CIGA Junior closes registration and consolidates its position as the world's most international youth guitar competition
The 12th edition, to be held on 21 and 22 November in Alicante, has 66 entrants from 24 countries
Alicante, 27 October 2025. The Alhambra International Guitar Competition (CIGA) Junior will celebrate its twelfth edition with record participation, positioning it as the most international competition for young guitarists on the planet. A total of 67 participants from 24 countries will gather in the city of Alicante to share their talent, their passion for the guitar and the spirit of a generation that ensures the future of this emblematic instrument.
This historic edition of the CIGA Junior brings together young performers from Europe, America, Asia and Oceania, consolidating the global nature of the competition. Spain, Mexico, France, Italy, Portugal, Canada, China, the United States, Venezuela, Australia, Colombia, Brazil, Greece, Slovenia, Romania, Germany, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Russia, Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Belarus and Albania will be the countries represented this year.
CIGA Junior, organised by the Alhambra Guitarras Foundation in collaboration with the Alicante Conservatory of Music (ISEACV GVA) and the Valencian Institute of Culture, among other institutions, has become a truly international platform for new generations of classical guitarists. Its aim is to promote the artistic development of young talents and create a multicultural meeting place around the Spanish guitar, a universal symbol of music and musical craftsmanship.
For José Luis Ruiz del Puerto, artistic director of the Foundation and coordinator of CIGA JUNIOR: "We are living in a historic moment: never before has a youth guitar competition brought together so many countries or such a high level of performance. This shows that the guitar has a future, and that future is here."
The competition, divided into three age categories, will feature a prestigious panel of international judges and will take place in an atmosphere of conviviality and learning, with parallel activities such as concerts, masterclasses and presentations. The first qualifying round will be held online, and the final will take place in person at the Óscar Esplá Conservatory of Music in Alicante. Only 20 finalists in total will compete for the prize in three different categories.
With this edition, CIGA Junior 2025 reaffirms its global leadership, positioning the Valencian Community and the Alhambra Guitar Foundation as essential references in the promotion and dissemination of classical guitar among young people.
