Baltimore International Guitar Competition
Manuel Barrueco, Artistic Director

Hosted by: Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University, Towson University and University of Maryland, Baltimore County

RESULTS:
1st Prize $35,000 ($20,000 Cash Award & $15,000 Augustine Career Award) : Andrzej Grygier
2nd Prize $10,000: Marko Topchii
3rd Prize $5,000: Michael Butten
Audience Prize $2,500: Marko Topchii

LINKS TO ONLINE STREAMING:

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BaltimoreClassicalGuitarSociety/live_videos/

YOUTUBE: 9/23 – https://youtu.be/wDmabaTozbY
YOUTUBE 9/24 – https://youtu.be/pDOupkguuoM
YOUTUBE 9/25 – https://youtu.be/h0lvl9wkiYo

These eight performers were selected to the Semifinal Round:
Pedro Aguiar (Brazil), Michael Butten (U.K.), Riccardo Calogiuri (Italy), Andrzej Marcin Grygier (Poland), YunZhe Lin (China), Erika Otani (Japan), Marko Topchii (Ukraine), Tengyue Zhang (China). Unfortunately, YunZhe Lin and Erika Otani have withdrawn for health reasons.

The Baltimore International Guitar Competition seeks to foster the development of, and appreciation for, the art of the classical guitar, encourage performances at the highest artistic level, and promote and support the careers of the world’s most outstanding young guitarists.

PRIZES: Performers will compete for over $60,000 in prizes:

1st place: $35,000 ($20,000 in cash prize and $15,000 Augustine Career Award*)
2nd place: $10,000
3rd place: $5,000
4th to 8th place: $500
Audience Award: $2,500

*Augustine Career Award will be disbursed on behalf of the winner toward career development.

First-prize winner will be invited to perform in the Baltimore Classical Guitar Society’s 2023-2024 International Concert Series.

All competitors in the Semifinal and Final rounds will receive free hotel accommodations.

BLIND JUDGING: In order to ensure maximum fairness in the adjudicating process, the jury listened to the competitors blindly during the Preliminary Round, Semifinal Round, and the first two days of the 3-Day Final Round. Only on the last day of the 3-Day Final Round did the jury observe the competitors perform.

JURY:

Saul Bitran, violin (Mexico) 1st violinist of the Grammy award-winning Cuarteto Latinoamericano. Solo appearances with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Seattle Symphony. Associate Professor in Violin at Boston Conservatory.

Elizabeth Hainen, harp (USA) Performances in Europe, Asia, North, and South America. Principal harpist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. Chair of Harp Studies at Curtis Institute of Music and Faculty at Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University.

Thomas Müller-Pering, guitar (Germany) Performances in Europe, Asia, Africa, North, and South America. Visiting Professor at Berlin University of the Arts and Professor at University of Music Franz Liszt in Weimar.

Paul O’Dette, lute (USA) Over 140 recordings, receiving two Grammys, seven Grammy nominations, and numerous other international awards. Director of the Boston Early Music Festival. Professor of Lute and Director of Early Music at Eastman School of Music, NY.

Meng Su, guitar (China) Grammy nomination and numerous international awards. Performances throughout Europe, Asia, and America. Artist residencies for San Francisco Performances, Hong Kong Academy for the Performing Arts, and University of Alicante, Spain. Professor of guitar at San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Meng Su replaces juror Paolo Pegoraro who recused himself because of ties with one of the competitors.

Marina Piccinini, flute (Switzerland) Performances with orchestras such as the Boston Symphony, London Philharmonic, and Tokyo Symphony. Has worked with conductors such as Alan Gilbert, Seiji Ozawa, Kurt Masur, Pierre Boulez, and Leonard Slatkin. Professor at the Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore.

Fabio Zanon, guitar (Brazil) A solo and chamber performer, author, conductor, teacher, and broadcaster. Performances throughout Europe, Asia, North, and South America. Visiting Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London, England.

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Artistic director Manuel Barrueco explains why Villa-Lobos was required for Sunday, September 25 at Peabody

Artistic director Manuel Barrueco explains why Tarrega was required for Saturday, September 24 at Towson

Artistic director Manuel Barrueco explains why Bach and Sor were required for Friday, September 23 at UMBC

Risa Carlson interviews artistic director Manuel Barrueco about the competition.