Awarded to the most promising young person playing at Grade V standard or above, the Scholarship Competition winner will receive non-residential attendance at the West Dean International Guitar Festival and Summer School 2010, courtesy of West Dean College. The runner up will receive a £200 bursary towards attendance.

The Summer School is a six-day guitar event that provides superb learning opportunities for all levels. Repertoire and technique classes form the core of the programme, with additional ensembles and a guitar orchestra. Students also receive individual lessons and attend public recitals by visiting artists.

The Scholarship is open to any young person who will be 15 years or older at the time of the summer school (August 2010), and under 18 years at the time of the competition (November 2009)

The winner will be selected by festival adjudicator, Hayley Savage. Gary Ryan will be giving the traditional Festival Recital on Friday 13th November.

For more information about West Dean College, call 01243 811301 or email . Alternatively, visit www.westdean.org.uk/site/arts/ music/music/CGF.htm

In addition to the West Dean Scholarship Competition, the Festival has many prizes of Luthier strings generously donated by Maestoso Music Co. Ltd.

West Sussex Guitar Festival aims..

• To promote appreciation and enjoyment of music in the community through the art of the Classical Guitar
• To provide an open forum for students, teachers and admirers of Classical guitar
• To encourage the appreciation and awareness of different learning and teaching methods
• To create a platform for performers of every level and age. To enable participants to demonstrate achievement in the mastery of Classical guitar, to perfect performing skills and to share music with new audiences
• To help participants meet new challenges by engaging in fair competition. To encourage appreciation and respect for achievement in the art of music making.
• To create conditions for developing new audiences in the field of Classical Music.

The Festival is initiated, supported and will be run by the West Sussex Guitar Club and the Regis School of Music

Performers are asked not to repeat the same piece if entered in more than one class and to observe time limits for performances.

Click here for the entry form (Adobe/PDF, 236KB)

Click here for the syllabus (Adobe/PDF, 939KB)

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read PDF files. Acrobat reader is available free from Adobe's web site

Festival Trophies will be awarded to the winners of the competitive classes. All participants will receive a Festival Certificate with the adjudicator's comments and practical suggestions.

All the Festival events will take place at:
The Regis School of Music
46 Sudley Road
Bognor Regis
PO21 1ER
Tel: 01243 866462

Dates

• Festival Recital Friday November 13th 2009
• Junior Classes November 14th & 15th 2009
  
• Senior, Composition/Arrangement classes November 21st & 22nd 2009
  

Adjudicators

Gary Ryan was born in Kent, England in 1969. He studied with David Miller at the Guildhall School of Music Junior Department and later with Timothy Walker at the Royal Academy of Music, where he won a scholarship to study in 1987. In 1991 he graduated with First Class honours and a host of awards including the Julian Bream Prize, the John Mundy String Prize and the Dorothy Grinstead Prize for the most outstanding all round student. He also received awards from the Fleming Trust and the Royal Academy of Music to pursue his post-graduate studies and in 1997 was made an Honorary Associate of the Royal Academy of Music, in recognition of his achievements. He is widely sought after as an examiner and adjudicator. Gary Ryan was Course Leader at the Bath International Guitar Festival for several years and is now much in demand as a performer and tutor at Guitar Festivals throughout the world. Gary will be adjudicating the junior classes.

Hayley Savage graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, and has established a dual career in performance and composition. This has taken her taken her to Europe, Scandinavia, Africa, America and Canada. In 1999 Hayley won The Worshipful Company of Musicians Ivor Mairants Guitar Award. As well as Solo Guitar recitals, Hayley gives performances as part of a Duo and is a member of the Appasionata Guitar Trio. Hayley has been a recitalist, tutor and adjudicator at prestigious festivals including the Bath International Guitar Festival and The West Dean International Festival and Summer School. Hayley has received over 20 premieres of her own works, which are mostly commissions and range from concerti and symphonic music to choral pieces. Hayley will be adjudicating the senior classes.

Rules of WSGF Scholarship Competition

• 1. The Scholarship will comprise non-residential attendance by the successful candidate at the West Dean International Guitar Festival and Summer School held at West Dean in August 2010
• 2. The competition will be held during the West Sussex Guitar Festival Senior Day on Sunday 22 November 2009.
• 3. The candidate shall play two or more contrasting pieces, of Grade 5 or above. The programme will last up to 8 minutes. The music chosen shall be of a classical nature.
• 4. The candidate must also participate in the West Sussex Guitar Festival by entering in one or more of the solo classes.
• 5. The age of the candidate shall be 15 or above at the time of the West Dean International Guitar Festival and Summer School (August 2010) and not more than 18.
• 6. The West Sussex Guitar Club (WSGC) will organise the Award Competition on behalf of West Dean College. The scholarship will be awarded by the Senior Day Festival Adjudicator.
• 7. The Adjudicator will select a winner and a runner-up. The runner-up will receive £200 towards attending the West Dean Guitar Festival. The runner up will receive full scholarship in the event that the winning candidate is unable to attend.