ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

All 2025 James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition applicants must be: (1) U.S. residents, (2) not enrolled in a university-level music degree program, and (3) as of the date of the Final Round of the Competition (June 8, 2025) at least thirteen and no more than eighteen years of age.

First Place winners of the James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition are not eligible to compete in subsequent years.

Entry fee: $75.00, non-refundable.

All 2025 Stroud Competition applicants must submit their completed application, $75.00 non-refundable entrance fee, and two Preliminary Round YouTube video links using this website's Entry Form. Note: The Entry Form will be active between January 1, 2025 and Midnight PST, February 15, 2025.

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.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS AND COMPETITION RULES:

Preliminary Round 2025

Competition applicants must submit two performance videos, not exceeding five minutes each. Each video will be evaluated by a distinguished group of judges. The first video must feature a complete work or complete movement/movements from a larger work by either Johann Sebastian Bach or Domenico Scarlatti. The second video must feature a free-choice work or complete movement from a larger work, representing a different time period than the work performed in the first video. All works in both applicant videos must be performed from memory.

Each video must be a single take using one stationary camera with the camera facing the competitor straight on. The front of the guitar and the competitor's face and hands must be clearly visible in the video frame at all times. Each video must have a page/printout with “James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition 2025” clearly visible throughout the video - e.g this page should be placed on a music stand next to the competitor or taped to a wall above the competitor's shoulder. Competitors must not perform in front of a window in these videos. No editing or electronic sound enhancement such as reverb is permitted; A competitor's video which contains an audio or video edit or electronic sound enhancement will result in the immediate disqualification of that competitor. There can be no speaking or background noise on these videos. Applicants must provide YouTube links to their two Preliminary Round performance videos in the Entry Form on our website. Any part of a performance which exceeds the Preliminary Round time limit will not be evaluated by the judges at no penalty to the competitor.

Eight to fifteen Preliminary Round competitors will be chosen as Semi-Finalists. Semi-Finalists will be announced on the Competition web site's Announcements page by Friday, March 4, 2025. The decisions of the judges will be final.

Semi-Final Round 2025

All Semi-Finalists must submit the following information by e-mail (see Contact page) to James Stroud by Friday, March 14, 2025:

1. Confirmation that you accept the 2025 Stroud Competition's Semi-Finalist Award.

2. Confirmation that you plan to attend and perform in the 2024 Stroud Competition Semi-Final Round to be held Thursday, June 5, 2025 and, if selected, the Final Round to be held Sunday, June 8, 2025 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. In addition to your background and interests in music, please share with us some of your non-music interests. (See the 2024 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.

Provided we receive all the above in a timely manner, we will send the required 2024 Semi-Final Round set piece to qualified Semi-Finalists by Monday, March 17, 2025.

All 2025 Stroud Competition Semi-Finalists and their guardians must arrive in Cleveland, Ohio by Wednesday, June 4 in time to attend James Stroud's Orientation meeting at 5:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time at the Cleveland Institute of Music, Mixon Hall,11021 East Boulevard, Cleveland, Ohio 44106. Semi-Finalists will be assigned their Thursday, June 5 performance times and given last minute instructions at this meeting.

Upon arrival at the Cleveland Institute of Music in Cleveland, Ohio, each Semi-Finalist will be given a $500 stipend to help defray travel expenses to and from Cleveland, Ohio for the Competition's Semi-Final and Final Rounds. These Rounds will take place at the Cleveland Institute of Music during the twenty-fifth Cleveland International Classical Festival®. 

Each Semi-Finalist will be required to perform in person before a live audience and a distinguished panel of judges at an appointed time during the day of Thursday, June 5, 2025 at the Cleveland Institute of Music. Semi-Finalists will be required to wear traditional classical music concert attire during their performances.

Each Semi-Finalist must perform from memory two free-choice works from contrasting time periods. In addition, each Semi-Finalist must perform the 2025 set piece which will have been sent to qualified Semi-Finalists a minimum of forty-five days prior to the Semi-Final Round. Semi-Finalists are not required to perform the set piece from memory.

The total length of each Competitor's Semi-Final Round performance - including the two free-choice pieces, the set piece, as well as time between pieces - must be no less than twelve and no more than fifteen minutes. Any part of a competitor's performance which exceeds the Semi-Final Round time limit will not be evaluated by the judges at no penalty to the competitor.

The Competition's four Finalists will be announced on Thursday, June 5, 2025 following that evening's Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival concert at the Cleveland Institute of Music. The decisions of the judges will be final.

Semi-Finalists who do not advance to the 2025 Stroud Competition Final Round will be offered a free 30 minute performance position in one of the five Cleveland International Classical Guitar Festival master classes presented on Friday, June 6, 2025, at the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Final Round 2025

The Competition's Final Round will take place at the Cleveland Institute of Music on Sunday, June 8, 2025 beginning at 6:30pm Eastern Time. The four Finalists will be required to perform in person before a live audience and a distinguished panel of judges. Finalists will be required to wear traditional classical music concert attire during their performances.

Each of the four Finalists will be required to perform from memory three different works from three different time periods. The set piece can not be performed in the Final Round performance. All music performed in the Final Round is free choice and may be repeated, except for the set piece, from previous rounds. 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. Any part of a performance which exceeds the Final Round time limit will not be evaluated by the judges at no penalty to the competitor.

Winners' Announcements

The Final Round Competition Winners will be announced Sunday evening, June 8, 2025 following the Final Round performances. The decisions of the judges will be final.

FINAL ROUND PRIZES:

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