Acoustic Guitar Rules

The SAI Guitar Arena – Acoustic Guitar is intended for acoustic guitar players in various musical genres, except classical music. This SAI guitar competition is the only competition of its kind in the Czech Republic. The registration period is 15. 10. 2025, when it is possible to create a registration for both Czech and foreign participants. The application deadline is 6. 11. 2025 do 23:59.

The competition is intended exclusively for solo acoustic guitar players who play their own music or arrangements of existing music, but not sung songs. Participants can also play with their fingers and various types of picks on metal and nylon strings.

In 2025, SAI announces two categories: Talent and Virtuoso. Talent is a category intended for students of art schools and guitarists up to 17 years old, Virtuoso for students of conservatories, universities and schools and experienced players from 17 years old. Self-taught people or students and graduates of other schools can also apply. Please fill in your age.

  • 1. TALENT - for students of art schools and guitarists up to 17 years old
  • 2. VIRTUOSO - for students of conservatories, universities and schools and experienced players from 17 years old

Participants will be divided into categories according to the criteria met (registration, video upload, etc.).

Registration

Registration for the Guitar Arena competition is done by uploading the video recording here into the Guitar Arena website system. If the participant has no other option to record the songs on higher-quality equipment, they can record the songs directly on a mobile phone, or camera, but without video or audio editing in the studio.

  • The contestant registers on the website kytarovaarena.cz.
  • At the e-mail address under which the contestant registered, they will find and confirm the registration they received from the website kytarovaarena.cz.
  • They log in to their profile on kytarovaarena.cz and fill in the mandatory (or optional) information.
  • They will upload one or two videos of themselves showing their playing. Upload the video in landscape format and place it on your YouTube (reels videos, etc., or from other platforms, cannot be embedded).
  • If the contestant did everything correctly, a green icon with the inscription “You are logged in to the guitar arena” will appear.
  • After the application deadline, the contestant can no longer change the uploaded and logged videos.

Competition criteria

  1. Music genre – participants can play songs of any genre except classical music.
  2. The choice of music – depends only on the participant. The contestant should have at least three songs ready for the entire competition in different tempos (slow, medium and fast). Each of the finalists will have 10 minutes of pure playing in front of the jury. The repertoire can be shorter but should not exceed 10 minutes. The number of songs is not limited, only the total playing time.
  3. Guitar types – participants can play any acoustic guitar. An acoustic combo will be available at the finals venue.
  4. Age of participants – age is not a factor.

Competition schedule

The deadline for applications is 6. 11. 2025 do 23:59 pm.

The expert jury will select 4 finalists in each category (Talent, Virtuoso) from the submitted and properly registered recordings.

Finals

  1. In the finals, the advancing musicians will play songs of various natures at different tempos. The number of songs is not limited, but it should not exceed the total performance length of 10 minutes of pure playing.
  2. The finals of both categories will take place in front of a jury on 20. 11. 2025 from 3:00 PM - Talent and from 5:00 PM - Virtuoso in the music hall of the Pardubice Conservatory (address: Sukova třída 1260).
  3. The jury will determine 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in both categories.
  4. During the finalists' concert performance, the audience will have the opportunity to choose their favorite, who will receive the audience award.
  5. The announcement will take place on 20. 11. 2025 at 19:00.

If a participant has already won the guitar arena once, he may be invited by SAI to a concert, to the jury, but he cannot participate in the competition again. This does not apply to second or third place. In this case, the finalist can participate more than once.