14th Edition Brussels International Guitar Festival & Competitions

Viva la Vida!

28.11 > 02.12.2025

Dedicated to « A better World », we welcome you to the 14th edition of the Brussels International Guitar Festival & Competitions, the not-to-be missed and eagerly awaited event in the capital of Europe for music fans and aficionados of the guitar.

The only one of its kind, « the Brussels guitar fiesta » attracts a large crowd and over the years has established itself as one of the major festivals in Europe.

The splendid Hay Doun Cultural Center and the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles will host concerts, master classes, a lecture, an exhibition as well as the public final rounds of the international competition and the composition competition.

Classical, Latino, Baroque, modern, contemporary music… The many facets of the world's most played instrument will be showcased thanks to a rich and varied programme : solo guitar, duo, ensemble, guitar with orchestra, recorders, percussion…

Always seeking new experiences, the festival offers the public the chance to attend several Belgian premieres and listen to big names in guitar music from various countries (Belgium, Spain, France, Czech Republic, Austria, Japan…) as well as young artists on the verge of a promising career, for whom the festival serves as a launch pad.

The 2025 selection, via a new exhibition, pays tribute to the Masters Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso, who opened the first guitar classes in the Belgian Music Academies as well as the guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles in 1965, thereby becoming the founders of the Belgian Guitar School.

The festival also celebrates the 60th anniversary of the guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles.

Open to everyone, whether just curious or confirmed music lovers, this exceptional edition will be more than ever full of joy, emotions, discoveries and conviviality…

Hugues Navez Founding President and Artistic Director Full Professor of the Guitar Class & Head of the Guitar Department at the Brussels Royal Conservatory

Concerts

An exceptional evening « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Italian Serenade » by Hugo Wolf

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Orchestre « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai »

A Spanish composer and a young musician to discover Antoine Miralles, guitar (Belgium/France) Graduate (Master’s degree) from the guitar class of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Alegrías en El Puerto (Danza Andaluza n° 2) » for guitar and orchestra by Ángel G. Piñero (Belgian premiere)

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Antoine Miralles

A splendid concerto performed by two young virtuosos Duo Thaïs Cosnefroy & Antoine Miralles (Czech Republic/France/Belgium), guitars Both graduates (Master’s degree) from the guitar class of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles Orchestre « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai », conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Concerto RV 532 » for two guitars and orchestra by Antonio Vivaldi

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Duo Thaïs Cosnefroy & Antoine Miralles

A virtuoso acclaimed all over the world Marco Tamayo (Cuba/Austria), guitar « La Chapelle Musicale de Tournai » Orchestra, conducted by Philippe Gérard (Belgium) « Concerto Opus 4, n° 5 HWV 293 » for guitar and orchestra by Georg Friedrich Haendel « Concerto Opus 30, n° 1 » for guitar and orchestra by Mauro Giuliani

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Marco Tamayo

Recital by the 1st Prize of the Brussels International Guitar Competition « Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso » 2025
For the first time in Belgium !
Tohi Harada (Japan) « In the Limelight » Alfonso, Ponce, Tansman...

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Tohi Harada

Ensemble de Guitares de l’Académie d’Uccle (Belgium) conducted by Camille Plá
With the participation of the Recorder Ensemble and the Percussion class of the Académie d'uccle.

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Ensemble de Guitares de l’Académie d’Uccle

12 young virtuosos playing together - Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the guitar class Ensemble de Guitares du Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles conducted by Hugues Navez « A Better World » - Homage to Valérie Duchâteau Piazzolla, Jenkins, Dyens, Roux...

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Ensemble de guitares du Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles

A famous virtuoso duo
For the first time in Belgium !
for the first time in Belgium
Duo Melis (Spain/Greece) Susana Prieto & Alexis Muzurakis, guitars « La Vida Breve » Royer, Tchaïkovski, de Falla, Bogdanović...

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Duo Melis

Brussels International Guitar Competition
« Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »
« Public final round - Announcement of winners - Awards ceremony »

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Brussels International Guitar Competition « Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »

Brussels International Guitar Composition Competition
« Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »
« Announcement of winner - Awards ceremony »

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Brussels International Guitar Composition Competition « Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »

A fabulous young guitar duo Duo Thaïs Cosnefroy & Antoine Miralles (Czech Republic/France/Belgium), guitars Both graduates (Master’s degree) from the guitar class of the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles « Suite Dreams » Marcello, Franck, Tesař, Asanov...

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Duo Thaïs Cosnefroy & Antoine Miralles

The exciting grande dame of the guitar Gaëlle Solal (France/Belgium), guitar « Chaconnes & Passacailles » Bach, Haendel, Weiss, Kellner...

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Gaëlle Solal

Lecture - in French and English

Sunday 30 November 2025 - 17:30

Marco Tamayo

« Essential principles for performances on the classical guitar (technique and styles) »

by Marco Tamayo (Austria / Cuba)
Professor at the Universität der Künste in Berlin (UDK) and the Mozarteum in Salzburg

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Exhibition « Ilse & Nicolas Alfonso »

From Friday 28 November 2025 to Sunday 30 November 2025 - from 10:00 to 20:00

The legendary couple Ilse and Nicolas Alfonso

Supported by documents and exceptional archives, this exhibition traces the life and work of the legendary couple Ilse and Nicolas Alfonso, both on stage and in real life. Virtuoso guitarists, they performed to great acclaim in the top international venues and recorded numerous solo and duo albums. Both professors with renowned reputations, they opened the first guitar classes in the Belgian Music Academies and in 1965, supported by H.M. Queen Elizabeth of Belgium, inaugurated the guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, thus becoming the de facto founders of the Belgian Guitar School.

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Master Classes

Many performers and professors at the Brussels International Guitar Festival & Competitions will share their musical expertise and provide personal advice on performance playing to students, future professional musicians, from the guitar class at the Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles, in the form of master classes open to the public...

Venue : Hay Doun Cultural Center - Rue du Gaz, 83 - 1020 Brussels

Gaëlle Solal : Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles - Rue du Chêne, 17 - 1000 Brussels

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date time artists
Friday 28 November 2025 09:00 - 12:00 Marco Tamayo
Friday 28 November 2025 14:00 - 17:00 Antonio Segura
Saturday 29 November 2025 09:00 - 12:00 Marco Tamayo
Sunday 30 November 2025 09:00 - 12:00 Susana Prieto (Duo Melis)
Monday 1 December 2025 09:00 - 12:00 Alexis Muzurakis (Duo Melis)
Tuesday 2 December 2025 09:00 - 12:00 Gaëlle Solal