From left: Tom Kerstens, Michael Lewin, George Tarlton (First Prize), Mihael Majetić (Third Prize), Elia Portarena (Second Prize), Stephen Goss (Head of Jury), Helen Sanderson ©Thérèse Wassily Saba

CONGRATULATIONS to George Tarlton who has won First Prize at the IGF London International Guitar Competition 2019, which was held on Saturday 26 October 2019, at Kings Place, London.

The Chair of the Jury, the composer Stephen Goss, said the jury’s decision was extremely difficult, as the performances given by each of the three Finalists gave excellent performances. Elia Portarena won Second Prize and Mihael Majetić won Third prize.

IGF have now released a full recording of the Final of the London International Guitar Competition 2019, so one can appreciate the dilemma of the jury:

1st prize: George Tarlton (UK) (00:00)
Domenico Scarlatti: Sonata K.178
Francis Kleynjans: Arabesque en forme de Caprice
Sérgio Assad: Tres Divertimentos

2nd prize: Elia Portarena (Italy) (38:35)
Marco Aurelio Zani de Ferranti: Fantaisie variée sur le Carnival de Venise, Op. 5
Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco: Capriccio Diabolico (Omaggio a Paganini)

3rd prize: Mihael Majetić (Croatia) (19:25)
Girolamo Frescobaldi: Aria detta la Frescobalda
Manuel María Ponce: Allegro moderato from Sonata No. 3
Leo Brouwer: Danza de los Altos Cerros and  3. Guajira from Danzas Rituales y Festivas vol.1

The Jury: Professor Stephen Goss (Chairman), Philip Cashian, Michael Lewin, Charles Ramirez and Helen Sanderson

Tom Kerstens is Artistic Director of the International Guitar Foundation & Festivals (IGF).

See the IGF’s London Guitar Festival 2019 at Kings Place, for more details.

© Thérèse Wassily Saba 2019