Wednesday, 26 November 2025, 19:39
The fortieth Andrés Segovia International Classical Guitar Competition got under way in La Herradura on Granada province’s Costa Tropical on Tuesday 25 November. The competition brings together top-level guitarists including as Daniel Daiu, Luca Lovreković and Michele Festa.
During the opening ceremony, mayor of Almuñécar Juan José Ruiz Joya, said that the anniversary year “marks a new step in the cultural history of La Herradura, which is once again positioning itself as a meeting point for the most outstanding young performers on the international scene.”
The draw to determine the order in which the guitarists will perform took place on Monday 24 November at the town’s civic centre and was attended by the president of the judges, composer and guitarist David del Puerto, winner of the 2005 National Music Prize and the jury secretary Laura Verdugo, guitarist and professor at the Katarina Gurska Higher School of Music.
The competition began with performances by Cristina Galietto, David Volkner and the Spanish guitarist Alejandro Nogales, among others, kicking off a week that will bring together top-level young talents. The programme continues throughout the week with Daniel Daiu, Luca Lovreković, Michele Festa and Filip Mišković, who will perform a repertoire of their own choosing, following the order determined by a draw.
Throughout the various sessions, the contestants will also have to perform the required pieces for this fortieth anniversary year, including Andrés Segovia’s Estudio Sin Luz and Manuel María Ponce’s Preludio en Mi, while Saturday’s final will feature Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez.
The competition will run until Saturday 29 November with daily performances at 6.30pm, which are open to the public in the auditorium of La Herradura’s civic centre. The guitarists will be accompanied by the Mediterranean Symphony Orchestra during Saturday’s grand finale.
Ruiz Joya invited residents and visitors to attend the daily performances, noting that admission is free until capacity is reached and that the competition “offers a unique opportunity to enjoy classical guitar performed by some of the most brilliant young musicians of our time.”