Classical guitar competition of Saigon International Guitar Festival 2023 expands to Asia

SGGPO 10/31/2023 18:47

Returning after 2 years affected by the pandemic, the Saigon International Guitar Festival 2023 brings together many famous musicians from home and abroad with unique performances, competitions, workshops, etc. The festival brings a special playground for classical guitar talents on a pan-Asian scale.

Saigon International Guitar Festival 2023 brings together many famous domestic and foreign musicians

From November 1 to 5, the Saigon International Guitar Festival & Competition 2023 (SIGF 2023) will take place at the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music Concert Hall.

Saigon International Guitar Festival is an annual event for the community of classical guitar lovers since 2014.

Artist Nguyen Thanh Huy, Head of the Guitar Department and Deputy Head of the Western Musical Instruments Department, said that the staff and lecturers of the Ho Chi Minh City Conservatory of Music hope that through the festival, they will build a foundation for the next generation by creating conditions for them to access new models and methods that the previous generation did not have the opportunity to experience or practice.

Accordingly, the festival brings together famous artists not only in Vietnam but also around the world . The guitar player community, especially the young generation, can acquire new knowledge, hone their skills and fuel their passion for the artistic path.

Young Vietnamese and Asian talents have the opportunity to show their passion and talent at the Saigon International Guitar Festival 2023

Coming to the festival, the audience will have the opportunity to enjoy special concerts performed by talented guitarists such as: Saigon Guitar Quartet (Vietnam), Gerard Albert Abiton (France), Katarzyna Smolarek (Poland), Renault Inda Paulo Bernardo (Brazil), Leon Koudelak (Czech Republic), Matsuda Gen (Japan), Nishimoto Kazuo (Japan), Nishimoto Etsuko (Japan), Kobayashi Toru (Japan), Kobayashi Mai (Japan), Watanabe Mihoko (Japan)...

On the evening of November 1, at 7:30 p.m., the festival will officially open with a concert called Guitar Festival (Carnaval de Guitare).

Opening the program, the orchestra will bring musical pieces from famous artists around the world such as the theme song of the famous animated film Howl's Moving Castle composed by the duo Joe Hisaishi - Yumi Kimura.

Next up are the famous songs of British artist Mark Houghton. The audience will enjoy a duet of two musical instruments, mandolin and guitar, performed by Japanese duo Mai Hayashi and Toru Kobayashi.

In addition, the audience enjoyed the performance of the Saigon Guitar Quartet including artists Thanh Huy, Tri Doan, Ba Tho, and Hoai Phuong.

Saigon Guitar Quartet (Vietnam)

Artists Toru Kobayashi and Mai Hayashi (Japan)

Artist Wantanabe Mihoko (Japan)

Artist Leon Koudelak (Czech Republic)

Artist Kataryna Smolarek (Poland)

Artist Paulo Inda (Brazil)

Artist Gérard Abiton (France)

The Saigon International Guitar Festival 2023 also provides a useful playground for guitar talents through an Asian-scale classical guitar competition. The judges are top famous artists in the country and the world.

The guitar competition consists of 5 groups: Open group, Ensemble group, Under 18 group, Amateur group and Amateur group under 13 group. This is the first time a guitar competition for young contestants has appeared in Ho Chi Minh City.

Saigon International Guitar Festival 2023 Schedule:

- Evening of November 1, Opening - Guitar Festival theme concert (Carnaval de Guitare);

- November 2, Concert with the theme East meets West;

- November 3, Timeless Melodies Concert ;

- November 4, Closing of the festival - Concert with the theme Fantasia de Baroque.

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/cuoc-thi-guitar-co-dien-thuoc-lien-hoan-guitar-quoc-te-sai-gon-2023-mo-rong-pham-vi-toan-chau-a-post712190.html