COMPETITION ANNOUNCEMENT
South Bay Guitar Society Youth Competition
Senior Age Division (age 14-18, or born between March 9, 2007, and March 8, 2012, inclusive)
Date: Afternoon of Sunday March 8, 2026
Location: Jerry Snyder GuitarFest, Evergreen Valley High School, 3300 Quimby Road, San Jose
Time limit: 7 minutes from the first note
Entry Fee: $25.00, payable at sbgs.org. Please note that your spot is not reserved until you've paid the entry fee.
Application limited to the first 15 registrants.
Apply here
Repertoire: One or more solo works from the classical guitar repertoire. Transcriptions and arrangements permitted; no concerto movements or cadenzas. All works to be performed from memory.
Scoring: Three judges will use the scoring rubric below. Total scores from each judge will be combined to rank the top three competitors. There will be no ties, honorable mention, or audience choice awards. Judges’ decisions are final. Results for the Senior Division will be announced during intermission of the late Sunday afternoon ticketed concert at Evergreen Valley High School. All performers will receive scores and comments via email after the event.
The competition will be open to a public audience.
Awards:
First Prize - $500.00
Second Prize - $300.00
Third Prize - $100.00
The First Prize winner of the Senior Age Division will be invited to perform in March 2027 at the Jerry Snyder GuitarFest to open the Saturday evening concert as the Prelude performer. If the First Prize winner is unable to perform, the opportunity will be offered to the Second Prize winner.
Judges will award an additional prize for Best Performance of Nontraditional Repertoire. Participants are invited to perform an original composition, a piece by a composer from a marginalized group, or a work by a non-Western, lesser-known, or underperformed composer. This award will be granted without regard to the winner's total score.
If the entry fee poses a financial hardship, please contact competition director Bradly Pupa at bradly.pupa@gmail.com to request a fee waiver. No questions asked.
Please note that the performer must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
Judges
1) Emily Ray, founding music director and conductor of Mission Chamber Orchestra of San Jose
2) Giulia Ballaré, international virtuoso guitarist
3) To be announced
Questions? Contact competition director Bradly Pupa at bradly.pupa@gmail.com
