ÁNGEL G. PIÑERO > THE ASSOCIATION AND THE COMPETITION

ANGEL G. PIÑERO CLASSICAL GUITAR ASSOCIATION

In April 2016, the guitarist from Cádiz founded the Classical Guitar Association that bears his name with the intention of "promoting the classical guitar in the world".

The aim of the competitions is to spread the Spanish classical guitar around the world, to interest young people in the instrument and to support young guitarists starting out on their careers. In the competitions the participants perform exclusively the works of Ángel G. Piñero, works that have been performed at important music festivals, such as the Festival Internacional de Música Contemporánea de Madrid (COMA) and on stages in Europe and America.

His legacy

“The guitar is eternal, immortal. Only the hands that caress it change”

Angel is -because he always will be- a bridge with the new generations of guitarists, through the Ángel G. Piñero Classical Guitar Association and the International Competitions that the Association promotes every year.

Always with a purpose: to enrich the musical heritage of the Spanish classical guitar.

The Contest

In 2014 Ángel G. Piñero created a classical guitar competition for young Spanish and foreign talents from 18 to 35 years old.

Concerned about the lack of diffusion of the classical guitar and the scarcity of guitar concerts in Spain, Ángel decided to organise an international classical guitar competition to attract the best guitarists of the moment to compete for the prizes and the honour of winning the competition. As part of the policy of supporting the contestants, the Association organised concerts for them in Spain and abroad. The competition was communicated to music conservatories in Europe, America, Asia, Africa and Oceania. In this sense, it is the “Ángel G. Piñero” Classical Guitar Association itself which is responsible for the development, promotion and dissemination of this unique competition in its field.

The Ángel G. Piñero International Classical Guitar Contest brings together guitarists from all continents. Since its creation in 2014 until 2019 it has been held physically in El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz). For the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions, the contest was held in digital format, due to the COVID-19 crisis.

In 2024, the 11th edition of the “Ángel G. Piñero” International Classical Guitar Competition was held in a hybrid format: online and face-to-face.

This edition counted on 16 participants from 12 different nationalities, and consisted of two phases:

1) The first eliminatory phase ended on May 20, 2024, from which 5 finalists emerged:

a. Contestants must registered, paid the registration fee (50 euros) and send the requested material and received the scores of the three works by Ángel G. Piñero that they performed.

b. The interpretation of the three works were sent before May 20, 2024, by “We transfer”: 1 video in MP4 format / 1 audio in .WAV format.

2) The face-to-face final phase, which took take place on July 5 in El Puerto de Santa María (Cádiz, Spain) with the 5 finalists selected from the eliminatory phase.

In 2021 the Association launches the First International Classical Guitar and String Quartet Competition “Ángel G. Piñero”.

See more

THE JURY

Members of the jury:

  • Catherine Lacoste: President of the “Ángel G. Piñero” Classical Guitar Association.

  • Enrique Iglesias Romero: Musical Director / Councilor for Culture, Historical Heritage and Education of El Puerto de Santa María.

  • Pablo Romero Luis: guitar teacher and concert performer. Winner of the II “Ángel G. Piñero” International Classical Guitar Competition in 2015.

Jury evaluation: musical expression and tempo will be especially valued in the qualification of the performances received.

  • If there is no Spanish participant among the 5 finalists selected, the best of the Spanish contestants will be selected as a sixth finalist.
  • The decision of the Jury is final.
  • The Jury’s decision will be published on the Association’s website and Facebook profile with the winner’s video. There will be a communication of the winners on the profiles on Social Networks.
  • A summary of the XI Contest will be sent to music sector magazines in coordination with the competitors who might have direct contact with the media in their country.


  • Catherine Lacoste: presidenta de la Asociación de Guitarra Clásica “Ángel G. Piñero”.
  • Ramón Vergara S.: joven guitarrista formado en la Universidad de Chile y ganador de la I edición del Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Clásica “Ángel G. Piñero” en 2014. Concertista y miembro del “Dúo Hispania: Verso y madera” y de la compañía de teatro “Finalis Terra”.
  • José Luis Merlín: compositor y concertista internacional.
  •  José Luis Ruiz del Puerto: director de la Fundación Alhambra Guitarras. Concertista internacional y director del Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Clásica Alhambra.
  • Mª Esther Guzmán: concertista internacional.
  • Vicente Coves: presidente de la European Guitar Foundation. Concertista internacional. Director del Pepe Romero Guitar Festival Málaga. Festival Internacional de la Guitarra de Granada y Antonio Marín Montero Guitar Building Competition.

PRIZES XI edition 2024

  • First prize: Stanislav Steshenko (Ukraine) – 4,000 euros (3,000 euros and 1,000 euros in travel expenses) plus a paid concert.

  • Second prize: Josué Fonseca (Cuba) – 3,000 euros (2,000 euros and 1,000 euros for travel expenses).

  • Third prize: Víctor Manuel Casero (Spain) – 2,000 euros (1,000 euros and 1,000 euros for travel expenses). With the collaboration of the AIE.

  • Non-awarded finalists: Dinis Meirinhos (Portugal) y Giacomo Scatareggia (Italy) – Each of them received a travel bag of 1,000 euros for travel expenses.

Primer premio: 7.000€

  • Además, durante el año 2024, el ganador formará parte del jurado del concurso 2024, tendrá un concierto dentro del festival de guitarra de Granada y otro concierto más organizado por la “Asociación de Guitarra Clásica Ángel G. Piñero.

Segundo premio: 5.000€

Tercer premio: 3.000€ con la colaboración de AIE (Sociedad de Artistas Intérpretes o Ejecutantes de España).

Finalistas no premiados: Bolsa de viaje de 1.000€

REQUIREMENTS

 The contest is open to the public.

Contest participants must be under 36 years of age on the date of registration for the contest.

Participants are required to have completed their higher education in guitar or be in the process of completing their final courses.

Participation in the contest implies the transfer to the Ángel G. Piñero Classical Guitar Association of the rights of reproduction and distribution of photographic and recording material, under the legislation on Intellectual Property, through the means considered, all without profit.

CONTEST' RULES

It is recommended to register early enough to have as much time as possible to study the works composed by Ángel G. Piñero.

Consult the contest rules here and access the page to register.

VIDEO XI EDITION 2024 (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz)

Video summary: finals, awards ceremony and concert

Full video: the 5 finalists’ participation

Video of the concert

Full video: the 5 finalists’ participation

PRESS XI EDITION 2024 (El Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz)

ONDA CADIZ TV
Programme “Cádiz contigo” | Interview with Catherine Lacoste
(July 10th 2024)

VIDEO X EDITION 2023 (Granada)

Complete concert

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