The city of Valencia will welcome of the 17 al 20 June the 17th edition of the Alhambra International Guitar Competition (CIGA), one of the most important classical guitar meetings on the international scene. Organized by the Alhambra Guitars Foundation, The contest will bring together high-level young performers, maestros, specialized juries and music lovers in a program completely open to the public, that will combine competition, extraordinary concerts and informative cultural activities. The 17th edition has registered an extraordinary response. Of the 20 semi-finalists of 14 different countries, nine guitarists have qualified for the final phase representing Poland, Portugal, Japan, Mexico, Ukraine and Spain.
Programming starts on Wednesday 17 of June in the Botanical Garden of the University of Valencia with the official inauguration of the contest. The evening will include the presentation of the commissioned work composed specifically for this edition: “Prelude to Torre Quebrada”, by the composer José Luis Turina, edited by Editorial Piles. The opening event will feature an Extraordinary Concert by the German guitarist Julia Trintschuk, One of the most outstanding performers of his generation.
The days 18 y 19 of June, The CaixaForum València Auditorium will host the tests Semifinal and Final of the contest, with free entry and limited capacity, allowing the public to attend the competition development live. In parallel, The second floor of the building will house the informative activity “Alhambra Guitars: Madera, Workshop and Craftsman”, a proposal that brings to the public the process of artisanal construction of the Spanish guitar and the legacy of more than six decades of Guitarras Alhambra as a world reference in lutheria.
The contest will conclude on Saturday 20 of June with the Closing Gala and Awards Ceremony, followed by an Extraordinary Concert by the cellist Fernando Arias and the guitarist Miguel Trapaga, putting the finishing touch to four days of music, culture and interpretive excellence. The XVII Edition of the Alhambra International Guitar Competition has the support of the la Caixa Foundation, the Music Classroom of the University of Valencia and the Music Department of the Valencian Institute of Culture. The complete program can be consulted on the website of the Alhambra Guitars Foundation and on their social networks.
The Alhambra Guitars Foundation: six decades promoting the Spanish guitar
CIGA is one of the central initiatives of the Alhambra Guitars Foundation, the cultural and educational arm of Alhambra Guitarras. Through the Foundation, The training of new generations of performers and the dissemination of the Spanish guitar as a living cultural heritage are promoted., with activities that transcend the national scope to project themselves throughout the world. With this new edition, the Foundation reaffirms its commitment to culture, musical education and the international projection of an instrument that is the hallmark of Spain.
