Alhambra Guitars is conscious of the important contribution that new generations of young guitarists can make joining in this prestigious Competition. For that reason, Alhambra Guitars is committed to maintain the high level achieved up to now and adds the efforts required to increase the dissemination and the impetus in favor of the participants and, especially, of the winners.
Working to get a higher recognition and support of the artistic careers has been and will be one of the most important commitments. Proof of this is the concert tours, presentations, master class… in which the winners of the last editions have been sponsored. They, together with other professional guitarists, are part of that great "Alhambra Family", which we want to take care of it and expand it every day.
Alhambra Guitars also supports the Spanish creation for innovation and research. It wants to not only make the best instruments, but also support and promote all those areas where the guitar is the essential element such as the composition or performance style.
The materialization of this aspiration is reflected in the Alhambra Collection of Contemporary Spanish Music for the Guitar, edited by Piles Editorial, which was created several years ago in association with the International Guitar Competition, and has presented titles of the composers such as José Manuel López López, David del Puerto, and Emilio Calandín.
We want this Collection to be an international benchmark for musical quality, being added to our great names of the current guitar; those who, with their daily creative work, produce culture, dreams and illusions that make the universal and Spanish guitar, even bigger.
In the XIV Edition of the Competition, the work El reloj de Teresa, by the composer Juan de Dios García Aguilera, will be added to the Collection, serving to set out a new artistic challenge to those contestants who want to gain access to the Interpretation Award associated with the aforementioned piece of work.
Our interest in the all time Spanish musical creation, but also in the general culture of our country, leads us to dedicate, as part of mandatory repertoire, works for remembrance to great Spanish musicians and artists who celebrate their anniversaries this year. For instance, Fernando Sor (1778-1839), Miguel Llobet (1878-1938), Vicente Asencio (1908-1979) or Federico García Lorca (1898-1936).
We look forward to welcoming all the participants. We wish you good luck. We are confident that you will feel as the real protagonists of the Alhambra International Guitar Competition.
José Luis Ruiz del Puerto
CIGA Artistic Director
XIVth ALHAMBRA INTERNATIONAL GUITAR COMPETITION
From 28h May to 2th June 2018
Palau de la Música in Valencia
After the final round, the winners of the XIV Alhambra International Guitar Competition are:
First Prize: Pedro Aguiar – Brazil
Second Prize: Takuya Okamoto – Japan
Third Prize: Alejandro Córdova – Mexico
Finalist: Ji Hjung Park – Corea del Sur
Audience Award: Pedro Aguiar – Brazil
We are pleased to inform that the rules of the XIVth Alhambra International Competition, which will take place from 28th May to 2nd June 2018 in Valencia, are already available on this website.
Contestants can opt for “Alhambra prize to the new Spanish music composition” if they perform the new work El reloj de Teresa by composer Juan de Dios García Aguilera (1959), especially commissioned for this new edition.
In addition, if you want to get the work, please write to Isabel: isabel@pilesmusic.net
We wish you all the luck in the world!
Manufacturas Alhambra, S.L.
XIVth ALHAMBRA INTERNATIONAL
GUITAR COMPETITION
From 28th May to 2nd June 2018
RULES
- The competition will take place in Valencia from 28th May to 2nd June 2018. Open competition for all guitarists, younger than 35 years old on May 28th 2018, irrespective of nationality, excluding previous 1st prize winners of this event.
- The jury is made up of prestigious personalities from the guitar world. The jury is empowered to interrupt the contestant’s performance.
- The pieces must be played by heart, except the work, El reloj de Teresa by Juan de Dios García Aguilera (Final Round) and may not be repeated in any other round.
- Performances may be spread or recorded through any technical support. Contestants renounce to any right related to this subject.
- Performances will be opened to the public. The First round, the Second round and the Final (on May 29th, 30th, 31st and on June 1st) will take place in Conservatorio Municipal “José Iturbi” de Valencia at José Roca hall, placed at Avenida Baleares, 36.
The Closing and Prize-Giving Ceremony will take place on June 2nd in Palau de la Música de Valencia (Paseo de la Alameda, 30). The schedule will be determined at that moment.
- On May 28th at 19´00, the contestants must be present at José Roca hall at Conservatorio Municipal de Música “José Iturbi”, placed at Avenida de Balerares, 36 in Valencia, where the Open Ceremony and the public draw will take place to determine the order of appearance of the contestants which will be kept during the competition.
Contestants must submit their passport or national identity document. Attendance to the draw is compulsory. If the contestant is not present at the draw at the fixed hour by the organization, the contestant will be excluded.
- FIRST ROUND. It will take place on May 29th and 30th at José Roca hall.
Following the established order, contestants will perform on May 29th from 10´00 the compulsory works: 1st Romanza by Miguel Llobet (1878-1938), 2nd Un Estudio to choose from Doce Estudios by Heitor Villalobos (1887-1959).
Three copies of all free choice works should be handed to the Organization by the contestants who have passed to the next round prior to the performance.
- SECOND ROUND. It will take place on May 31st at José Roca hall.
Successful contestants will perform, according to the established order in the public draw, the compulsory work: Introducción, Tema y variaciones op.9 de Fernando Sor (1778-1839) and works from different styles for a maximum duration of 30 minutes.
- FINAL ROUND. After the second round, the jury will select and announce the finalists who will perform in the final round which will take place on June 1st at 18´00 P.M. at José Roca hall, according to the established order.
Finalists will perform in the final round the compulsory work: Tango de la Casada Infiel by Vicente Asencio (1908-1972) and works from different styles.
Contestants can opt for “Alhambra prize to the new Spanish music composition” if they perform, in this final round, the new work El reloj de Teresa by composer Juan de Dios García (1959), specially commissioned for this new edition. This work will be available to be downloaded on the website www.concursoalhambra.com in February 2018. In addition, you can write to isabel@pilesmusic.net and ask for it.
The whole duration of this round must not exceed 35 minutes. Three copies of the scores of all free choice works should be handed to the Organization by the contestants prior their performances.
- CLOSING AND PRIZE-GIVING CEREMONY. It will take place on June 2nd at Rodrigo hall in Palau de la Música.
The final Act of the Jury will be read during the Closing Ceremony and the First prize winner will perform some works in the final a part of this Ceremony.
Attendance at the Closing and Prize-Giving Ceremony is compulsory for the finalists.
The required dress code for this Ceremony is formal.
- Application forms for the competition must be sent by post, fax, e-mail or through our website:
Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Alhambra (Manufacturas Alhambra S.L.)
Duquesa de Almodóvar, 17
MURO DE ALCOY (Alicante)
Email: contacto@concursoalhambra.com
For further technical questions, please contact: direccion@concursoalhambra.com
- The deadline for the receipt of these is on 20th May 2018.
- Prizes*
First Prize:
- 14.000 euros cash prize
- CD recording by Naxos
The first prize winner will sign away any phonographic rights derived from this subject in order to record the CD. In addition, the winner accepts to record this CD with an Alhambra guitar which will be chosen by the winner and given by Alhambra. It is also compulsory to record the new work “El reloj de Teresa” by composer Juan de Dios García Aguilera.
The winner will record the CD within the following four months after the competition.
- One concert sponsored by Manufacturas Alhambra with a total fee of 1.000 euros.
- Exclusive agreement of artistic diffusion sponsored by Manufacturas Alhambra.
Second Prize:
- 4.000 euros cash prize
- Grant for the Master de Guitarra de Alicante 2019 to attend as an active student. The grant is only valid for the 2019 edition. If it was not possible to attend, the benefit of the grant would be lost.
Third Prize:
- 2.500 euros cash prize
Alhambra’s prize for the new Spanish Music Composition:
-3.000 euros cash prize
Finalists will be able to win this prize if they include in their repertory in the final round the work El reloj de Teresa by composer Juan de Dios García Aguilera. Mainly, the jury will take into account the performance of this new work.
Audience prize:
- 1.000 euros cash prize
Finalist: Diploma
Concerts performed by the winners may be recorded and published in any format. The winners sign away the rights that are derived from this subject.
*Prizes are subjected to Spanish tax regulations in force. Contestants must provide an official ID card document or Passport. Prizes will be paid the first working day after the contest by bank transfer. It will be essential that contestants facilitate the Organization the bank details and all the necessary documentation by e-mail to contacto@concursoalhambra.com
- Prizes can be shared except “Alhambra’s prize to the new Spanish music composition”. The jury may decide not to award any of them.
- Contestants who win some prize accept to include it in their C.V.
- The hours of the competition may be modified by the jury.
- It is understood that contestants automatically accept the rules of the competition as well as the jury’s decision just for signing up for this competition.
- Hotel accommodation will be given by Manufacturas Alhambra S.L. to all those guitarists who pass the first round on 31st May, 1st and 2nd June 2018.
- The Organization does not accept liability for any harm caused or suffered by contestants to the celebration of the Competition.
- A compulsory entry fee of 40 euros must be transferred to the following account number or can be paid through Paypal on the web www.concursoalhambra.com:
Banco Santander S.A.
Pz. Luceros, 1
E-03001 Alicante (España)
IBAN: ES95 0049 6659 0922 1618 9385
BIC: BSCHESMM
Download rules:
COMPETITORS
1. Iván Noel Rincón Meneses - Colombia
2. Luis Guevara - Chile
3. Luis Alejandro García Pérez - España - Spain
4. Sanel Redzic - Bosnia & Herzegovina
5. Jerzy Chwastyk - Polonia - Poland
6. Juan Pablo Honorato - Chile
7. Vural Kahraman - Turquía - Turkey
8. Laura Lootens - Alemania-Bélgica – Germany-Belgium
9. Giacomo Galli – Italia - Italy
10. Joan Campos i Salvador – España - Spain
11. Josué Fonseca - Cuba
12. Takuya Okamoto – Japón - Japan
13. Deion Cho – Corea del sur - South Korea
14. Joe Ott Pons - Cuba
15. Pedro Aguiar – Brasil - Brazil
16. Milen Petrov Petrov – Bulgaria - Bulgary
17. Gemma Caro Torralbo – España - Spain
18. Juniors César Zambrana Sarracent - Cuba
19. Aldo Ferrari - Italia - Italy
20. Mircea-Stefan Gogoncea - Alemania - Germany
21. Katarzyna Julia Smolarek – Polonia – Poland
22. Marko Topchii – Ucrania – Ukraine
23. Ji Hjung Park – Corea del sur –South Korea
24. José Alejandro Córdova Hernández - Mexico
-¿Cómo recibió la propuesta de componer una obra para el Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Alhambra?
Como era conocedor de la importancia del concurso y sabía de la seriedad con la que se trabaja, lo recibí con una inmensa alegría, como no podía ser menos.
-¿Hasta qué punto ha condicionado la creación de la obra el hecho de ser un encargo para un Concurso?
Conceptualmente no demasiado. En realidad he trabajado unas ideas que me venían rondando la cabeza ya durante algunos meses y a las que necesitaba dar salida. Sin embargo, el encargo ha venido a proporcionarme un medio en el que desarrollarlas: la guitarra, uno de mis instrumentos favoritos.
-El reloj de Teresa es el título de la obra que ha compuesto. ¿Qué puede contarnos de ella?
El reloj de Teresa habla de Teresa y de un reloj, y trata sobre maneras de trazar el tiempo. En su arquitectura es una sucesión de breves experiencias encadenadas, de instantes, que tienen en común el hecho de conspirar con los números y coquetear con el tiempo.
-¿En qué se ha inspirado y en qué se basa esencialmente su composición ?
Una fuente de inspiración para mí es siempre Maite (Teresa), mi esposa. Un eterno misterio. Un experimento abierto. Un sol.
-¿Qué cree que aporta al repertorio para guitarra?
Bueno, no lo sé. Uno no escribe con vocación de revolucionar nada. Solo trato de poner mi granito de arena componiendo lo que me apetece.
-¿Es difícil componer para guitarra?
Si pensara que es fácil componer dejaría de hacerlo. No lo es, pero ese es su valor. Y el reto de superar esa dificultad, en algunos mágicos, escasos e insuperables momentos, llega a emocionarme. Esa emoción no tiene igual. Esa emoción es la que me mantiene en el oficio.
-¿En su catálogo compositivo cómo está presente la guitarra?
Sin habérmelo propuesto, se puede observar que la guitarra ocupa un sitio privilegiado dentro de mi repertorio, y en buena parte es responsabilidad de mi amigo Javier Riba, fabuloso guitarrista a quien tengo que agradecer eternamente que me insista en que escriba para su instrumento. También se lo debo a Leo Brouwer, de quien he conocido de primera mano cada uno de sus conciertos para guitarra y orquesta. Después han venido otros guitarristas, como Eugenio Tobalina y José Luis Ruiz del Puerto. A todos les debo un poquito. Tampoco se puede olvidar que vivo en Córdoba, una ciudad cuyo festival más importante está dedicado a la guitarra.
En mi catálogo se cuentan dos piezas para guitarra sola: La dama mulsa (Luna de Federico) (1998) y El reloj de Teresa (2017), un Quinteto con guitarra (2004), dos conciertos para guitarra y orquesta: Concierto nº 1 "Páramos del Infierno de El Bosco" (2009) y Concierto nº2 "Rosa del Alcázar" (2014), y un trío para flauta, viola y guitarra: Formas y figuras I (2011-2016).
-¿Cómo ve el panorama actual de la composición para guitarra entre las nuevas generaciones de compositores?
Hay mucho interés en la guitarra y por la guitarra, y hay muy buenos guitarristas. Por ello compositores españoles como Luis de Pablo, David del Puerto, José Manuel López López, Tomás Marco, Calandín, Sánchez-Verdú, Elena Mendoza y otros muchos han dedicado un espacio de su producción al instrumento, y los más jóvenes comienzan a tomarles el relevo.
Nosotros mismos, desde la cátedra de composición del conservatorio superior de Córdoba, hemos establecido que el alumnado de composición tiene que realizar una pieza para guitarra que luego es estrenada en concierto por sus compañeros de la especialidad de guitarra.
¿Cree que siguen siendo necesarios los Concursos para abrirse camino en el mundo profesional de la música?
Además de una dimensión artística, la interpretación musical tiene también un componente muy físico, deportivo. Creo que la competencia deportiva puede ser algo muy sano y muy noble si hay limpieza en el proceso, y, desde luego, la competición da visibilidad al deportista y le permite reivindicarse a sí mismo. Yo creo que esta misma idea debe regir el sistema de concursos para intérpretes, y con ese sentido conservan plena vigencia.
-¿Qué consejos les daría a aquellos guitarristas que estén preparando su obra para presentarse al Concurso?
Solo un deseo: cuenten bien y respeten los tiempos porque la obra se sustenta sobre la austeridad del número. Pero fuera de ésto, construyan una experiencia personal de la obra, experimenten con ella y sorpréndannos.