London & its International Guitar Competition: a guitarist's travel guide
London International Guitar Competition · London, United Kingdom
London needs no introduction as a destination, and for guitar lovers the London International Guitar Competition adds a fine musical anchor. Run by the International Guitar Foundation and staged within the London Guitar Festival, it brings the world's best young players to the concert hall at Kings Place for a night billed as the big night of the guitar.
Getting there
London is a global hub: Eurostar trains reach St Pancras from Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam, and a ring of airports led by Heathrow (LHR) connects it to everywhere. Kings Place sits beside King's Cross and St Pancras, so arrival could hardly be simpler.
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Where to stay
Anywhere central and near the Underground works, with the King's Cross area handy for the festival itself. London is vast, so pick a base near a good tube line and let the network do the rest.
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See stays in London →What you'll hear
The competition is for guitarists aged thirty and under, running through a semifinal to a final in which each player gives a short recital, usually including a newly commissioned work. Recent winners include Sungbin Cho and Emmanuel Sowicz, names to watch on the international circuit. The final sits within a wider festival of guest recitals and masterclasses.
If you play as well as listen, explore Lennox Berkeley, of the British guitar tradition on Sheet Music Plus →
Where to eat
London eats the world, but leave room for the local staples: fish and chips, a Sunday roast, pie and mash, and a full English breakfast. The city's markets, from Borough to Brick Lane, are a meal in themselves.
While you're there
Windsor and its castle are a half-hour train ride west, and Greenwich, with its observatory and the Prime Meridian, is an easy trip within the city. Oxford and Cambridge are each about an hour away for a day out. 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: ligc.org.uk.