Barrios WorldWideWeb Classical Guitar Competition Accepting Entries

by Staff.

The first edition of the Barrios WorldWideWeb Competition has launched a unique new genre of musical competition. Guitarists from 18 to 30 years of age, in any country of the world, can participate via the Internet by uploading videos showing their performance of "Allegro Sinfónico" and "Choro da Saudade" by Agustin Barrios Mangoré and registering their entry with the competition website, www.barriosworldwide.com. The competition opened July 1, 2009.

The first of the three rounds of the Barrios WorldWideWeb Competition ends on September 1, 2009 (closing of the entry period and the uploading of the first round entries). On September 15, the judges will announce the 20 semifinalists selected to compete in the second round, which requires the submission of a third video showing their interpretation of a Barrios composition that will be announced on the competition website.

From these 20 semifinalists, the judges will select three finalists to compete in the third round, in which they will fly to Barrios' homeland, Paraguay, for the Grand Finale on December 6, 2009, in the Teatro Municipal Ignacio A. Pane in Asunción.

The winner of the competition will receive a prize of US $5,000 in cash, a trophy and a certificate of recognition; the second place prize is US $2,500 in cash, a trophy and a certificate of recognition ,and the third place prize is US $1,000 in cash, a trophy and a certificate of recognition. In addition, a prize of US $1,000 will be awarded to the semi-finalist with the greatest number of votes on his YouTube video entry. The 20 semi-finalists will also receive certificates of recognition for having participated in the competition.

A panel of qualified international judges will use their criteria of excellence to choose the best from the many. Judges include Carlos Barbosa-Lima (Brazil), Richard Stover (USA), Eduardo Fernández (Uruguay), Carlos Payés (El Salvador), and representing Paraguay, the extraordinary guitarist and creator of this original venture, Berta Rojas.

For more details on how to enter the competition, visit www.barriosworldwide.com. The website also contains detailed information about prizes, judges, the life and works of Agustin Barrios, and the country of Paraguay.

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