2025 Cambridge Guitar Competition (CGC)

General Information

The Cambridge Guitar Competition is hosted and sponsored by the Cambridge Academy of Music and Arts in Johns Creek, GA and is open to the public.

Competition participants must be students in 4th through 12th grade and will compete in the following categories:

Dazzling Guitar Star	Grades 4-8
Shining Guitar Star	Grades 9-12

Cash Prizes for both age categories will be:

First Place	$50
Second Place	$30
Third Place	$20

Competition Date, Venue & Fee

Competition Date: Saturday, April 19, 2025

Competition Venue: Cambridge Academy of Music
6000 Medlock Bridge Parkway, Suite E-900
Johns Creek, GA 30022

Application Deadline: Friday, April 4, 2025

Application Fee: $30 per student

Competition Regulations

1. Participants must be in 4th to 12th grade.
2. Application fees must be paid by the registration deadline and are non-refundable.
3. There will be one round which will be a closed performance. 
4. All performances must be memorized.
5. Participants must bring original sheet music with measures numbered for the judge’s reference.
6. Absence at the scheduled competition time will result in forfeiture of the application fee, with no makeup sessions allowed.
7. Participants will have up to 2 minutes to tune and prepare (i.e., adjust chair, set foot stool) before beginning their performance. Excessive delays may result in point deductions.
8. Instrument Specifications: Competitors must use a nylon-string classical guitar or an acoustic guitar and follow standard guitar technique. Use of proper posture (including use of a footstool or guitar support) and fingerpicking (in lieu of using a pick) is highly encouraged.
9. All performances will be live and unaccompanied.
10. The judge’s decision is final and cannot be contested by the participant, teacher, parent, or public.
11. Comment sheets and certificates will be mailed to the student’s teacher or parents or may be picked up at the end of the competition.

Repertoire & Performance Requirements

Dazzling Guitar Star (Grades 4-8) – perform two pieces within a 5-minute time limit

• Two contrasting guitar solo pieces
  • Ex. a Renaissance piece transcribed for guitar (e.g., works by Milan, Milano, or Dowland)
  • A Baroque piece (e.g., Bach or Weiss)
  • Ex., a piece from the Classical era (e.g., Carulli, Carcassi, Sor, or Giuliani)
  • Ex., a piece from the Romantic Era (including Mertz or Tarrega)
  • Ex., a piece from the 20^th century period (including Hirsch, Villa-Lobos, or Brouwer)
• No accompaniment or background tracks allowed.

Shining Guitar Star (Grades 9-12) – perform two pieces within a 7-minute time limit

• Two contrasting guitar solo pieces
  • Ex. a Renaissance piece transcribed for guitar (e.g., works by Milan, Milano, or Dowland)
  • A Baroque piece (e.g., Bach or Weiss)
  • Ex., a piece from the Classical era (e.g., Carulli, Carcassi, Sor, or Giuliani)
  • Ex., a piece from the Romantic Era (including Mertz or Tarrega)
  • Ex., a piece from the 20^th century period (including Hirsch, Villa-Lobos, or Brouwer)
• No accompaniment or background tracks allowed.

Judging Criteria

Performances will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Technical Ability (40%): Accuracy, control, and mastery of guitar technique
• Musicality (30%): Expression, dynamics, phrasing, and the interpretation of the music
• Stage Presence (20%): Confidence, professionalism, and presentation during the performance
• Repertoire Choice (10%): Appropriateness and difficulty of the selected pieces relative to the performer’s level

Application Form coming soon

Application Procedure

1. Applications must be submitted with the Cambridge Guitar Competition online application form.
2. A teacher or parent/guardian must submit the application – one form per student. No other application formats will be accepted.
3. Application fee payment must be paid through Cambridge Academy of Music secure online payment system upon completion of the application form.
4. Late applications after the application deadline will not be accepted.

For further information or questions, you may contact Cambridge Guitar Competition Division at cgc@cambridge-music.com.