Competitors from all over the world converged in Bloomington in late October to compete in the Indiana International Guitar Festival and Competition, and on Nov. 25, the winners were announced.
Misael Barraza Diaz of Mexico took first place in Open Division, for which 16 artists competed. He played “Sonata, for guitar” by Alberto Ginastera and “Viraclones sobre un Tema de Sor” by Miguel Llobet.
According to a review of the 2013 competition on the festival’s official website, Diaz “played with an emotional palette and infectious conviction.”
The website also noted his music “coaxed the audience into a state of empathy with his musical statements, as well as a state of awe at his technical prowess.”
The Open and Senior Youth divisions had monetary prizes which ranged from $100 to $1,700. In the Open Division, Jeremy Collins of the United States, Bin Hu of China and Ye Eun Lee of South Korea took second, third and fourth place, respectively.
In the Senior Youth division, Agustus Woodrow-Tomizuka took first place.
In the Junior Youth division, Kairey Wang placed first.
The festival is relatively young, as this is just its fourth year of existence. However, it has attracted some of the top guitarists from countries all over the world, such as the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, South Korea, Vietnam and Bulgaria.
The panel of judges consisted of Jacobs School of Music faculty members Maestro Bittetti, Luke Gillespie, Petar Jankovic, Elzbieta Szmyt, Atanas Tzvetkov and Elisabeth Wright, as well as guest guitarist Matt Palmer.
“The experience at the festival was great,” Diaz said in an interview in a Jacobs School of Music press release. “Bloomington is a very special place, and I think having a guitar festival there was a great idea. Lots of great guitarists and artists were there, and I think everybody got to meet new people and make new friends throughout it.”
— Janica Kaneshiro
Guitar Festival winners announced
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