Competition
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Professional category
Application for the professional category
The competition is open to all guitarists born in 1994 and younger.
Application deadline: Monday, 12th January 2026.
First Round
(online video format)
The required duration for the first round is between 12 to 15 minutes of music, which must include at least two pieces from different stylistic periods of the contestant's choice.
After payment has been made and the official poster of the Varaždin International Guitar Festival has been received, all contestants are required to submit a video recording of their performance. The video must be uploaded to YouTube, with the official festival poster clearly visible in the background. The recording must be continuous, without any editing or montage.
The deadline for submitting the video recording is Monday, 12 January 2026.
All videos from the first stage will be publicly displayed on the festival's official YouTube channel on Monday, 19 January 2026.
The results will be announced on Tuesday, 20 January 2026. at:
the festival's official website
social media (Facebook and Instagram)
via personal email to each contestant
Finals
Four finalists will be selected to perform in the final, which will take place live on Saturday, 21 February 2026, in Varaždin, Croatia.
Each contestant will perform a program lasting up to 25 minutes, which must include compositions from at least two different musical styles.
In case of exceeding the time limit, the jury has the right to interrupt the contestant's performance.
In addition to the expert jury awards, a public award will also be given.
The organizer retains the right to record and publish performances and to create other digital content that may be published on the festival's official or partner platforms.
1st prize: 2000 €
2nd prize: 1000 €
3rd prize: 750 €
4th prize: 500 €
Audience prize: Concert at the Music School in Varaždin during the school year 2026/2027.