Final round in the GFA International Concert Artist Competition.
 

PRIZES

Rose Augustine Grand Prize:

• $10,000 Cash*
• GFA Sponsored International Concert Tour, including approximately 50 concerts throughout the United States, Canada,and Mexico.
• Naxos CD Recording
• Mel Bay Publication
• 3 year supply (52 sets a year) of D’Addario guitar strings in addition to Planet Waves guitar accessories
• Generous string package provided by Savarez
• CD and booklet design and production as well as print/digital marketing and distribution by Contrastes Records

2nd Prize:

• $7,000 Cash*
• 3 year supply (26 sets a year) of D’Addario guitar strings in addition to Planet Waves guitar accessories.
• Generous string package provided by Savarez
• Generous string package provided by Augustine

3rd Prize:

• $5,000 Cash*
• 3 year supply (26 sets a year) of D’Addario guitar strings in addition to Planet Waves guitar accessories.
• Generous string package provided by Savarez
• Generous string package provided by Augustine

4th Prize:

• $3,000 Cash*
• 3 year supply (26 sets a year) of D’Addario guitar strings in addition to Planet Waves guitar accessories.
• Generous string package provided by Savarez
• Generous string package provided by Augustine

*All prizes subject to mandatory 30% federal tax withholding for foreign prize-winners; US prize-winners will be issued an IRS-1099 Form.

*All donated prizes are subject to the delivery by the sponsor. GFA will do everything possible to ensure delivery of all prizes, but GFA will not be held responsible if donor does not deliver a prize as listed above.

All Semifinalists will receive a $500 Travel Stipend. Foreigners must provide receipts to avoid tax withholding.

Other prizes awarded to all Finalists will include gift certificates donated by GSP, Strings by Mail, and KLING-ON products.

JURY

Preliminary Round: TBA
Semifinal and Final Rounds: TBA

COMPETITION RULES

ELIGIBILITY

Open to competitors, who must be 18 years of age by June 1, 2020 (the year following the competition), regardless of nationality.

Required Piece: Fantasia, by Roberto Gerhard.

FINAL ROUND

Saturday, June 22, 6:30 pm, with live webcast: Performance order for this round will be determined by a lottery. Four (4) candidates will perform before a panel of the same seven (7) judges.

Finalists will perform a free choice program along with the Set Piece.  The total performance time, including the Set Piece, must not exceed the length of the Set Piece plus the thirty (30) minute program. Players will be timed from the moment the first note is played (initial entry/tuning time will not be counted provided it is within reason), and the timer will run throughout the performance, including the time between pieces. The timer will be stopped at the end of the piece preceding the set piece, and started again immediately at the conclusion of the set piece.  Players who exceed the thirty (30) minute time limit on their free choice program will be stopped.

Pieces from previous rounds may NOT be repeated in later rounds. All decisions by the judges are final.

JUDGING

The judging procedures are reviewed each year by the Competition Committee, and GFA reserves the right to change the procedures outlined below at the discretion of the committee, in advance of the competition.  Any changes will be posted on this page.

The Guitar Foundation of America does not use a point system.  All judges votes are weighted equally. Judges will evaluate each competitor at their own artistic discretion, and each juror will vote their choice of the twelve (12) competitors from the Preliminary Round to move on to the Semifinal Round. All votes will be tallied and the twelve (12) competitors with the highest votes shall advance to the Semifinal Round. Should a tie result, judges will re-vote on only the tied competitors.

In the Semifinal Round, judges will evaluate each competitor in several categories. Each judge will vote their choice for four (4) finalists, all votes will be tallied and the four (4) competitors with the highest votes shall advance to the Final Round. Should a tie result, judges will re-vote on only the tied competitors.

In the Final Round, judges will evaluate each competitor in several categories. The judges will first vote for first place; then for second; then for third. No ties will be allowed in the Final Round. In the case of a tie in the initial vote, judges will re-vote on the tied competitors to determine who will advance to the higher place.

The winner of the International Concert Artist Competition will perform the Set Piece during the Winner’s Tour.

For further information, please contact Martha Masters, Artistic Director at martha@marthamasters.com

-Martha Masters, Artistic Director, GFA International Concert Artist Competition.