FAQ
Q. As an intermediate candidate, ( ages 13 to 19) for the competition, my programme for the final round is coming to 5 minutes. Will I be allowed for the finals?
A. Yes, this is allowed. Ideally atleast 6 minutes of final performance time is required plus a different piece for the video. But falling short by one minute is not a problem.
Q. As an intermediate candidate, can I play advanced pieces from grade 8 repertoire?
A. Yes ofcourse you can. The minimum requirement for the intermediate age group is Grade 5 and above. There is no upper limit.
Q. As a junior candidate in the competition, my student's video performance is only 1:20 in length, Do I add another piece?
A. 1 minute 20 second is fine. Please do not add more than 1 piece for the video round.
Q. By playing difficult pieces, do I have a better chance at winning the competition?
A. No. Please play pieces that you play well and that you love to play. Points are awarded based on musicality and to those who bring artistic content & authenticity in their musical expressions. Pay close attention to elements such as dynamics, articulations, rubato and overall phrasing.
Q. Can my parents attend the festival?
A. Yes, your parents can attend the whole festival for a passive participant fee of Rs.2000 for the entire festival.
Q. Can I repeat the same piece that I perform on the video round on the finals if I get selected?
A. No. This is strictly not allowed.
Q. Can I merge two pieces for the video round?
A. No. This is not allowed. We require only 1 piece.
Q. Do I need to pass graded exams in order to qualify as a participant?
A. No you do not.
Q. As an advanced candidate, my repertoire is almost 16 minutes, although the maximum time alloted for the finals is 15 minutes. Will my 16 minutes programm be allowed?
A. It is suggested to not surpass the maximum time limit. However the extra 1 minute for your program can be allowed. But if we have time constraints during the festival, we might ask you to play one piece less. But feel free to prepare your full 16 minutes of repertoire.
Please note : The jury reserves the right to just listen to 1 piece and stop the candidate from performing further. This can be based on factors such as time and performance.
Q. Why are Indian nationals studying in foreign music conservatories/universities not eligible for this competition?
Indian nationals studying in foreign music conservatories or universities will be having an unfair advantage in the competition. Taking into consideration the scale of the competition and who it's for, we have introduced these rules in the competition to encourage the participants and increase fairness.
Please note : If we conduct future competitions on a larger scale with a lengthy repertoire for emerging professional guitarists, we will definitely remove criteria such as age, nationality and foreign university experience.
Q. For the competition can one perform pieces outside the grade syllabus?
A. Yes, this is stated. The grade syllabus both current and old act as a reference framework. Participants can feel free to play outside the syllabus provided they have consulted this with their teachers. Please note : The musical and technical level must correspond with the minimum grade required with the corresponding age group.
Q. Are repeats allowed for the intermediate and advanced categories?
A. Yes repeats are allowed. However, you have the right to not play the repeats.
Q. What is your policy on jury?
A. We will have an international jury panel and make the competition as objective and unbiased as possible. We also have a competition supervisor and co-ordinator.
Q. What is IICGF?
A. IICGF stands for India International Classical Guitar Festival, an annual music festival held in Kolkata that celebrates the art of classical guitar.