Conditions of participation in Category I:

• The Aalborg Guitar Competition is open to classical guitarists of all countries
• University or Conservatory students or professional players.
• Maximum age of 35 by the start of the competition.

Every participant taking active part declares to accept:

• The regulations of this competition
• The decisions of the jury
• The general rules of the competition

Participation fee: kr. 1.800 (250 €) including free entrance to all concerts, free accommodation (host family arranged by us) from 12.11.2025 – 16.11.2025 and free meals consisting of breakfast, lunch and dinner on November 15th, as well as breakfast and lunch on November 16th. All Meals on November the 15th as well as on November the 16th will be served at the Skipper Clement School where the festival has its base of operations.

Please note also (bonus):

Participants who do not proceed to the Grand Final will be offered one free masterclass (one hour). The festival’s organization allocates times and teachers no later than November 14th 2024.

Regulations for playing at the rounds:

Playing time in all rounds starts as soon as the participant has taken his/her seat.

If the participant does not comply with the regulations, disqualification follows.

Preliminary round:

• Max. performance time must not exceed 12 minutes.
• The repertoire is free choice, but must include music from two different historical periods.

Semifinal round:

• Max. performance time is 18-20 minutes maximum.
• Repertoire from the preliminary round cannot be repeated in this round.
• The repertoire being performed must include music from at least two historical periods.

Grand Final:

• Performance time is a minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum 25 minutes.
• Repertoire is free choice, but must include music from at least two different historical periods.
• Repertoire from the two previous rounds may be repeated.

Stages of the competition Category I:

Round One:

• November 13th 2025 from 9.00 -17.00.
• Aalborg Medborgerhus. Rendsburggade 2, 9000 Aalborg

Semifinal round:

• November 14th 2025 from 10.00 – 16.00.
• Aalborg Medborgerhus. Rendsburggade 2, 9000 Aalborg
• Names the semifinalists will be announced during the concert taking place on November 21rd at 19:30. See concert program for location.


Grand Final:

• November 15th 2025 from 20.00 – 22.30.
• Aalborg Medborgerhus. Rendsburggade 2, 9000 Aalborg
• Names of the finalist will be announced at the concert on November 22nd at 20.00. See concert program for location.

Prizes for the winners of Category I:

1st prize:

• 2000 €

Special Prizes:

• A handmade guitar from Aiersi Gutiars  model SC093A – A Spruce guitar with Rosewood back and sides with a value of 1800 €
• A voucher of 1000 € for Siccas Guitars, conditions will stand in the voucher. 
• A Video Session at The Hideout Studio. (recorded on November 16th 2025)
• Online album release at DotGuitar.it
• Concerts in 2026: (with a fee of 1500 € +hotel and accommodation)
  • Aalborg International Guitar Festival and Competition, Denmark
  • Casa de la Guitarra, Copenhagen
  • Silkeborg Guitarklub
• Diploma & guitaraccessories from Savarez, Dáddarrio.

2nd prize:

• 500 €
• A voucher of 750 € for Siccas Guitars, conditions will stand in the voucher.
• A Video Session at The Hideout Studio. (recorded on November 16th 2025)
• Diploma & guitar accessories

3rd prize:

• 300 €
• A voucher of 500 € for Siccas Guitars, conditions will stand in the voucher.
• A Video Session at The Hideout Studio. (recorded on November 15th 2024)
• Diploma & guitar accessories

The Audience prize

• This an extra prize determined by the audience of the Grand Final
• Diploma and guitar accessories

Special Competition Regulations for Category I:

The sequence of performance will be selected the evening before the preliminary round by drawing lots. Lots will again be drawn for the semifinal and then again for the Grand Final. For the audience prize in Category I each attending member of the audience, who is present at the final round, has one vote only.


Participants must bring 2 copies of the pieces that they are playing in all rounds. The compositions a participant wants to perform must be put in a sealed envelope with the participants name on it. The order of those pieces must also be written on the envelope. This envelope must be handed over to the organizers of the competition before the evening concert (see concert program for location) on November 12th 2025 or on november 13th 2025 in the morning before the preliminary round, latest at 08.45 at Aalborg Medborgerhus. Rendsburggade 2, 9000 Aalborg

Note: Scanned documents via email are NOT accepted.

Jury of the 7. Aalborg International Guitar Competition:

Chairman of the Jury:

• Petra Poláčková, Czech Republic

Jury Members: more to come

• Luciano Pompilio, Italy
• Judical Perroy, France
• Kale Kavanagh, Canada
• Thomas Kirchhoff, Germany
• Eduardo Pascual Diez, Spain
• Frederik Munk Larsen, Denmark
• Mikkel Andersen, Denmark
• Simon Kirstein Oddershede, Denmark 

Regulations for the 7. Aalborg International Guitar Competition 2025 for classical solo guitar in 2 categories

• The organizers of the competition have the prerogative to refuse an application.
• The organizers of the competition have the right to regulate the number of participating guitarists in each category.
• The competition is open to the public.
• The jury has the prerogative to interrupt any player that exceeds the time limits specified in Categories I and II.
• The decision of the jury is final. The system of judging is an internal system and is not open to public discussion.
• First prize winners at the Aalborg International Guitar Festival and Competition in Category II, may not sign up again for the same category for the next competition.
• Remaining regulations: All potential problems and/or situations not covered by the above regulations, will be decided by the organizers of the competition.

Organisation:

• The NEW deadline for all registrations is October 26th 2025 (Registrations will not be accepted until the registration fee has been received).
• Cancellation from participant deadline is October 12th 2025. Half of the registration fee will be refunded if a participant decides to cancel his or her active part in the competition. Should the participant decide to cancel after October 12th 2025, none of the fee will be refunded.
• The festival can extend the registration deadline. The deadline for cancellation with refund will not be extended.
• Each competitor is obliged to announce the compositions he or she will be performing.
• If a participant is not present in due time, he or she will be excluded from further participation in the competition without remittance of the entrance fee.
• The sequence of performance will be selected the evening before by drawing lots and sent by email to the participants.

RECORDINGS AND BROADCASTS:

The Aalborg International Guitar Festival & Competition is entitled to make photo, audio and visual recordings of the competition and arrange broadcasts and distribute these recordings and photos without any remuneration to the performers concerned.