We will accept applications to the Sixth annual James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition from Wednesday, January 1, 2025 through midnight PST, Saturday, February 15 on this website's Entry Form.

All 2025 Stroud Competition applicants must submit their completed application, $75.00 non-refundable entrance fee, and two Preliminary Round YouTube video links on this website's ENTRY FORM. Please read the Official 2025 Stroud Competition RULES for complete applicant entry requirements.

We encourage all applicants to submit their completed Entry Form, Two YouTube Video Links, and Entry Fee well before the entry deadline in case of any technical difficulty.

We will announce the 2025 Stroud Competition Semi-Finalists on this website's Announcements' page by Monday, March 4, 2025. We will send the 2025 required set piece to qualified Semi-Finalists by Monday, March 17, 2025.

APPLICANTS PLEASE NOTE: We seek classical guitar students who demonstrate:

1. Informed musicality, 

2. Artistic insight,

3. Creativity,

4. Technical refinement,
5. Stage presence and poise.

FINAL ROUND PRIZES:

1st Place: $10,000.00
2nd Place:  $5,000.00
3rd Place:   $2,500.00
4th Place:   $1,250.00

Please direct all questions or support requests to: stroudcompetition@gmail.com.

James Stroud, Founder and Director
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition.

This year's Stroud National Youth Competition winners are:

Elle Davisson: 1st Prize ($10,000.00)
Micah Montgomery: 2nd Prize ($5000.00)
Hilbert Chen: 3rd Prize (2500.00)
Preston Hong: 4th Prize ($1250.00)

James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition.

Micah Montgomery

The Final Round will stream live from the Cleveland Institute of Music's Mixon Hall this Sunday evening, June 8, starting at 6:39pm Eastern Time.

Good luck to our amazing Finalists.
James Stroud, Founder and Director

All Stroud Competition Semi-Finalists must e-mail to me their two Competition programs by Friday May 3, 2024:

1. Your Semi-Final Round program;

2. Your Final Round program should you be selected to be one of this June's Finalists.

Make sure your programs conform to the specific requirements of each round by referring to this year's rules at:

https://www.guitarsint.com/stroud_competition_rules

Once again, please email your programs to me at jamstroud@gmail.com by Friday May 3, 2024.

Many thanks,
James Stroud
Founder and Grantor
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition

Congratulations on advancing to the Semi-Final Round of this year's Competition. You are in an elite group of high school age guitarists. I am very proud of your accomplishments and look forward to your performances on Thursday, June 6th.



3. This year's Stroud Competition Finalists will be announced Thursday evening, June 6th in CIM's Mixon Hall immediately following the Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival's opening concert.

4. The performance order for this year's Semi-Final Round follows:

10:00 Brandon Kim
10:15 Trent Park
10:30 Sonya Wert
10:45 Micah Montgomery

BREAK

11:15 Hilbert Chen
11:30 Paloma Chaprnka
11:45 Allen Liu
12:00 Owen Wang

LUNCH

1:45 Elle Davisson
2:00 Preston Hong
2:15 Joey Malvinni
2:30 Kiran Lee

BREAK

3:00 Matthew Kuplack
3:15 Laurel Harned
3:30 Andre Orasanu

For those of you who did not advance but would like my evaluation of your video performances. you can contact me at jamstroud@gmail.com to set up either a phone call or zoom call.

This year saw many new entrants and the overall level of playing continued to improve markedly. If you are in the 8th-11th grade and did not advance to this year's Semi-Final Round, keep practicing and please consider re-applying to next year's Competition. I see impressive improvements each year in your age group.

This year's Stroud Competition Semi-Finalists are:

Paloma Chapmka (MI)
Hilbert Chen (CA)
Elle Davisson (CA)
Laurel Harned (CA)
Preston Hong (CA)
Brandon Kim (TX)
Matthew Kuplack (PA)
Kiran Lee (CA)
Allen Liu (TX)
Joey Malvinni (CA)
Micah Montgomery (CA)
Andrei Orasanu (CT)
Trent Park (CA)

If any Semi-Finalist cannot join us in Cleveland, Ohio June 5-9, 2024, please let me know ASAP so we can make arrangements for an alternate competitor.

NOTE: All Semi-Finalists MUST submit the following information by email to James Stroud by Friday, March 15, 2024:

1. Confirmation that you accept the 2024 Stroud Competition's Semi-Finalist Award.

2. Confirmation that you plan to attend and perform live in the 2024 Stroud Competition Semi-Final Round Thursday, June 6, 2024 and, if selected, the Final Round Sunday, June 9, 2024, both rounds to be held at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio.

3. Confirmation that at least one of your legal guardians will accompany you to Cleveland, Ohio and during all Stroud Competition events at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

4. The full name, street address, email address, and cell phone number of the legal guardian who will accompany you to and during the Stroud Competition in Cleveland, Ohio.

5. A high-resolution color photo file (300 dpi or higher, print quality, jpg format only) of the Semi-Finalist's face and shoulders which is suitable for publicity purposes and free of copyright. This photo will be used on the Competition and Festival web and Facebook pages and in the Festival's print program book. The Semi-Finalist cannot appear before a window in this photo. NOTE: The Stroud Competition must receive and approve this photo file before a Semi-Finalist will be sent the Semi-Final Round set piece.

6. The Semi-Finalist's biography free of copyright to be used on the Competition and Festival web and Facebook pages and in the Festival's print program book. This biography must be no less than ninety-five and no more than one hundred and five words. In addition to your background and interests in music, please share with us some of your non-music interests. (See the 2023 Semi-Finalists' page for some sample contestant biographies). NOTE: The Stroud Competition must receive and approve this biography before a Semi-Finalist will be sent the Semi-Final Round set piece.

Once again, thank you all for your submissions. It has been an honor and pleasure to listen to your videos. Best of luck to you all!

Sincerely,
James Stroud
Founder and Grantor

We will announce this year's Semi-Finalists on this page by March 3rd. Semi-Finalists will receive the Set piece written by composer Thomas Flippin by Friday, March 15th.

The Semi-Final Round will be held live on Thursday, June 6th at the Cleveland Institute of Music as part of the 24th annual Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival^®.

Congratulations again and many thanks to this year's applicants for sharing their enthusiasm, talent, hard work, and musical accomplishment with us. I have thoroughly enjoyed listening to all of your performances.

Sincerely,
James Stroud Founder and Director.
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition

2024 FINAL ROUND PRIZES:

1st Place: $10,000.00
2nd Place:  $5,000.00
3rd Place:   $2,500.00

Kaz Hudson - 1st Prize $10,000.00
Preston Hong - 2nd Prize $5000.00
Hilbert Chen - 3rd Prize $2500.00
Emilia Delgado - 4th Prize $1250.00

Congratulations to this year's Finalists and Semi-Finalists. Your talent, hard work, musicality, and instrumental proficiency are an inspiration to us all.

Best wishes to all of you in your future endeavors, musical and personal.

James Stroud, Founder and Director
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition

Armin Kelly, Founder and Artistic Director
Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival®

jamstroud@gmail.com

And cc

armin@guitarsint.com.

You must send both programs to us ASAP!!!

Sincerely,
James Stroud, Founder and Director
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition

We are pleased to post below in alphabetical order our extraordinary 2023 Stroud Competition Semi-Finalists. They come to us from California, Colorado, Connecticut, Minnesota, New York. and Texas:

Hilbert Chen
Emilia Diaz Delgado
Laurel Harned
Preston Hong
Kaz Hudson
Tae Kim
Allen Liu
Joey Malvinni
Micah Montgomery
Lukas Murdych
Andrei Orasanu
Reade Park
Trent Park
Penelope Shvarts
Mei Yin Steadman

Each of the above Stroud Competition Semi-Finalists must submit the following information by e-mail to James Stroud at stroudcompetition@gmail.com by March 15, 2023:

1. Confirmation that you accept the 2023 Stroud Competition's Semi-Finalist Award.

2. Confirmation that you plan to attend and perform in the 2023 Stroud Competition Semi-Final Round to be held Friday, June 2, 2023 and, if selected, the Final Round to be held Sunday, June 4, 2023 at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio.

3. Confirmation that at least one of your legal guardians will accompany you to Cleveland, Ohio and during all Stroud Competition events at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

4. The full name, street address, e-mail address, and cell phone number of the legal guardian who will accompany you to and during the Stroud Competition in Cleveland, Ohio.

5. A high-resolution color photo file (300 dpi or higher, print quality, jpg format only) of the Semi-Finalist's face and shoulders which is suitable for publicity purposes and free of copyright. This photo will be used on the Competition and Festival web and Facebook pages and in the Festival's print program book. The Semi-Finalist cannot appear before a window in this photo. NOTE: The Stroud Competition must receive and approve this photo file before a Semi-Finalist will be sent the Semi-Final Round set piece.

6. The Semi-Finalist's biography free of copyright to be used on the Competition and Festival web and Facebook pages and in the Festival's print program book. This biography must be no less than ninety-five and no more than one hundred and five words (See 2022 Semi-Finalists' page for sample contestant biographies). NOTE: The Stroud Competition must receive and approve this biography before a Semi-Finalist will be sent the Semi-Final Round set piece.

Provided we receive from you all the above in a timely manner, we will send the required 2023 Semi-Final Round set piece to you by March 16. 2023.

I look forward to meeting you and your parents at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio.

Best wishes,
James Stroud, Founder and Grantor
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition
stroudcompetition@gmail.com

First, the level of this year's competitors is without question the best I have seen so far. Not only the level of technical accomplishment and musicianship, but the consistency of students is very impressive across the board. There were no weak links to be found.

Second, if you do not make this year's Semi-Final Round but are still in High School in 2024, by all means apply again next year as your odds of advancing to the Semi-Final Round are likely to increase dramatically after another year of work and instruction. This year's instructors are to be commended for a job done beyond my expectations.

Third, please know that our Preliminary Round Judges took this experience very seriously and were very passionate (and excited) about this process and took great care in their votes. All of the judges were very impressed by your preparation, dedication, and overall amazing level of playing. Again, all of you should be extremely proud of your accomplishments.

We will post the names of this year's Semi-Finalists here this Sunday afternoon, March 5th. 2023.

Sincerely,
James Stroud
Founder and Grantor
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition

2023 FINAL ROUND PRIZES:

1st Place: $10,000.00
2nd Place:  $5,000.00
3rd Place:   $2,500.00
4th Place:   $1,250.00

We encourage all applicants to submit their completed Entry Form, Two Videos, and Entry Fee well before the entry deadline in case of any technical difficulty.

10:30am Reuben Akins
10:45am Taylor Klinsky

11:00am Break

11:15am Colin Guan
11:30am Mira Morales
11:45am Trent Park

LUNCH

1:00pm Elle Davisson
1:15pm Reade Park
1:30pm Laurel Harned
1:45pm Ethan Boyers

2:00pm Break

2:15pm Eric Wang
2:30pm Hilbert Chen
2:45pm Lukas Murdych

Please provide your materials promptly.
James Stroud, Founder and Director
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition

James Stroud, Founder and Director
James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition

Preliminary Round (video submissions only)
    Robert Gruca (USA), guitar
    Armin Kelly (USA), guitar
    Jack Sanders (USA), guitar
    Marco Sartor (Uruguay), guitar
    James Stroud (USA), guitar    
    
Semi-Final Round (live at the Cleveland Institute of Music)
    Stephen Aron (USA), guitar
    Molly Barth (USA), flute
    Jordon Chase (USA), composer
    Brad DeRoche (USA), guitar
    Dieter Hennings Yeomans (Germany), guitar
    Kimberly Patterson (USA), cello    
    Patrick Sutton (USA), guitar

Final Round (live at the Cleveland Institute of Music)
    Colin Davin (USA), guitar
    Drew Henderson (Canada), guitar       
    Yolanda Kondonassis (USA), harp
    Alexis Mousorakis (Greece), guitar
    Petra Polácková (Czech Republic), guitar
    Susana Prieto (Spain), guitar

We will announce the 2022 Competition's Semi-Finalists on this page by March 5, 2022. The 2022 required test piece will be sent to all Semi-Finalists by March 15. 2022.

Each Semi-Finalist will be given a $500 stipend to help defer travel expenses to and from the Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival® to be held Thursday June 2 through Sunday, June 5, 2022 at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio, the venue and location of the Stroud Competition Semi-Final and Final  Rounds.

The Competition's Semi-Finalists will be expected to perform in person before a live audience and distinguished panel of judges at an appointed time during the day of Friday, June 3, 2022 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. We will announce the Competition's four Finalists on Friday, June 3 at the end of that evening's Festival concert.

The Competition's Final Round will take place at the Cleveland Institute of Music on Sunday, June 5, 2022 beginning at 6:30pm Eastern Time. The four Competition Finalists will be expected to perform in person before a live audience and a distinguished panel of judges. Each Finalist will be required to perform from memory three different works from three different time periods. Each Finalist's program must consist of no less than fifteen and no more than eighteen minutes of music. An extra two minutes will be allotted each Finalist for on stage tuning, etc.