Columbus State University Events
Guitar Symposium
The CSU Guitar Symposium is an annual event bringing together guitarists from around the world for education and artistic stimulation. This two-day festival consists of guest artist concerts, masterclasses, lectures, and an international competition, with divisions for middle school through professional levels. All symposium events will take place at Columbus State University‘s Schwob School of Music in downtown Columbus, Georgia.
All events will be livestreamed for free through the
Schwob School of Music's Facebook Page and Schwob School of Music's YouTube Page.
All times are listed in Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Kossler Duo / Special Guest
Saturday, February 28 at 8pm
Leonela Alejandro / David Russell
Sunday, March 1 at 7:30pm
Saturday, February 28
| Time | Event(s) | Location | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 - 10:00 am | Registration | RiverCenter South Lobby | |
| 10:00 am | Competition, Preliminary Round
|
|
Division I: Adam Holzman Erdong Li Petar Jankovic Division III: Leonela Alejandro Mary Akerman Robert Teixeira |
| 1:00 pm | Competition, Preliminary Round
|
Studio Theater | Mary Akerman Scott Hill Robert Teixeira |
| 2:00 - 5:00 pm | Masterclasses
|
|
|
| 6:00 - 7:00 pm | Lecture, Stephen Mattingly: Career Skills for Guitarists: An Approach to Creating Opportunities |
Studio Theater | |
| 8:00 pm | Concert: Kossler Duo / Special Guest | Legacy Hall |
Sunday, March 1
| Time | Event(s) | Location | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Competition Semifinals (Divisions I, II &III) | Legacy Hall | Mary Akerman Scott Hill Patrick Lui Stephen Mattingly Robert Teixeira |
| 11:30 - 2:30 pm | Masterclasses
|
|
|
| 4:00 pm | Competition Finals (All Divisions) | Legacy Hall | Adam Holzman Mary Akerman Robert Teixeira Special Guest Scott Hill |
| 7:30 pm | Concert: Leonela Alejandro / David Russell | Legacy Hall |
Competition Timings:
Preliminary: 7 minutes
Semifinal: 10 minutes
Finals: 10 minutes
Preliminary: 7 minutes
Semifinal: 10 minutes
Finals: 10 minutes
Preliminary: 5 minutes
Semifinal: 7 minutes
Finals: 7 minutes
Prizes:
1st Prize winners will be awarded a guitar courtesy of Altamira Guitars.
1st Prize: $2,000
2nd Prize: $1,500
3rd Prize: $1,000
1st Prize winners will be awarded a guitar courtesy of Altamira Guitars.
1st Prize: $1200
2nd Prize: $900
3rd Prize $700
1st Prize winners will be awarded a guitar courtesy of Altamira Guitars.
1st Prize: $1000
2nd Prize: $750
3rd Prize: $500
The competition is open to all applicants within the appropriate divisions. Applicants will be allowed to participate in only one of the three divisions. 1st prize winners may not compete in the same division in subsequent years but may compete in the next higher division. All judge’s decisions are final. Due to the brevity of this event, the judge’s comments will not be made available to the competitors.
Auditor Fee: $100
Participation Fee: $150
Six players will be selected from Divisions I, II, & III to participate in the semifinal round. Of them, three players will be chosen to perform in the final round. Competitors will be evaluated on their technique, musicianship, and overall presentation. Written comments by judges will not be made available to competitors. Competitors are encouraged to inquire for comments from the judges directly only after the competition has ended. Comments will be given out at each judge‘s discretion.
Choice of music is entirely at the discretion of the competitor. A competitor may perform the same or different music from round to round without penalty. It is expected that every competitor‘s choice of music fits within the time allowed for each round. If a competitor exceeds the given time allotted, that competitor will be asked to stop but at no penalty to their evaluation. All judges‘ decisions are final.
Submit your Guitar Symposium Application
Submit your Guitar Symposium Payment
Parents: All masterclass and competition events are free and open to parents, relatives and well-wishers. Tickets for the evening concerts can be purchased at the RiverCenter box office.
Contact: Dr. Andrew Zohn, Symposium Director at zohn_andrew@columbusstate.edu or (706) 649-7295
All competitors must check in at the registration desk in the South Lobby of the RiverCenter between 8 and 10 am on Saturday, February 28 in order to be eligible.
Patrick Lui
Symposium Director Andrew Zohn can be reached at:
zohn_andrew@columbusstate.edu or (706) 649-7295
Schwob School of Music's Guitar Department Facebook Page
For information regarding local hotels, please contact the Schwob School of Music at 706-649-7225.
Directly across the street from the RiverCenter:
Columbus Marriott Downtown
800 Front Avenue, Columbus, GA 31901
(706) 324-1800
Three blocks from the RiverCenter:
Rothschild - Pound House
201 7th Street, Columbus, GA 31901
(706) 888-3832
Four blocks from the RiverCenter:
Hotel Indigo Columbus at Riverfront Place
21 14th Street Columbus, GA 31901
(706) 780-7800
Five blocks from the RiverCenter:
Motel 6
1325 Veterans Parkway, Columbus, GA 31901
(706) 780-3885
6.2 miles from the RiverCenter:
Econolodge
4483 Victory Dr, Columbus, GA 31903
(706) 682-3803
Transportation:
Shuttle available from the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport to Columbus. Hotel drop-off
available: Groome Transportation (706-324-3939).
*The CSU Guitar Symposium does not have a standing agreement with any local hotels at this time.
2025 Competition Results
- Division I (Open/Professional)
- 1st Prize - Alberto Quintanilla
- 2nd Prize - Adrian Montero
- 3rd Prize - Carlos Bedoya
- Division II (Undergraduate)
- 1st Prize - Will Tanner
- 2nd Prize - Andy Urbina
- 3rd Prize - Ceasar Herrera
- Division III (High School)
- 1st Prize - Andrei Orasanu
- 2nd Prize - Brandon Kim
- 3rd Prize - Sonya Wert
2024 Competition Results
- Division I (Open/Professional)
- 1st Prize - Leonela Alejandro
- 2nd Prize - Jeremy Waldrip
- 3rd Prize - Adrian Montero
- Division II (Undergraduate)
- 1st Prize - David Manzanares
- 2nd Prize - Suvan Agarwal
- 3rd Prize - Baran Güzelsoy
- Division III (High School)
- 1st Prize - Matthew Kuplack
- 2nd Prize - Sonya Wert
- 3rd Prize - Sebastain Oseguera
- 4th Prize - Catalina Wert
2023 Competition Results
- Division I (Open/Professional)
- 1st Prize - Kevin Loh
- 2nd Prize - Leonela Alejandro
- 3rd Prize - Jeremy Waldrip
- 4th Prize - Roberts Brown
- Division II (Undergraduate)
- 1st Prize - Aytahn Benavi
- 2nd Prize - Gwenyth Aggeler
- 3rd Prize - Jesse Reece
- Division III (High School)
- 1st Prize - Noah Richer
- 2nd Prize - Ben Johnson
- 3rd Prize - Alicia Suen
2020 Competition Results
Division 1 (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Steven Lerman
2nd Prize - Yunxiang Fan
3rd Prize - Leonela Alejandro
4th Prize - Agustin Rosado
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Logan Wong
2nd Prize - Andres Urbina
3rd Prize - Yuxi Long
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Nima Moin
2nd Prize - Noah Richer
3rd Prize - Darin Goodman
2019 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Misrael Barraza-Diaz
2nd Prize - Yunxiang Fan
3rd Prize -Aytahn Benavi
4th Prize -Robby Brown
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Yitong Qian
2nd Prize - Liam Hendrick
3rd Prize -Thatcher Harrison
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Paulina Roughton
2nd Prize -Raymond Hou
3rd Prize - Shiruo Li
2018 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Ying Xu
2nd Prize - Agustin Rosado
3rd Prize - Alec Holcomb
4th Prize - Evan Taucher
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Mia Padilla
2nd Prize - Zhengzhi Zheng
3rd Prize - Preston Anastas
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Jack Davission
2nd Prize - Paulina Roughton
3rd Prize - Ian Tubbs
2017 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize -Dragos Ilie
2nd Prize - Ying Xu
3rd Prize - Misael Barraza-Diaz
4th Prize - Steven Lerman
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Aytahn Benavi
2nd Prize - Dani Zanuttini-Frank
3rd Prize - Patrick Rice
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Zhengzhi Zheng
2nd Prize - Paulina Roughton
3rd Prize - Nathaniel Hill
2016 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Stephen Lochbaum
2nd Prize - Alec Holcomb
3rd Prize - Nicolas Emilfork
4th Prize - Robert Brown
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Fangfang Liu
2nd Prize - Sean McCrary
3rd Prize - Eliza Balmuth
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Aytahn Benavi
2nd Prize - Yitong Qian
3rd Prize - Jingyuan Deng
2015 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Hao Yang
2nd Prize - Thierry Begin-L
3rd Prize - Ying Xu
4th Prize - Stephen Lochbaum
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Nolan Harvel
2nd Prize - Jeremy Waldrip
3rd Prize - Yeram Yoon
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Chase Schallen
2nd Prize - Yiton Qian
3rd Prize - Leonard Jefferson
2014 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Jesus Serrano
2nd Prize - Stephen Lochbaum
3rd Prize - Alec Holcomb
4th Prize - Mihajlo Djordjevic
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Hao Yang
2nd Prize - Nolan Harvel
3rd Prize - Erica Cha
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Tiffany Chang
2nd Prize - Yitong Qian
3rd Prize - Vielka Rosario Ebadan
2013 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Joseph Palmer
2nd Prize - Ying Xu
3rd Prize - Armin Abdihodzic
4th Prize - Ulyana Machneva
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Ben Weinbaum
2nd Prize - Katie Holmes
3rd Prize - Jamillah Bell
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Nolan Harvel
2nd Prize - Yitong Qian
3rd Prize - Meili Wang
2012 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Silviu Ciulei
2nd Prize - Joseph Palmer
3rd Prize - Nemanja Ostojic
4th Prize - Celil Kaya
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Ying Xu
2nd Prize - Young Jun Lim
3rd Prize - Katherine Holmes
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Andrew Riney
2nd Prize - Ryan Wickell
3rd Prize - Caleb Probst
2011 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Edel Munoz
2nd Prize - You Wang
3rd Prize - Armin Abdihodzic
4th Prize - Emma Rush
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Alec Holcomb
2nd Prize - Ian Richert
3rd Prize - Kevin de Miranda
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Ian Blanchardon
Second Place: Jamillah Bell
3rd Prize - Evan Budd
2010 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Jeremy Collins
2nd Prize - Donovan Butez
3rd Prize - Mark Edwards
4th Prize - Ulyana Machneva-Shanley
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Ji Yoen Kim
2nd Prize - Alec Holcomb
3rd Prize - Kyle Comer
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Ian Richert
2nd Prize - Austin de los Santos
3rd Prize - Jamilla Bell
2009 Competition Results
Division I (Collegiate/Professional):
1st Prize - Chad Ibison
2nd Prize - Adam Kossler
3rd Prize - Armin Abdihodzic
4th Prize - Ulyana Machneva
Division II (High School):
1st Prize - Colin Fullerton
2nd Prize - Alexina Aron
3rd Prize - Shon Boublil
Division III (Middle School):
1st Prize - Alec Holcomb
2nd Prize - Aaron Chang
3rd Prize - Benjamin Weinbaum
CSU is proud to have this webpage featured on www.guitarfoundation.org
Thank You to Our Sponsors!
