12th Annual Texas Guitar Competition and Festival

Congratulations to the 12th Annual Guitar Competition Winners

Main competition winners

First Place Winner Marko Topchii

Marko Topchii was born in Kiev, Ukraine. In 2011, he received a Master degree in Guitar from the Kharkiv National University of Arts (Ukraine), and he is continuing his postgraduate studies at the Tchaikovsky National Academy of Music. He actively gives recitals in Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Germany, France, India, Czech Republic, Hungary and Romania. In 2007, he won first prize in the 1st International Competition of Guitarists in the “National Philharmonic of Ukraine” (Ukraine) and was the youngest performer. Since then, he has gone on to win first prize at the following competitions: 2008 International Guitar Competition (Ukraine), 2009 International Guitar Competition (Ukraine), 2009 International Guitar Competition Heinsberg (Germany), 2009 European Classical Guitar Competition (Italy), 2010 Mottola Guitar Competition (Italy), 2011 Robert J. Vidal Guitar Competition (France), 2011 Guitar Competition of Sernancelhe (Portugal), 2011 Ligita Guitar Competition (Liechtenstein), 2011 Le Concours International de Guitare Ville d’Antony (France), 2011 Guitar Art Competition (Serbia) and 2012 Guitar Competition Ferdinando Carulli (Italy).

Second Place Winner Silviu Octavian Ciulei

Classical guitarist Silviu Octavian Ciulei was born in Constanta, Romania. He began his musical studies when he was 6 years old and attended the Queen Mary High School of Arts in Constanta. By age 13, he had won his first prize in guitar performance at the Romanian National Music Olympics and performed his first Concerto with the nationally acclaimed Black Sea Philharmonic Orchestra. Since coming to the United States in 2004, Silviu has won first prize in the Columbus Guitar Symposium and Competition, Beethoven Club Competition, Appalachian Guitar Festival and Competition, Indiana International Guitar Competition and Festival; second prize in the Texas Guitar Competition and Festival, East Carolina University Summer Guitar Festival and Competition, Mississippi Concerto Competition; and third prize at the Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition and Schadt International String Concerto Competition. Silviu holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Middle Tennessee State University where he studied guitar performance with Dr. William Yelverton. He recently graduated with a Master of Music in Guitar Performance from Florida State University’s College of Music where he was awarded a graduate teaching assistantship and the graduate dean’s fellowship. Silviu is currently working on a Doctor of Music degree in guitar performance at Florida State University where he is a graduate teaching assistant to Professor Bruce Holzman.

Third Place Winner Andras Csaki

Andras Csaki was born in Budapest, Hungary. Studying under Professor Jozsef Eotvos, Andras received his BA and MA from Franz Liszt University Budapest. In Fall 2012, he started at the University of Southern California studying under Professor Scott Tennant. Andras has won the following prizes: first prize in 2011 Almeria (Julian Arcas), 2010 India (Koskin), 2009 Alessandria (Pittaluga) and 2008 Tokyo; second prize in 2011 Benicassim (Tarrega), 2011 GFA and 2010 Koblenz.

Fourth Place Winner Matthias Lang

The 29-year-old guitarist from Germany received his Diploma of Music Education and his Artist Diploma at the Hochschulefuer Musik Koeln in the class of Professor Hubert Kappel. He continued his studies at the Conservatoire Royal de Mons in Belgium with the Brazilian virtuoso Odair Assad, where he completed his Master’s degree. Matthias is currently enrolled as a doctorate student at the University of North Texas, where he studies under Professor Thomas Johnson and also teaches a guitar class as a Teaching Fellow. He has been awarded several prizes at various guitar competitions, and he is internationally active as a performer. Recently, Matthias played the “Concierto de Aranjuez” by Joaquin Rodrigo with the Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra. He won the second prize at the Texas A&M International Guitar Competition, and is the first guitarist in the history of the University of North Texas to win the UNT Concerto-Competition.

Youth Division II (15-18 year-olds)
First = Adam Blailock
Second = Clara McLain
Third = Avi Medina

Youth Division I (11-14 year-olds)
First = Sedona Farber
Second = Aytahn Benavi
*Third = Kate Douglas
*Third = Mark Citzman

*denotes a tie