Parkening International Guitar Competition

The Parkening International Guitar Competition is the most prestigious classical guitar competition in the world, honoring Christopher Parkening's lifetime commitment to fostering musical excellence in young artists as demonstrated by his mentor, the great Spanish guitarist Andrés Segovia. The competition awards cash prizes in excess of $65,000—the largest prize purse of any classical guitar competition. After three days of intense public performances, the winner of the Parkening International Guitar Competition receives a gold medal, a $30,000 cash prize, and a title that may skyrocket a classical music career and change the winner's life forever.

The Young Guitarist Competition helps to identify outstanding young guitarists (17 years and younger) and encourages them to continue their performance careers and study.

The 2019 Parkening International Guitar Competition will be held at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California on May 30–June 1, 2019. The Young Guitarist Competition will be held May 28–29, 2019.

Tickets to the Final Round and Awards Ceremony are now on sale. Tickets to all other rounds of the competition will be available beginning in January 2019.

Please reach out to theparkening@pepperdine.edu should you have any questions about the competitions.