WA International Classical Guitar Ensemble and Solo Festival

UPDATE:

The due date for the 2020 WA Classical Guitar Virtual Ensemble and Solo Festival is being extended by one week, till 11.55pm Monday 14^th September. Hopefully this will enable more groups (and soloists) to get their recordings finalised and entries submitted.  So please keep them coming.  Entries at: https://events.humanitix.com/the-2020-virtual-wa-classical-guitar-ensemble-and-solo-festival

We look forward to seeing the fantastic WA guitar playing.

Kind regards

Jonathan Paget

President, Classical Guitar Society of WA, Inc.

The WA International Classical Guitar Ensemble Festival is an annual event, now in its 32nd consecutive year, hosted by the Classical Guitar Society in collaboration with Instrumental School Services of the Department of Education in WA.

The Classical Guitar Society of WA, Inc. will be holding a Virtual Guitar Ensemble Festival for 2020, now that most WA ensembles are rehearsing again.  We are very pleased to be introducing a guitar solo option which will be jointly adjudicated by Dr Jonathan Fitzgerald (UWA Conservatorium), and A/Prof Jonathan Paget (WA Academy of Performing Arts, ECU).

The ensemble division will be adjudicated by Australian guitar living legend Dr Paul Svoboda

Essential details are outlined below, and full instructions will be released early in Term 3.

A VIRTUAL EVENT
While we plan to return to a physical event in 2021, we hope that this virtual event (with reduced ensemble registration fee) will provide a welcome performance goal for ensembles and soloists in this unusual year. We are also pleased to introduce free guitar solo categories. All guitar ensembles and young guitar soloists based in Western Australia are enthusiastically invited to participate!

BENEFITS
All entrants will receive a detailed report and signed digital certificate, which will be completed within no longer than one month after the due date. Outstanding entries may be invited to perform at the Guitar Society’s 2021 60th Anniversary Concert Gala (an honorarium would be offered to soloists). Where copyright restrictions allow, and where consent has been granted, the guitar society may share online a highlights reel of notable performances. Otherwise, this virtual festival remains a closed (private) adjudication process.

Guitar Ensemble Categories
• Register online (at Humanatix) with a reduced fee of $25 per ensemble;
• Include a Wetransfer link (or other similar upload link) to a video or audio recording of your ensemble (10 minutes maximum);
• Open to any WA guitar ensemble (with multiple ticket categories: primary,
junior secondary, senior secondary, community, and tertiary);
• Due date 11.55pm (AWST) Monday 7th September 2020;
• Adjudicated Dr Paul Svoboda (Director of the Classical Guitar Orchestral Stream of the annual Adelaide Guitar Festival Winter School)

Guitar Solo Categories
• Register online FREE (at Humanatix); to be completed by a parent/guardian if the performer is under age 18;
• Include a Wetransfer link (or other similar upload link) to a video or audio recording of your ensemble (6 minutes maximum);
• Due date 11.55pm (AWST) Monday 7th September;
• Two categories (Under 19, Under 16); open to guitarists resident in WA;
• Adjudicated by Dr Jonathan Fitzgerald (UWA Conservatorium), and A/Prof Jonathan Paget (WA Academy of Performing Arts, ECU)

REGISTRATION
Register with Humanitix at https://events.humanitix.com/the-2020-virtual-wa-classical-guitar-ensemble-and-solo-festival – your complete (one-stop shop) registration page.  It collects ensemble registration payments, contact information (which will not be shared beyond the organisers), and a vehicle for sharing recorded submissions (via a pasted Wetransfer link, or similar). Please note that registrants must also confirm that participation consent has been obtained from all ensemble participants or their guardians. Solo entries can be submitted by a school, by a parent/guardian, or an individual of age 18.

RECORDINGS and SCORES
Recordings may be in the form of audio (mp3, wav, or aiff) or video files (mp4, or wmv). Scores must also be provided as pdfs. We encourage applicants to record in high quality within their available resources, and mp3 or mp4 is preferred. However, as a basic minimum, a recording with a smart phone or tablet will suffice. Media files must also conform to the time limits of each category. Different pieces can be submitted as one file, or as separate files (clearly named). But the overall size of all media submitted (including audio/video and scores) should not exceed 2GB for each ensemble or solo entry (ie. each ticket).

Refund Policy

Refunds are available up until midnight 7th September only.

About Paul Svoboda

Dr Paul Svoboda initially studied at the School of Music, University of Queensland, graduating in 1989 with a University Medal for outstanding achievement. In 1994 he received his Doctorate of Musical Arts from the Sibelius Academy of Music in Helsinki, Finland.

Paul is highly active as a teacher, performer and composer. His list of compositions is extensive, is in demand world-wide, features in the latest AMEB Classical Guitar Syllabus, and is regularly broadcast on ABC Classic FM. He works as Guitar Tutor and Head of Chamber Ensembles at Loreto College in Brisbane.

In 2007 Paul founded the Aurora Guitar Ensemble, which performs regularly as a professional group. Aurora have recorded two CDs, Every Second Tuesday & Sunday Sessions, and are broadcast on the ABC. From world-famous guitarists Slava and Leonard Grigoryan: “The Aurora Guitar Ensemble is an exceptional group. Through the guidance and direction of Dr Paul Svoboda they have evolved into one of the finest guitar ensembles that we’ve heard anywhere – always inspiring!” Aurora have performed twice as featured artists at the Adelaide International Guitar Festival, to great acclaim.

Paul is in demand as a guitar ensemble specialist, and is the Director of the Classical Guitar Orchestral Stream of the annual Adelaide Guitar Festival Winter School. He has been a specialist at the Sydney Guitar Summer School and has directed the guitars many times at the Mulkadee Youth Arts Festival.