International Guitar Competition Ida Presti

During the first edition held in 2018., the festival achieved surprising success by hosting the contestants from as many as 16 countries from all over the Europe and the world. It is certain that the high profile of the event and dedication to the legendary French guitarist has contributed to its success. Furthermore this is the first competition in the world dedicated to Ida Presti, and also, the only guitar conquest that is named after a female guitarist.

The Competition
Iz is comprised of two disciplines: guitar solo and guitar duo (two guitars or a guitar with another instrument/voice). Categories are divided according to age groups.

By introducing special awards and compulsory pieces in the propositions the organizers stay faithful to their mission:

• Discovering Ida Presti’s Opus
• Encouraging performances of guitar pieces written by Croatian composers
• Promoting the guitar duo as a chamber ensemble through performances of works from the rich repertoire we have inherited thanks to remarkable duos such as the Presti-Lagoya duo
• Ensuring a successful performance and unforgettable music experience for the youngest participants; in the Revue of the youngest guitarists we offer them the option of a solo performance or performance with guitar accompaniment by their teachers.

Concerts, events and masterclasses
One of the goals of the manifestation is to be a platform for learning and improvement of young musicians, which is certainly contributed by educational content such as lectures and workshops. For the wider audience promotions, presentations and concerts are offered. The masterclasses will be led by renowned concert artists Petrit Çeku and Krešimir Bedek, and after the competition, the contestants will be given a lesson with a member of the jury of their own choice.

Joining by online platforms
In this edition, incited by the pandemic, online features will be implied as well.

The competition in professional categories will be also live streamed so that the online public could also give their votes for the special audience award.

The lecture of Candice Mowbray will be featured online, as well as the conversation with the composer Ivana Kiš, after the live concert of Krešimir Bedek.