Texas Guitar Competition and Festival: Schedule
22nd Annual Texas Guitar Competition and Festival
February 29 – March 2, 2024
This unique Texas competition, designed to showcase outstanding classical guitar students, awards over $8,200 in cash prizes to the winners. Over the three-day event, students compete and attend master classes and concerts by internationally recognized guitarists.
We hold a Youth Competition for ages 11-18 as well as the main Adult Competition for college-level students.
View our past competitions for photos and lists of winners.
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Note: The University of Texas at Dallas will not take custodial responsibility of minors while participating in the Annual Texas Guitar Competition and Festival. Custodial responsibility will remain with teachers K-12, parents, legal guardians, and chaperones.
Schedule of Events
Coming soon…
Registration
Registration for 2024 is now open.
Featuring Performances by
Ana Maria Iordache
Born in Bucharest, Romania, Ana Maria Iordache began playing the guitar at the age of six with Eugen Mang. She received her Bachelor in Music Performance within the National University of Music in Bucharest under the tutelage of Conf. Dr. Catalin Stefanescu- Patrascu. In June 2018 she graduated Cum Laude from “Master in Classical Guitar Performance” within the University of Alicante, Spain. Currently, she is pursuing her Master’s Degree at the University of Arizona with Tom Patterson and artists in residence David Russell, Sergio and Odair Assad.
Ana Maria has been awarded numerous prizes in various international competitions, amongst which the 1st prize in the “Festival Internacional de Guitarra de Madrid”, “Classical Guitar International Competition Sinaia – România”, ̈ Eduard Pamfil ̈ , ̈ Maeştrii Chitarei ̈ , “European Competition for Young Guitarists – Andres Segovia” Velbert, Germany, 2nd prize in “Concurso International de Guitarra Andres Segovia – Ciudad de Linares 2018”, Spain and the two in-house competitions – “Scholin Guitar Competition” and “Beeston Guitar Competition” and 3rd prize in “GuitarFest West Competition” in Calgary, Canada, “Festival/ Concurso Internacional de Amarante 2019”, Portugal and “Denver International Guitar Competition” 2020, Denver, CO.
In 2017 she released her debut album Reverie, produced by the Romanian label E&E Music Production.
Bokyung Byun
Recipient of the 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant, Bokyung Byun enjoys a reputation as one of the most sought-after guitarists of her generation. Bokyung holds the distinction of being the first female winner of the prestigious JoAnn Falletta International Guitar Concerto Competition, where Falletta herself described Bokyung’s performance as “stunning, showcasing her gorgeous tone, immaculate technique, and sophisticated musicianship.” Other recent honors include the grand prize at the 2021 Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition and the Montreal International Classical Guitar Competition.
A bevy of orchestras, festivals, workshops, and guitar societies look to Byun for solo performances and masterclasses. In recent seasons, Byun has performed as a soloist with orchestras, including the Buffalo Philharmonic, the Utah Symphony, West Los Angeles Symphony, New Juilliard Ensemble, the Aspen Music Festival Orchestra, among others. Her solo recital highlights include performances at the Kumho Young Artist Series, Philadelphia Guitar Festival, Aspen-Salida Concert Series, Toronto Guitar Weekend, Guitar Montréal, Ellnora | The Guitar Festival, and San Diego Guitar Festival. She was acclaimed for performing “eloquently through a diverse and challenging program,” by Michelle Fratus, president of the board of the Knoxville Guitar Society, and having “confidence, passion, excellent projection and great dynamic contrast” by Heather Morand Clark, president of the Guitar Society of Toronto.
Jeremy García
Jeremy García is classical and flamenco guitarist, award winning composer, recording artist and educator. He, along with flamenco singer Irma La Paloma, is the co-founder and director of Solero Flamenco, Houston’s premier flamenco performance company. As an accomplished accompanist of flamenco cante and baile, García collaborates with top flamenco artists of the genre. As a composer, he recently won the top prize in the flamenco category of the Séptimo Concurso de Composición para Guitarra Fidelio in Madrid, Spain. (2023)
García maintains an active performance career throughout the United States. As featured guitarist, he tours nationally with Solero Flamenco in Candlelight Concerts presented by Fever. He has been featured as a soloist with many top organizations including the Houston Grand Opera and the Helena Symphony. He has also appeared in numerous festivals as invited artist, has given Master Classes, workshops, and conducted guitar ensembles.
His most recent album, Nuevo Día, was released in June 2023 on the Frameworks Record Label. García currently serves as the Affiliate Professor of Guitar at the University of Houston and is the Associate Artistic Director of the Houston Classical Guitar Festival and Competition.
Jonathan Valenzuela
Jonathan Valenzuela is a guitarist, arranger, and educator in Dallas, Texas. His academic career consists of a Bachelor of Music, Master of Music, and Performer’s Diploma in Guitar Performance from Southern Methodist University, having studied under the tutelage of renowned musician Robert Guthrie.
In 2019, he received the Undergraduate Award for Excellence in Music from Meadows School of the Arts. Jonathan has performed in masterclasses for world class artists including Meng Su, Sergio Asaad, Gohar Vardanyan and David Russell.
In addition to his private teaching, Jonathan is currently the lead teacher at Yamaha Music School Plano, which includes working with a corporate marketing team, leading student ensembles, and running the school’s social media presence.
Beatriz Pinto
Beatriz Pinto, born on October 4, 2004, began studying classical guitar at the age of 7 with professor João Moita. She entered the Aveiro music conservatory in 2013. Currently, she is studying at the “Hochschule für Musik Franz Liszt Weimar”, accompanied by Maestro Ricardo Gállen. Beatriz is an Alhambra and Knobloch artist. Beatriz has already attended several masterclasses, namely with Ali Arango, Marco Tamayo, Ricardo Gallén, Irina Kulikova, Àlex Garrobé, Margarita Escarpa, Bokyung Byun, and David Russell.
In her musical career, she has participated in several competitions, winning more than 25 awards. Highlights include first prize at the International Guitar Festival José Tomás Villa de Petrer in 2021, first prize at the International Classical Guitar Online Competition’s Concert day in Russia in 2021, first prize at the King’s Peak International Music Competition in 2021, first prize in Online Music Champion of the World at the World Open Online Music Competition in 2021, and first prize at the CIGA Jr. 2023. Beatriz has also participated in several television programs including Got Talent Portugal in 2022, where she reached the semi-finals.