Iserlohn International Guitar Festival & Competition

Repertoire requirements

1st Round: One of 3 compositions by Dale Kavanagh from "Three Preludes" plus free program of maximum 6 minutes (total 10-11 minutes playing time). "Three Preludes" will be sent after registration. 2nd Round: Free program of maximum 15 minutes; no repetition of pieces from the first round. 3rd Round (Finale): Program of minimum 25 minutes and maximum 28 minutes; pieces from the first two rounds may be repeated.

• Competition Round · 20 min
  • Free choice program

Official website

https://guitarsymposium.de/

Visiting? A guitarist's guide to Iserlohn

Photo: Foto Fitti, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons

For a week each summer the small Sauerland town of Iserlohn becomes one of the great gathering points for the classical guitar. Founded in 1992 and running ever since, its festival and symposium pair a nightly concert series with masterclasses from many of the instrument's leading players, in the green hills east of the Ruhr.

Getting there

Iserlohn sits in the Sauerland region of North Rhine-Westphalia, about forty-five minutes by direct train from Dortmund, the nearest major hub. Dortmund airport (DTM) is closest, with Düsseldorf (DUS) and Cologne/Bonn (CGN) offering wider connections.

Compare trains, buses & flights to Iserlohn on Omio →

Germany runs on Type F sockets, standard across most of Europe, so you will only need a travel adapter if you are coming from the UK, Ireland, or beyond Europe.

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Where to stay

The town is small and walkable, and staying centrally puts the evening concerts at the Oberste Stadtkirche within easy reach. This is a place to slow down, with the countryside and its caves and lakes close by.

What you'll hear

The heart of the week is the concert every evening, given by international guitarists who are also teaching by day, so the roster reads like a who's who: recent years have brought David Russell, Thibaut García and many more. A solo competition runs across the week to a public final, alongside a guitar-duo competition. For a listener it is a rare chance to hear so many fine players in one small town.

If you play as well as listen, explore Fernando Sor's studies and sonatas in our repertoire finder, where you can hear each piece and find the sheet music.

The local table

Westphalian cooking is honest and filling: Pfefferpotthast, a peppery braised beef, the region's celebrated hams, and dense Pumpernickel rye bread. It goes down well after a long day of music.

Fancy a guided taste? Food and wine tours in Iserlohn →

While you're there

The illuminated Dechenhöhle dripstone cave, with its cave museum, is right on the doorstep, and the lakes and open-air museums of the Sauerland are a short drive. Dortmund and the wider Ruhr are close for a change of pace.

Tours, tickets and day trips in Iserlohn →

More guitar events in Germany: Anna-Amalia Competition for Young Guitarists · ARD International Music Competition (Guitar) · Hamburger Guitar Festival · Hanse Guitar Cup · Heinsberg Guitar Festival and Competition · International Competition for Young Guitarists Andrés Segovia (EGTA)

Also in July: Classical Guitar Retreat Scotland · Festival de la Guitarra de Córdoba · International Guitar Festival José Tomás Villa de Petrer · International Guitar Festival Postojna · Le Temps des Guitares

Listing data is compiled from official sources and can change each edition. Always confirm dates, deadlines and requirements on the organizer's official website before applying or booking travel. Spotted an error? See our terms or let us know via the About page.

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