Munich & the ARD Competition: a guitarist's travel guide
ARD International Music Competition (Guitar) · Munich, Germany
The ARD International Music Competition in Munich is one of the most prestigious music contests in the world, founded in 1952 and a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions. Guitar is one of its rotating disciplines, so in the years it appears the instrument is judged on the same grand stage as violinists and pianists, in a city built for a cultured holiday.
Getting there
Munich is a major hub: its central station takes fast trains from across Germany and beyond, and Munich airport (MUC) connects to the city centre in about forty minutes by S-Bahn. Once you are in, trams and the U-Bahn make everything easy.
Compare trains, buses & flights to Munich on Omio →
Where to stay
Stay in the centre, within reach of Marienplatz and the concert halls, and you can walk to most of what you came for. Munich is comfortable and well-organised, with beer gardens and parks to fill the time between rounds.
An interactive map of hotels, apartments and B&Bs across Booking, Expedia, Airbnb and more, centred on Munich.
See stays in Munich →What you'll hear
Because guitar rotates through the schedule it appears only in select years, so it is worth checking ahead, but when it does the standard is exceptional. The competition runs through elimination rounds to finals with orchestra, and its laureates over the decades include Sharon Isbin and Pablo Márquez. Prizewinners' concerts round out the September dates.
If you play as well as listen, explore Hans Werner Henze, whose Royal Winter Music is a modern landmark on Sheet Music Plus →
Where to eat
Munich eats heartily: Weisswurst with sweet mustard and a pretzel before noon, Schweinshaxe or Leberkäse later, and Obatzda cheese spread in a beer garden. A Maß of beer under the chestnut trees is practically compulsory.
While you're there
The fairytale castle of Neuschwanstein is a couple of hours south, and the Nymphenburg Palace and the English Garden fill easy days in town. Salzburg, just over the Austrian border, is close enough for a day trip. A rental car makes the day trips simple, and GetYourGuide lists guided tours and tickets across the region.
Enter the pieces you play, and GuitarComp shows how your programme maps to this competition's rounds and which other events you qualify for.
See full competition details →Competition dates, deadlines and the current compulsory work change each edition, so always confirm at the official site: ard-musikwettbewerb.de.