Our Mission

The Competition

The James Stroud Classical Guitar Competition was founded to help create opportunities for the next generation of classical guitarists residing in the United States. My hope is that this competition will help further their artistic and musical pursuits for advanced musical studies and professional musical careers.

When I was a young university guitar student practicing many hours each day and dreaming of a career as a professional classical guitarist, I often wished I owned a nicer guitar, or could attend summer music festivals and master classes. I knew how important these things were to my professional development, but these essentials were always beyond my financial reach.

Through this competition I hope to assist today's young, hard-working, well-deserving guitar students realize their musical dreams.

The Festival

This festival brings together the world’s finest performing artists, music educators from the country’s best music schools, and luthiers on the cutting edge of classical guitar construction, in a beautiful venue at the Cleveland Institute of Music every June. Held in conjunction with the youth competition, the festival brings energy, education, and wonderful musical experiences to all who love the classical guitar. It is my hope that this festival will leave a lasting impression on everyone who attends.