WA Classical Guitar Ensemble Festival
WA Classical Guitar Ensemble Festival
The 35th WA Classical Guitar Ensemble Festival is run in partnership with the WA Classical Guitar Society.
Event details
Date: Saturday 16 August to Sunday 17 August 2025
Venue: Carine Senior High School
Applications: Applications open Week 4, Term 1 on 24 February 2025.
Eligibility: There is a cap on entries, and no small group entries are allowed. Ensembles will not be accepted until the application, payment and scores are submitted.
There are 5 divisions to select from:
- Primary: for primary school entries only
- Junior (secondary): a junior ensemble is typically Years 7 to 9
- Senior (secondary): a senior ensemble is typically Years 9 to 12
- Tertiary: for university entries
- Community: for groups not affiliated with a particular school.
Ensembles can nominate up to 3 of their members to play a solo piece each in the separate solo section, running alongside the ensemble festival. This is an optional section and if soloists enter, they must:
- be performing in an ensemble that is entered in the festival
- select a piece that is under 5 minutes in duration
- bring a paper copy of their piece for the adjudicators.
Best efforts will be made to schedule the soloists in a similar timeframe to their ensemble performance.
The aims of the Classical Guitar Festival are to:
- provide a performance opportunity for students.
- give ensembles and soloists an opportunity to hear others perform.
- provide each ensemble and soloist with constructive comments from an informed adjudicator.
- present each ensemble and soloist with a certificate to recognise participation.
During each performance, conductors will be filmed if requested and given constructive and confidential one-to-one conducting professional development by an adjudicator immediately following their performance.
Students will be ushered to specially allocated seating to view other performances during the feedback session and conductors will meet with your students after the feedback session to have photographs taken. This has proved to be very popular with many directors in other festivals and the positive feedback that they have received, has been an extremely valuable tool in their professional development.
Submit scores as a PDF file (one PDF per piece of music) as part of the application through the Instrumental Music Service School online database.
Photographs of participating ensembles from the 2023 festival are available for viewing and purchase at ProPhotoBooth. Use the password 'guitar23'.
One of the reasons for the outstanding success of the festival is the contribution made by volunteers. Some of the tasks we need volunteers for include stage management, ticket selling and marshalling.
Volunteering is a great way to meet other directors and hear ensembles from other schools and divisions.
If you are interested in volunteering, register for your preferred session or sessions using the online database.
Contact us
For queries about this event, email Instrumental Music School Services at IM.SS.Events@education.wa.edu.au.