11th International Competition for Young Guitarists
«Andrés Segovia» from 10th to 13th June 2020
in Monheim am Rhein

The 2020 Compulsory Pieces for all age groups are online now.
We changed the rules concerning the special EGTA-prize.

On 19 January 2019, a terrible tragedy ended the life of the young Serbian artist Sabrina Vlaskalic. She died in a road accident, being hit by a truck while riding her bicycle in Groningen (NL). One day before turning 30, this incredibly sad stroke of fate abruptly ended a very promising musician's career.

Throughout many years I met Sabrina Vlaskalic several times, and since her youth I was allowed to witness her extraordinary talent and her artistic personality. Thus she won the first prize in the second age group at our International Competition for Young Guitarists "Andrés Segovia" in 2004. Later on followed many prizes at professional international competitions and her appointment as teacher and colleague at the "Prince Claus Conservatorium" in Groningen. Due to her outstanding guitaristic abilities she was often invited to international festivals, including being fellow jury member of the renowned International Guitar Competition "Hubert Käppel" in Koblenz at an early age already. At such occasions, together with our other colleagues, we often struggled for the right decisions and evaluation of the highly talented participants.

Now this passionate artist was ripped off her own and her family's and friends' lives.

We are very sad to have lost such a wonderful and talented musician of our instrument. But we also are very grateful for everything she achieved for the guitar, for her music and for the involved people during her short lifetime. We send our deepest condolences to the people having been so close to her and all the things she accomplished and left behind may serve as their and our consolation.

Thank you Sabrina Vlaskalic

Prof. Alfred Eickholt
Chairman of EGTA·D

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 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

Get a vivid impression by our VIDEO CLIP.