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Texas Guitar Competition and Festival: Schedule, Prizes and Sponsors

2024 Competition Results

Youth Division I Winners:

1st Place: Nyla Choi
2nd Place (Tie): Dylan Watanabe and Logan Chen

Youth Division II Winners:

1st Place: Brandon Kim
2nd Place: Satvik Chawla
3rd Place: Vidita Bhotika

Adult Competition Winners:

1st Place: Sohta Nakabayashi
2nd Place: Dragos Ilie
3rd Place (Tie): Kyle Khembunjong and Jiujiu Wu

Best Performance of Spanish Repertoire:
Sohta Nakabayashi

Martha and John Nye Audience Choice Award:
Sohta Nakabayashi

View our past competitions for photos and lists of winners.

Schedule of Events

February 29 to March 2, 2024

View the event program

Thursday, February 29:

Semi-finals of the Adult Competition
1:00 p.m.
Not open to the public

Pre-concert performance by Beatriz Pinto from Portugal, the Concurso Internacional de Guitarra Alhambra Junior winner
7:00 p.m.
University Theatre

Concert performances by Ana Maria Jordache, first place winner of the 2023 Texas Guitar Competition, and Bokyung Byun, an Augustine Strings artist
7:30 p.m.
University Theatre


Friday, March 1:

Master classes for competitors, with Ana Maria Iordache & YunZhe Lin
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Various Locations

Adult Competition Finals
Our four finalists in playing order are Dragos Ilie, Jiujiu Wu, Kyle Khenbunjong, and Sohta Nakabashi.
7:30 p.m.
University Theatre


Saturday, March 2:

Master classes for competitors, with Ana Maria Iordache & YunZhe Lin
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Various Locations

Vendor Fair
2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Jonsson Performance Hall

Bokyung Byun: Performance Preparation for the Aspiring Guitarist
Bokyung is the first prize winner from both the 2021 Guitar Foundation of America International Concert Artist Competition and the Montreal International Classical Guitar Competition. She will discuss tips for competition success.
2:00 p.m.
Jonsson Performance Hall

Luthiers Expo and Guitar Demo featuring Beatriz Pinto and YunZhe Lin
3:00 p.m.
Jonsson Performance Hall

Flamenco Workshop with Jeremy García
Jeremy García is a classical and flamenco guitar professor at the University of Houston.
4:00 p.m.
Jonsson Performance Hall

Pre-concert performance by the UNT Ensembles, led by Bokyung Byun
7:00 p.m.
University Theatre

Concert performance by Jonathan Valenzuela and Jeremy Garcia, in memory of Robert Guthrie
Followed by the award ceremony where we announce the winners for both the adult and youth competitions.
7:30 p.m.
University Theatre

Competition Prizes

Youth Competition (both divisions)
  • First Place: $300
  • Second Place: $200
  • Third Place: $100

plus merchandise from SAVAREZ

Adult Competition (ages 18+)
  • First Place: $3,000
  • Second Place: $2,000
  • Third Place: $1,000
  • Fourth Place: $500
  • Audience Choice Award: $500

plus merchandise from SAVAREZ.

Per U.S. IRS regulations, prizes awarded to non-U.S. citizens may be subject to tax withholding, dependent upon the current tax treaty between the U.S. and the winner’s country of citizenship. U.S. citizens who are awarded prizes will not have tax withheld, and will receive an IRS Form 1099 from UT Dallas at the end of the year if the total of earnings from UT Dallas are $600 or more.

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 Garcia (Photo Credit: Joe Center)

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. 

Jonathan Valenzuela
Beatriz Pinto

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. 

Sponsors

UTD logo

Richard Kurjan

Virginia and Russell Cleveland

Joseph and Deonne Sullivan

Guitar Advisory Council

Bass Council

Savarez
Alhambra Guitarras

Competition Directors:
Enric Madriguera, Co-Director
Kathryn Evans, Co-Director
James Wilder, Associate Director
Eddie Healy, Youth Competition Co-Director
Vanessa Corder, Youth Competition Co-Director
Dan Hodan, UT Dallas Faculty
Nikhil Chaturvedi, Student Marketing Assistant

Guitar Advisory Council:
Nils Roemer, Dean, Harry W. Bass Jr. School of Arts, Humanities, and Technology at UT Dallas
Enric Madriguera, Russell Cleveland Professor for Guitar Studies at UT Dallas
Russell Cleveland, Chairman, Professor for Guitar Studies at UT Dallas
Suvanee Chirachanchi
Bonnie Lou Coleman (*d. Nov. 15, 2023)
Michael Craddock
Kathryn Evans
Anne Findley
Chad Hunter
Dennis Kratz
Richard Kurjan
Camille Fu
Cindy Pitney
Joseph Sullivan
Frank Kimlicko – Emeritus
Wei W. Wang