10th International Competition for Young Guitarists
«Andrés Segovia» from May 30th to June 2nd 2018
in Monheim am Rhein

Dear readers, for many people, a passion for music begins with a guitar. There is hardly any instrument that is more popular among budding musicians - and consequently this stringed instrument employed in such a variety of musical styles marks the beginning of many careers in music. However, enthusiasm for the guitar is not restricted to beginners. Technically demanding compositions and many-faceted uses in musical compositions make the guitar an instrument for virtuoso performances.

Over the next few days the International Competition for Young Guitarists will once again prove this and will focus on the high standards achieved by young guitarists. These talented youngsters will show in their performance of specially chosen works in front of a jury of renowned experts that the guitar is not only a popular instrument but is at the same time one that makes great demands on the player.

I am very pleased that in this competition - taking place this year for the 10th time - young musicians from so many different countries are going to demonstrate their skills to audiences of music lovers and to leading lights in the world of guitarists. As well as ensuring cultural exchange, the next few days here in Monheim will give participants the opportunity to push their playing to new limits and test it in new combinations of instruments.

Giving those with outstanding musical talent the opportunity to display and develop their skills - regardless of their family background or their country of birth - is one of the important aims of our policy in the field of culture. This competition for young musicians achieves just that for guitarists with great success. Nine months ago, the Prime Minister of our federal state, Armin Laschet, presented the Prize for the Promotion of Culture of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia for 2017 to the guitar duo Sören Golz und Ivan Danilov. These two young men had participated, from 2004 on, in this competition for young guitarists and repeatedly won prizes. I would be delighted to see participants in this year's competition follow their example so that I could meet them again later in their careers.

Isabel Pfeiffer-Poensgen
Minister for Culture and Science
of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia

We cancelled our presence on Facebook

We put up a more precise schedule now.

We are happy about the strong interest from all over the world.
We are looking forward to welcome the young guitar talents in Monheim upon Rhine.

We received 69 applications from the following 30 countries:

Belarus •  Bosnia-Herzegovina •  Belgium •  Brazil •  Bulgaria •  Chile •  China •  Croatia •  Czech Republic •  England •  Estonia •  Germany •  Greece •  Italy •  Hungary •  Laos •  Lithuania •  Macedonia •  Mexico •  Montenegro •  Netherlands •  Poland •  Portugal •  Romania •  Russia •  Serbia •  Slovenia •  South Korea •  Syria •  Ukraine

Monheim has no youth hostel. In 2018 the hotel prices will partly be higher than in 2016, because there will be a trade fair and they will demand business-tariffs. In addition to the mostly inexpensive private accomodation we found another good-value hotel in the neighbouring town of Leverkusen and added it to our accomodation-list:

"RheinRiverGuesthouse" (ca. 35 - 50 € per person and night)
Trip to the competition site: 10 min on foot + 10 min bus ride.

In addition to the cash prizes the jury will grant stipendia for the following international festivals:

Internationales Bergisches Gitarrenfestival (D)
Internationales Gitarren-Festival Iserlohn (D)
Koblenz International Guitar Festival & Academy (D)
Internationale Gitarrenfestspiele Nürtingen (D)
International Guitar Festival Postojna (SLO)
Volos International Guitar Festival (GR)

As a highlight we will present a concert with a Chinese soloist and a duo from Germany.

Liying ZHU (China)

Duo GolzDanilov (Germany)

Heading For Fame

Most successful young artists
- well underway to establish an international career -
are eager to perform for connoisseurs

Thursday, 31st May 2018   20 h
Aula Berliner Ring  (Hall 3)
entrance free

Orbituary to Konrad Ragossnig
(abbreviated version of the orbituary on the EGTA website)

In January 2018 Konrad Ragossnig passed away, one of the great artists and pedagogues of our instrument. With his demise we not only loose an immensely competent and versatile colleague, but an era to whose generation we all owe so much, comes to an end. He was one of those who helped the guitar to gain international esteem - be it on stage, in tuition or publications. His performances around the globe covered many decades and today his former students belong to the important propagators worldwide. To this very day his manual for the guitar and lute belongs to the core literature in scientific research dealing with our instrument.

We can be proud that Konrad Ragossnig more than once honoured our competition with his presence as a jury member. We will miss him.

Alfred Eickholt
Chairman of  EGTA•D

The Jury for the competition 2018 is chosen.
The assignment to one of the age groups will take place later.

• Fernando Sor
  from: 12 Etudes op 6
  No 1  D-Dur  and  No 2  A-dur
  or
• Johan Kaspar Mertz
  Nocturne op 4  No 1
  plus
• free programme from 2 different historical periods minimum
  (of which one can match the period of the compulsory piece)

• Heitor Villa-Lobos
  from: 12 Etudes
  No 2 Allegro  and  No 3 Allegro moderato
  or
• Heitor Villa-Lobos
  from: 12 Etudes
  No 11  Lent
  plus
• free programme from 2 different historical periods minimum
  (of which one can match the period of the compulsory piece)

• Manuel María Ponce
  from: Sonata III
  02 Canción
  or
• Manuel María Ponce
  from: Sonata romántica
  02 Andante espressivo
  plus
• free programme

• Free program, containing a piece composed after 1980
  Pieces from the 1st round may not be played here for a second time.

To keep a good memory we put the Photo-Gallery 2016 online.

Get a vivid impression by our VIDEO CLIP.

To make the communication among the participants more easy and also for other friends of the guitar we just now opened a facebook page.
HERE is the Link.