
Thoughts on competitions
Denis Azabagić has written: "Competitions give you a very valuable experience. Do they guide in your artistic development? I do not know if it benefits the guitarist in that area, but I think it does benefit the student because it helps him to set goals under pressure (having a deadline). This creates a great deal of stress, which you will have to learn how to deal with. To perform live in front of a jury is something that requires some training. Finally, if you are successful at winning competitions, this will help you to promote your name in the guitar circle, you will start to be noticed. I think winning competitions helps you build a name but does not help much to develop your artistry." In this interview recorded in early 2002, Azabagic stresses that while competitions were very good to him, competitions can also be devastating to worthy musicians who never seem to win.