A look back: 2024, participants and prizes. Photo ©: Gerald Garcia

Set piece in first round: One of three compositions by Dale Kavanagh "Three Preludes".

1st round

The first round will take place on Monday, July 27th, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Aula (Forum) of the Stenner-Gymnasium (Stennerstrasse 5).

30 guitarists will be accepted - first come, first serve. You need to register as an active participants (Variant 4 – 170 Euros) by March 31st the very latest.

Set piece – one of three compositions by Dale Kavanagh "Three Preludes“, plus max. 6 minutes of free program in total 10-11 minutes. The Three Preludes will be sent to you after you have signed up.

2nd round

The second round will take place on Wednesday, July 29th, 2026 from 9.30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Free solo program of a maximum of 15 minutes - no pieces from the first round may be repeated

3rd round - final

The third round, and thus the finale of the competition, will take place on Friday, July 31st, 2026 at 7.00 p.m. in the Oberste Stadtkirche Iserlohn.

This is a public concert, the finalists present a guitar solo program of at least 25 minutes and a maximum of 28 minutes in length. All pieces of the first two rounds may be repeated.

The prizes will then be awarded by the jury.

Participants of the competition will receive 3 individual lessons (on days without competition rounds) with teachers of their choice. (please understand that capacity is limited - we ask you to cross 4-5 teachers of your choice).

Guitar-Cases from JML Cases.

Prizes

1st prize

• 2,000 euros in cash
• 1 guitar case from JML Cases
  
• Concert at the Nürtingen International Guitar Festival 2027
• Strings from D’Addario, Savarez, Royal Classic and Alice Strings

2nd prize

• 2,000 Euros in cash
• 1 guitar case from JML Cases
• Strings from D’Addario, Savarez, Royal Classic and Alice Strings

3rd prize

• 1,000 Euros in cash
• 1 guitar case from JML Cases
• Strings from D’Addario, Savarez, Royal Classic and Alice Strings

4th prize

• 500 Euros in cash (special price from SAVAREZ)
  
• Strings from D’Addario, Savarez, Royal Classic and Alice Strings

5th prize

• 500 Euros in cash (special price from SAVAREZ)
  
• Strings from D’Addario, Savarez, Royal Classic and Alice Strings

Special Prize by Alice Strings

• 500 Euros
  Best Interpretation of Dale Kavanagh‘s piece in the first round
  

The Jury

• Dale Kavanagh, Canada
• Andrea & Leopoldo Lipstein, Argentina / Germany
• Juan Carlos Arancibia, Peru / Germany
• Danielle Cumming, Canada / USA
• Tom Johnson, USA
• Gregor Adamek, Germany
• He Qing, China
• Xu Bao, China
• Stephen Goss, England