Cecilia Edman Bergman
Finalist 2021
Eleonora Perretta
Finalist 2021
Irmina Brudny
Finalist 2021
Nino D'Amico
Finalist 2021
Ovidiu Pintilie
Finalist 2021
Pooya Mirzayi
Finalist 2021
Yuchen Zhang
Finalist 2021
Cristina Galietto
Winner 2020
Maja Kralj
Winner 2019
Carlotta Dalia
Winner 2017
Hedvika Švendová
Winner 2016
Yan Kok
Winner 2015
Peter Graneis
Winner 2014
Jonatan Bougt
Winner 2013
Gabriella Quevedo
Winner 2012

Finalists 2021

This year we have had 17 applications from 10 countries for the 13th International Young Talents competition at the Uppsala International Guitar Festival. The level of play has been very, very high, which has made it difficult for the jury to choose the finalists for the concert on October 16, 2021 in Uppsala Concert Hall. However, the jury's final decision is that the following people will participate in the final on Oct 16th:

Cecilia Edman Bergman, Sweden
Eleonora Perretta, Italy
Irmina Brudny, Poland
Nino D'Amico, Italy
Ovidiu Pintilie, Romania
Pooya Mirzayi, Iran
Yuchen Zhang, China
Yuki Saito, Japan

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Participate in the International Young Talent Competition 2021

Deadline for registration: 1 July
First prize: 25,000 SEK
Second price: 10,000 SEK
The association Musikens Hus Vänner contributes with the prize money!
Many thanks to Musikens Hus Vänner!

The winner will get to play a concert in the next annual festival in Uppsala!
More prices will be added. The audience's favorite is also chosen. Among the best classical guitarists, they will be able to take part in EuroString's exchange programs, tours and other EuroStrings annual competition!

Background
Since 2008, the festival highlights the new generation's abilities on guitar by selecting a number of young people to participate in the finals of The International Young Talent Competition. These finalists are selected by a jury from submitted entries.

Who can participate?
Competition is open to guitarists from all over the world up to 25 years and for all genres, classical, fingerstyle, jazz, rock, etc. The constellations may be soloists or ensembles.

What will happen?
A jury selects a maximum of 8 finalists for the final, which takes place on October 16.
An international jury of participating artists will select the winners. The prizes will be awarded during the festival party on Saturday night.

How do you apply?
Send your application to tavling@uppsalagitarrfestival.se

1. Video link
Send a video link (eg youtube) with a maximum music length of 10 minutes. You are free to choose the repertoire.

2. Short presentation
Also send a short presentation of you: background, age, style. If you are an ensemble, you can present other members as well.

3. Registration fee
Send the registration fee of 250 SEK at the same time as you send the application to the festival's plusgiro number 29 830-7.

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Young talents make it to the finals!
International Young Talents Competition 2020 takes place for the twelfth year at the Uppsala International Guitar Festival. Contributions from fourteen countries entered the competition this year. Seven finalists from seven countries were selected for the final on Saturday, October 10 at 8 pm as the closing show of this years festival. The contestants were selected in fierce competition with other applicants.

Musikens hus' friends again contribute the prize money to this year's winner, who is chosen by an international jury.

The finalists are ...
Belmin Okanovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Cristina Galietto (Italy)
Emma Schützmann (Germany)
Francisco Luis (Portugal)
Jonas Egholm (Denmark)
Salomon Jakobsson (Sweden)
Sergey Perelekhov (Russia)

Prices
First Price: 25,000 SEK
Second Price: 10,000 SEK
The winner will also get to play a concert in the next annual festival in Uppsala!
From 2018, among the best classical guitarists can take part in EuroString's exchange programs, tours and other EuroStrings annual competition!
More prices will be added. The audience's favorite is also chosen!

Be part of it! Uppsala Young Talent Competition
Apply before July 15, 2020!

About the Competition
Since 2008 Uppsala Guitar Festival highlights new young talents on guitar by arranging this yearly International Competition. A jury selects a maximum of eight contestants who will perform in the competition at the festival. The eight contestants will be selected from submitted entries via subgrants on YouTube.
An international jury will select the winners. The winners will be
rewarded with prizes handed out at the festival´s dinner on a Saturday evening.
In the year 2019 there were applicants from twenty-three countries and the winner became Maja Kralj från Slovenia.
Prizes
First Prize: 25,000 SEK (about 2500 euros) and one performance in next year's festival in Uppsala.
Second Prize: 10,000 SEK About 1000 euros).
Other important prizes (among the best classical guitar players): You can become part of the EuroStrings Artists exchange program. Tours to other festivals, etc. Some other prizes to be announced later.

All Styles
The competition is open to guitarists from around the world up to the age of 25 and applications can be submitted for all genres: classical, fingerstyle, jazz, rock, etc.
The constellations may be either soloists or ensembles.

How to apply? Requirements
Your application has to be sent to tavling@uppsalagitarrfestival.se 15th July at the latest, and should include the following requirements:
1. by submitting an entry via one video youtube of a maximum of 10 minutes length. Free choice of repertoire.
2. by sending a short presentation of you than includes: background, country/city, age, style. If you are an ensemble your present all of the integrants.
3. by sending an application fee of 25 euros ( or 250 SEK) to Nordea Bank, Uppsala Sweden, IBAN: SE47 9500 0099 6042 0029 8307, BIC: NDEASESS

We understand if the fee arrives later than the date 15 of July. No worries!

Winner 2019 Maja Kralj, Slovenia

First Prize Young Talent Competition 2019 goes to... Maja Kralj from Slovenia! Big Congratulations!
"For her beautiful and poetic lyricism, musical courage, and characterful phrasing - communicating with poise and integrity, tasteful pacing, and a captivating palette of colours - the first prize goes to… Maja Kralj"
1st prize 25000 SEK and participation in EuroStrings Artists exchange programme. And you concert in Uppsala 2020.
Second Prize Cristina Galietto, Italy, 10000 SEK

2019 year´s finalists
Christina Galieto; Italy
Mozaik Guitar Quartet , Michael Lochery (Scotland), Hannelore Vander Elst (Belgium), Alvaro García Peón (Spain) and Utkan Aslan (Turkey)
Maja Kraij, Slovenia
Belmin Okanovic, Bosnia- Hercegovina
Jakob Morozinski, Poland
Przemyslaw Religa, Poland

Winner 2018 Stephanie Jones, Australia
"A natural performer and – indeed – entertainer, Stephanie Jones draws her audience into the music she plays. The jury was particularly impressed with her great sense of rhythm, the many colours of her sound, her conscious use of dynamics and articulation as well as her relaxed stage presence. The decision of the jury was unanimous."
2:nd prize winner: Shared prize between Katarzyna Smolarek, Polen and Tim Beattie, Kanada.

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Finalists 2017

Italian Carlotta Dalia is currently studying at the Rinaldo Franci Institute in Siena and for Carlo Marchione in Rome. She also takes lessons for Frédéric Zigante and has previously studied for Aniello Desiderio. She has been D'Addario artist since 2016 and has won nearly thirty Italian and international music competitions.

Dominika Svendova, Czech Republic, is the younger sister of Hedvika Svendova who also performs at this year's festival and previously won the Young Talents Competition. Dominika begins playing the guitar at the age of four and is currently studying at the conservatory of Pardubice. She also plays flute and has been awarded several awards, including young talent of Czech television.

Ioannis Theodoridis is from Sweden, but resides in England after studying at Trinity Laban and RCM in London with scholarships from Gålöstiftelsen, Helge Ax: son Johnsson Foundation and Kungl. Musical Academy. At the moment he is studying the Master of Advanced Studies at a distance in Switzerland with the teacher Lorenzo Micheli, as a fellow from the Kempe-Carlgrenska Foundation.

Kristian Del Cantero from Ontario, Canada, is currently studying at the Amsterdam Conservatory of Johannes Möller. He has previously played in both North America and Europe, winning a large number of international guitar competitions. During the summer he studied for Grammy winner Sharon Isbin at Aspen Music Festival and School.

Kristina Vårlid comes from Norway but graduated with a top grade from the Prince Claus Conservatory in Dutch Groningen. She has obtained a series of awards and is currently pursuing a diploma at the Oslo University of Music. She has also participated in master classes for among others Leo Brouwer, Pepe Romero, Göran Söllscher and Aniello Desiderio.

Marcin Kuzniar comes from Krakow where he started playing the guitar at the age of seven. In 2016 he graduated with a top grade from the Musical Academy in Katowice where he studied for Alina Gruszka and Marcin Dylla. He has won a number of Polish and international prizes and has been awarded several scholarships from the Polish Ministry of Culture.

Nicklas Boman from Sweden has studied at Musikhögskolan in Örebro, where he graduated in the artistic master's program in musical form with a focus on jazz and rock music. Nicklas Boman has received a number of awards, among other things, he has received a scholarship from the Royal Academy of Music to develop his guitar play.

Salomon Jakobsson, Sweden, creates an imaginative weave of sounds that vary from complex and intense to peaceful and flowing. He inspires inspiration from jazz metal, impressionism and minimalism. Last year, he released his debut album In The Valley of Notes and recently began studying the individual musician program at the Music School of Malmö.

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Winner 2016

1st Prize — Hedvika Svendova
Hedvika Svendova has deserved the first place for her intense commitment to musical values and rapport with the audience. She has an unique technical facility, which she puts at the service of a strong communication of Giuliani's intrinsic virtuosity.

2nd Prize — Tormund Blikra Vea
Tormund has also impressed the jury with his solid technique and ability to charachterize different musical styles.

3rd Prize — Martina Barlota
has displayed great experience and an engaging stage presence.

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The 7 finalists 2016

Katarzyna Smolarek, Poland
Tormund Blikra Vea, Norway
Hedvika Švendová, Czech republic
Marton Stummer, Hungary
Martina Barlotta, Italia
Švendová sisters(duo), Czech republic
Ioannis Theodoridis, Sweden

This year's finalists from six countries represent several different styles. Classical guitarist Katarzyna Smolarek from Poland has won several awards and is studying at the prestigious Mozarteum in Salzburg. Marton Stummer Gyor, give his own concerts and also participated in last year's competition. Also Swedish Ioannis Theodoridis we recognize from last year's final. He is now studying in London and gives concerts in churches and concert halls in Sweden and England. Norwegian Tormund Blikra Vea from Stavanger has been playing classical guitar since the age of ten, and he studies at the Academy of Music in Oslo. Classical guitarist Martina Barlotta from Italy graduated from Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome and has won numerous international awards. The Czech sisters Hedvika and Dominika Švendová both started playing guitar at the age of four. Hedvika Švendová studied at the Conservatory in Pardubice and won several awards, including the young talent of the Czech television. A prize also went to Dominika Švendová, also she is now studying at the conservatory in Pardubice.

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The finalists 2015 are selected

Competition for Young Musicians — The International Young Talent Competition — has become an increasingly important element of Uppsala International Guitar Festival. The competition is open to guitarists up to 25 years from all over the world and covers all genres — classical, fingerstyle jazz, rock, etc.

— Never before have so many sought to Young Talents Competition that at this year's festival, says festival leaders Klaus Pontvik & Stefan Löfvenius. After painstaking jury's work is now seven finalists selected for the final concert Saturday, October 10. After the concert appoints an international jury this year's winners.

The finalists in this year's competition for young talents come from many different countries, representing a variety of genres. Icelandic Gulli Björnsson is both classical guitarist and composer and is currently studying at the Yale School of Music in the United States. Carlotta Dalia coming from Italy has won numerous awards for her classical guitar playing and is studying right now for Aniello Desiderio. Nordic Guitar Duo consists of guitarists Alvi Joensen from Iceland and the German Max Napel. They met at the Malmö Academy of Music. Together, they have acquired a broad repertoire, but has a particular focus on Latin American music. Swedish Ioannis Theodoridis currently studying in London for Chris Stell and Carlos Bonell scholarship of Gålöstiftelsen and Helge Ax: son Johnson Foundation. He also gives about 60 concerts annually in churches and concert halls in both Sweden and England. Self taught fingerstyle guitarist Jacky Bastek from Norway has just finished high school and is currently based in Frankfurt, Germany. Ho Yan Kok comes from Oslo, and is currently studying at the Academy for Music and Dance in Cologne. Marton Stummer from Gyor, Hungary, has won several competitions and is active in several genres, both as a teacher and soloist. He has also toured internationally, including in the United States.

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Winner 2014

The winner of the International Young Talents Competition 2014 at Uppsala International Guitar Festival is Peter Graneis from Germany with the following motivation:

"... for the ability of letting the music speak,
through a total command of the instrument ..."

The international jury consisted of chairman Peter Berlind Carlson, Berta Rojas, Bobbo Andersson and Matt Withers.

The other three finalists were: Susanna Risberg (Sweden), Zvonimir Filjak (Croatia) and Fredrik Toremark (Sweden).

All finalists received a certificate and the winner received 20 000 SEK. The announcement took place on Saturday night October 11th during the festival celebration dinner at Uppsala Concert Hall.

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Finalists 2014

Never before have so many sought to Young Talents Competition at Uppsala Guitar Festival as this year. After some tough selection work led by Stefan Löfvenius, Artistic Director at the Guitar Festival, four finalists has now been nominated for the contest concert which will be held Saturday, October 11. An international jury will elect the winner.

The International Guitar Festival highlights since many years back new young talent on guitar by selecting at the most four finalists to the concert contest Young Talents Competition. The competition is open to guitarists from all around the world up to 25 years and for all genres, classical, fingerstyle, jazz, rock, etc. An international jury will after the concert appoint one of the finalists as the winner. The winner will receive 20000 SEK and a diploma.

This year, twice as many has sought to contest and, happily, many from abroad. The level is higher than ever.

The selected finalists Young Talents Competition 2014 are:

Susanna Risberg (Sweden) — Peter Graneis (Germany)

Filjak Zvonimir (Croatia) — Fredrik Toremark (Sweden)

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Winner 2013

At the end of the guitar festival, the future stars showed up in the competition Young Talents. All four finalists excelled. The international jury had to select one winner: Jonathan Bougt. Here is the jurys' motivation for selecting Jonatan Bougt: "natural musicality, professionalism, focused stage presence and technical brilliance."

Jonathan, 19 years old, comes from Högdalen in Stockholm. He has, after three years of study for Bo Hansson at Södra Latins professional musicians department, now started his training on classical guitar at the Royal College of Music in London.

At the festival dinner was Jonathan receive a diploma and received the first prize consisting of a Premium Ibanez electric guitar and an Ibanez Jemini distortion pedal designed by Steve Vai , value 10 000 SEK. Prize is bestowed by Crafton Music AB. In addition, he received a gift box of various guitar accessories from D'addario Foundation.

A special mention of the jury also got singer-songwriter Madeleine Eliasson for her "personal songs and an obvious communication with the audience ." She was also awarded with diploma and a gift box with guitar accessories from D'addario Foundation.

Young Talents Competition encourages and highlights the new generation of guitarists in any genre. For several years now, the Uppsala International Guitar Festival has invited guitarists up to the age of 25 to send in their entries. An international jury selects the winner.

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Finalist 2013

The finalists of the contest concert Young Talents 2013 are selected!

The finalists 2013

Jonatan Bougt — Sarah Longfield — Madelene Eliasson — Rasmus Vamos Fecher

The concert with the four finalists will take place:

Saturday Oct 12 at 1:30 pm Hall B

Come and cheer the new young talents!

Jonathan Bougt Sweden

Jonathan Bougt is 19 years old and comes from Högdalen in Stockholm. He has, after three years of study for Bo Hansson at Södra Latins professional musicians department, now started his training on classical guitar at the Royal College of Music in London. Jonathan has received several scholarships, including Jörgen Rörby Scholarship and the Royal Musical Academy Youth Scholarship and a brazil scholarship that led to concerts and TV appearances in Brazil Summer 2012.

Madelene Eliasson Sweden

Madelene Eliasson started playing guitar at the age of ten. In the beginning mostly acoustic because she always loved folk-inspired music. But when she came into Kulturamas electric guitar line in high school, also the electric guitar a given. She broadened her range to include both jazz and rock and began writing her own music. Her inspirational sources includes Tallest Man on Earth and Joni Mitchell.

Sarah Longfield USA

Self-taught Sarah Longfield of Wisconsin in the United States early started playing piano but switched to guitar at the age of 12. Since then she has also added vocals, bass, drums and keyboards to her skills. The guitar is still her main instrument, but six strings only lasted a couple of years for Sarah. Via seven-stringed guitar, she plays today at age 21 on a eight stringed guitar.

Rasmus Vamos Fecher Sweden

Rasmus Vamos Fecher was born in 1990 in Stockholm. He started playing guitar at age nine and later got Mårten Falk as a teacher. It came to be a crucial meeting for then realized Rasmus that he wanted to pursue a life as a guitarist. After that Rasmus studied for Bo Hansson at Södra Latins Gymnasium and Göran Söllscher at Malmö School of Music. Currently, he is the music program at Oskarshamn Folk High School where he has Eric Lammers as one of his teachers.

YOUNG TALENT COMPETITION

Saturday October 16
UKK

Cecilia Edman Bergman, Sweden

Cecilia Edman Bergman was born in Harads, Norrbotten, Sweden. She studied in Piteå, before proceeding her studies at Malmö Musikhögskola, where she recently graduated with a Master’s Degree in classical guitar. During her years in the academia, she has taken classes from many prominent guitarists and received several scholarships from institutions such as Kopelius and Kungliga Musikaliska Akademien.

Eleonora Perretta, Italy

Eleonora Perretta was born in 1997 in Naples (Italy). Already as a child, she was awarded prizes in both national and international guitar competitions – a trend which has continued throughout her musical career. She has studied at the Music Conservatory ”San Peitro a Majella” in Naples, before proceeding to her current studies at Conservatorio di Musica ”Domenico Cimarosa” in Avellino. In addition to her studies, she is working with a comprehesive project of album recording, in which she participates both as soloist and in duo.

Irmina Brudny, Poland

Irmina Brudny was born in Warsaw, Poland. During her musical career, she has performed at several distinguished concert halls in Poland, and she has successfully participated in both national and international guitar competitions. Today, Irmina studies at the Academy of Music in Kraków and at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków. Her favourite period of guitar music is the 20th century, although she gladly plays baroque music – particularly pieces of J.S. Bach.

Nino D’Amico, Italy

Nino D’Amico (Eurostrings Artist 2019/20) was born in Ottaciano (Naples, Italy) in 1997. He has studied at the Conservatory ”San Pietro a Majella” in Naples. Over the years, he has got the opportunity to take masterclasses with many great guitar profiles, not least through his participation in Eurostrings. Nino has played at multiple international guitar festivals and competitions, including Uppsala International Guitar Festival (2020), and he has repeatedly been awarded various prizes.

Ovidiu Pintilie, Romania

Ovidiu-Andrei Pintilie is a young classical guitarist from Romania. He is currently studying the last year of his master degree at National University of Music Bucharest with his mentor Catalin Stefanescu-Patrascu. Ovidiu made his debut as a soloist guitarist in 2019 at the Romanian Atheneum and has participated in many Guitar Festivals and masterclasses with established guitarists. One of the many important awards in Ovidiu’s career is a First Prize at Harmonia Cordis International Guitar Competition.

Pooya Mirzayi, Iran

Pooya Mirzayi was born in Shahin Shahr, Iran. During his musical education in classical guitar, he has participated in sevaral masterclasses with distinguished guitarists and he has recurrently performed at concerts in his hometown. Although combining his musical studies with other university courses, Pooya is greatly commited to the classical guitar music and participates in international guitar competitions.

Yuchen Zhang, China

Yuchen Zhang was born in 1998 in Wuhu, Anhui, China. She has studied at Tianjin High School and later at Zagreb Music Academy in Croatia. During the time of her studies, she has been awarded several prizes, participated as soloist in a album recording and performed at multiple festivals and concerts. She passed the last year of her Master’s Degree at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste in Zürich. This autumn she will commence a degree at London Royal Academy of Music.

Yuki Saito, Japan

Yuki Saito, born in 1997 in Tokyo (Japan), is one of the best young Japanese guitarists. He has successfully participated in national as well as international competitions, with First Prize at Kaj’s Guitarstore Guitar Competition (Netherlands) and Aalborg International Guitar Competition (Denmark), among many others. In 2019 Yuki had a concert tour around Europe and Turkey, and the same year he was elected one of the Young Stars of 2019 by Eurostrings. Since 2016 he studies in Weimar in Germany.