Classical Guitar
Classical guitar competitions
We have competition classes for amateur classical guitarists of all levels, from beginner to advanced. Whether you are learning your first piece or are an accomplished performer already, we can offer you a platform. Perform to a friendly, supportive audience, receive constructive feedback from an expert in the field, and perhaps even win a medal or the trophy! Winners from selected classes are invited to perform again in the Gala Concert.
At Leicester MusicFest we believe that musicians of all ages can learn a lot from each other: we do not categorise our guitar classes by age, but rather by graded difficulty. So, whether you are eight or ninety-eight, you are welcome to enter any class appropriate to your level (excluding G5 - see below for details).
Conservatoire-level competition
with £500 bursary prize (G5)
Are you a teacher?
For conservatoire-level classical guitarists aged 26 or under we hold an advanced recital competition with £500 bursary prize. This competition (G5) is in three rounds with a panel of three adjudicators, and is intended for guitarists studying the guitar in higher education, or intending to pursue a performing career. The bursary prize may be used to help towards further study, or to aid the early stages of life as a professional musician.
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Full details for entry here.
If you are a teacher or school representative intending to enter several students, just create an account with our new dashboard and select 'the new competitor is my student'. Make sure you include Parent/Guardian details for each competitor on your entry. Enter here
Special thanks to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire for their generous sponsorship of our guitar events.
Guitar Award
We are seeking a promising young guitarist (aged 26 or under) who is in need of a high-quality professional guitar. This is a unique opportunity to win a brand new classical guitar made by renowned luthier Roy Courtnall (celebrated author of Making Master Guitars). We are looking for a dedicated guitarist with real promise, and will consider players at various stages of their musical journey, from school age to someone in higher education or equivalent.
Read more about Roy Courtnall here.
'...Since being awarded the guitar, the days have felt significantly shorter. Most of my time seems to be consumed by this beautiful instrument! Over the last year, the guitar has seen me through my second year recital at college, and has matured immeasurably - its projection and depth of tone continue to impress me...'
Jacob Beaman - Leeds College of Music
Workshops & Masterclases
Each year we put on a variety of accessible educational workshops and masterclasses ranging from open workshops for all ages and abilities to more specialised masterclasses for advanced players.
Leicester MusicFest offers a rare opportunity for you to be immersed in lots of different aspects of music-making. Why not learn about something new? Pick up some mindfulness tips to improve your practice, play in an ensemble of guitarists, or see how Alexander Technique can help you use your body more efficiently when you play.
All of our workshops and masterclasses are free for under-19s, and heavily subsidised for adults.
Full details on this year's Workshops & Masterclasses here.
Concerts
Come to one of our concerts and be inspired - we have a range of performances throughout the festival, ranging from relaxed daytime demos, to full-scale productions!
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Here at Leicester MusicFest, we like to finish our festival with a bang, in the form of our Gala Concert. The first half sees selected winners of the competition classes, including the winner of the Guitar Award and the £500 Bursary Prize, take to the stage again before a professional performance in the second half - featuring award-winning stars and emerging young artists.
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All of our concerts are free for under-19s, with heavily subsidised tickets for adults.
Full details of our upcoming concerts are available on the concerts page.
