GUITARS INTERNATIONAL
is pleased to present the twenty-fifth annual
Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival®
in cooperation with the sixth annual
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition
and hosted at the
Cleveland Institute of Music
June 5 - 8, 2025
 
Jason Vieaux (USA)
Grammy Award Winner
Lorenzo Micheli (Italy)
Matteo Mela (Italy)
Petra Polácková (Czech Republic)
Hao Yang (China)
Laura Snowden (England)
Kimberly Patterson (USA)
Patrick Sutton (USA)
Jonathan Leathwood (England)
James Piorkowski (USA)
Guitar Festival About Festival Profiles Stroud Youth Competition Schedule Tickets Lodging & Museums Directions Reviews & News Contact

[One of] two of the most important annual American classical guitar events
(Classical Guitar Magazine)

 
WELCOME

Please join us to celebrate the 25th annual Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival®. This June we look forward to sharing art music: solo and ensemble, old and new with old friends and new from around the USA and beyond. Featured events include: classical guitar concerts by world renowned artists, performance premieres, master classes, lectures, private lessons, a demonstration of fine concert guitars, and the sixth annual James Stroud National Classical Guitar Youth Competition.

Armin Kelly, Founder and Artistic Director
Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival®
 
Sixth Annual
JAMES STROUD NATIONAL CLASSICAL GUITAR YOUTH COMPETITION: 
SEMI-FINAL ROUND
Thursday, June 5: 10:00am - 12:30pm; 1:30 - 4:00pm


Competition Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Description: Fifteen Stroud Competition Semi-Finalists ages thirteen to eighteen will perform before the public and a panel of internationally acclaimed  judges. See the Semi-Finalists' Biograpies.
Information: Click HERE or call CIM at 216-791-5000
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
2025 Semi-Final Round Judges: Christoph Harlan (USA), guitar;  Lynn McGrath (USA), guitar; James Piorkowski (USA), guitar; Ricardo Saeb (Mexico), guitar; Marco Sartor (Uruguay), guitar; Mari Sato (USA), violin; and John Marcel Williams (USA), guitar
 

Solo Guitar
HAO YANG (CHINA)
Concert: Thursday, June 5, 7:30 - 9:30 pm

First Prize Winner of the 2024 Koblenz International Guitar Competition, recipient of the Clifton Foundation’s Emerging Artists Award, and a Winner of the 2021 Astral National Auditions.


Purchase Tickets HERE $25.00. All purchased tickets will be held for pickup at the CIM Pogue Lobby Festival ticket table starting 45 minutes before each Festival concert.
Concert Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,
11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Solo guitar works by: TBD
Information: Click HERE or call 216-752-7502
Sample Artist Video: Torre Bermeja, Op. 92 No. 12, by Isaac Albéniz (1860–1909)

Pre-Concert Lecture 1: Jonathan Leathwood (England) 
Thursday, June 5,  6:00 to 7:15 pm, CIM Studio TBD
Topic and Description: TBD
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
 
CICGF
MASTER CLASSES
Friday, June 6, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm; 2:00 - 5:00 pm


To Perform in a CICGF Master Class: Contact TBA  
To Observe a CICGF Master Class: FREE and open to the public, no tickets or passes required.
Location of all Master Classes: Cleveland Institute of Music, 11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)

Master Class 1: Friday, June 7, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm 
Location: CIM room TBD
Instructors: Patterson/Sutton Duo (USA), cello and guitar
Master Class 2: Friday, June 7, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Location: CIM room TBD
Instructor: Petra Polácková (Czech Republic), guitar
Master Class 3: Friday, June 7, 9:30 am to 12:30 pm 
Location: CIM room TBD
Instructors: SoloDuo (Italy), guitars
Master Class 4: Friday, June 7, 2:00 to 5:00 pm
Location: CIM room TBD
Instructor: Jonathan Leathwood.(England), guitar.
Master Class 5: Friday, June 7, 2:00 to 5:00 pm 
Location: CIM room TBD
Instructor: Jason Vieaux (USA), guitar
 
Cello and Guitar
PATTERSON/SUTTON DUO (USA)
Concert: Friday, June 6, 7:30 - 9:30 pm

The highest level of individual and ensemble playing… gorgeous. (Soundboard Magazine)


Purchase Tickets HERE $25.00. All purchased tickets will be held for pickup at the CIM Pogue Lobby Festival ticket table starting 45 minutes before each Festival concert.
Concert Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,
11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Duo cello and guitar works by: Bellafronte, Duplessy, Goss, Piazzolla, and Villa-Lobos
Information: Click HERE or call 216-752-7502
Sample Artist Video: Doloroso by Jaime Zenamon

Pre-Concert Lecture 2: Jonathan Leathwood (England)
Friday, June 6,  6:00 to 7:15 pm, CIM Studio TBD
Topic and Description: TBD
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
 
Performer TBD
DEMONSTRATION  OF FINE CLASSICAL GUITARS
FROM AROUND THE WORLD 
Saturday, June 7, 10:30 am - Noon


Guitar Demonstration Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, CIM Mixon Hall,11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Description: A virtuoso classical guitarist TBD will perform on eight individually handcrafted concert guitars to illustrate each instrument’s unique musical attributes.
Admission: Free and open to the public. no tickets or passes required
Information: Click HERE or call 216-752-7502
 
Viennese and Modern Guitars
PETRA POLACKOVA (CZECH REPUBLIC)
Concert: Saturday, June 7, 3:00 - 5:00 pm

"[Polácková's] playing was so technically secure and musically insightful, it was unimaginable that anything she played could possibly be difficult." (Cleveland Classical)


Purchase Tickets HERE $25.00. All purchased tickets will be held for pickup at the CIM Pogue Lobby Festival ticket table starting 45 minutes before each Festival concert.
Concert Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,
11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Solo guitar works by: Mertz and E. Sáinz de la Maza
Information: Click HERE or call 216-752-7502
Sample Artist Video: El testament D'Amelia arranged by Miguel Lpbet (1878–1938)

Pre-Concert Lecture 3: Jonathan Leathwood (England)
Saturday, June 7,  1:30 to 2:45 pm, CIM Studio TBD
Topic and Description: TBD
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
 
Two Guitars
SOLODUO (ITALY) 
Concert: Friday, June 6, 7:30 - 9:30 pm

"Unforgettable musicianship of the highest order"
(The Washington Post)


Purchase Tickets HERE $25.00. All purchased tickets will be held for pickup at the CIM Pogue Lobby Festival ticket table starting 45 minutes before each Festival concert.
Concert Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,
11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Duo guitar works by: TBD
Information: Click HERE or call 216-752-7502
Sample Artist Video: Prelude and fugue #4 in E by Castelnuovo-Tedesco      

Pre-Concert Lecture 4: Jonathan Leathwood (England)
Saturday, June 7,  6:00 to 7:15 pm, CIM Studio TBD
Topic and Description: TBD
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
 
Solo Guitar & Solo Guitar with Voice
LAURA SNOWDEN (ENGLAND)
Concert: Sunday, June 8, 1:00 - 3:00 pm

"[P]ossessing] multi-dimensional gifts, imagination and fearless artistic sensibility...." (Acoustic Guitar Magazine)


Purchase Tickets HERE $25.00. All purchased tickets will be held for pickup at the CIM Pogue Lobby Festival ticket table starting 45 minutes before each Festival concert.
Concert Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,
11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Solo guitar and guitar with voice works by: Bach, Chopin, Couperin, Mertz, Snowden, traditional song arrangements, and Villa Lobos
Information: Click HERE or call 216-752-7502
Sample Artist Video: The strange world of spiders by Laura Snowden

Pre-Concert Lecture 5: Jonathan Leathwood (England)
Sunday, June 8, 11:30 to 12:45 pm, CIM Studio TBD
Topic and Description: TBD
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
 
Grammy Award Winner
JASON VIEAUX (USA)
Solo Guitar
CIM Faculty Concert: Sunday, June 8, 4:00 - 6:00 pm

"[Jason Vieaux is] among the elite of today's classical guitarists"
(Gramophone)


Purchase Tickets HERE $30.00. All purchased tickets will be held for pickup at the CIM Pogue Lobby Festival ticket table starting 45 minutes before each Festival concert.
Concert Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,
11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Solo guitar works by: Albeniz, Bach. Merlin, Morel, and Ponce
Information: Click HERE or call 216-752-7502
Sample Artist Video: In A Sentimental Mood by Duke Ellington

Pre-Concert Lecture 6: Jonathan Leathwood (England)
Sunday, June 8,  3:10 to 3:50 pm, CIM Studio TBD
Topic and Description: TBD
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
 
Sixth Annual
JAMES STROUD NATIONAL CLASSICAL GUITAR YOUTH COMPETITION:
FINAL ROUND
Over $20,000.00 In Cash Prizes
Sunday, June 8, 6:30 - 8:30 pm


Competition Location: Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall, 11021 East Blvd., Cleveland, Ohio 44106 (Directions)
Description: The four 2025 Stroud Competition Finalists will perform before the public and a panel of internationally acclaimed  judges. Prizes will be announced at the end of this Round.
Information: Click HERE or call CIM at 216-791-5000
Admission: Free and open to the public, no tickets or passes required
Sample Stroud Competition video: June 2020 Final Round
2025 Final Round Judges: Stephen Aron (USA), guitar; Jonathan Leathwood (England), guitar; Matteo Mela (Italy), guitar; Lorenzo Micheli (Italy), guitar; Petra Polácková (Czech Republic), guitar; Laura Snowden (England), guitar; and Jason Vieaux (USA), guitar

 
Closing Dinner
25th ANNUAL CLEVELAND INTERNATIONAL CLASSICAL
GUITAR FESTIVAL®
Sunday, June 8, 9:30 pm


Location: Valerio's Ristorante
12405 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, Ohio 44106
Admission: Open to all Festival participants.
Telephone: 216-421-8049
Attendees pay their own tab.

DONATE
Support Cleveland International
Classical Guitar Festival events
with a tax deductible donation.
2024 CICGF program book
Additional Support Provided By:
  • The Augustine Foundation
  • Alpha Graphics
  • ClevelandClassical.com
  • Cleveland Chamber Music Society
  • Cleveland Scene
  • David W. Hershberger
  • Friends of CICGF
  • Glidden House
  • Les Delices
  • Pat Kilkenny
  • Rodgers Tuning Machines
  • The Plain Dealer
  • This is Classical Guitar
  • Thompson Hine LLP
  • WCLV 104.9 FM
  • WCPN 90.3 FM