In the organizer's words:

A feast for all lovers of classical guitar music:

Following the successful concerts of the two previous years, the International Folkwang Guitar Festival is once again making a guest appearance at the Maxhaus and presenting the winners of the NRW Guitar Prize 2025.

Robert Kwiędacz, Juan Manuel Molano and Christopher Heßling will demonstrate their virtuosity as well as the expressiveness and versatility of the classical guitar with a varied program including Johann Sebastian Bach, Fernando Sor, Francisco Tárrega, Joaquín Turina, Frédéric Chopin and Georges Bizet.

The NRW Guitar Prize honors outstanding young guitar talents who are studying at a music academy in North Rhine-Westphalia. It is awarded as part of the International Folkwang Guitar Festival and has become an important event in the guitar scene.

Robert Kwiędacz - 1st prize

Born in Radom in 2004, the guitarist began his musical education at the age of seven and has been studying at the Folkwang University of the Arts under Prof. Tomasz Zawierucha since 2023. He won the NRW Guitar Prize "Stephen Goss" (2025), the Grand Prix of the Polish Competition of the Center for Artistic Education (2022) and the Katowice International Guitar Competition (2019), among others. He also received several national scholarships and 6th prize at the European Bach Guitar Award in 2025.

Juan Manuel Molano - 2nd prize

Born in Medellín, the guitarist studied with distinction in Colombia and Düsseldorf and is currently completing his concert exam at the Musikhochschule Münster with Marcin Dylla as a DAAD scholarship holder. He has won several prizes at international competitions, has performed at renowned festivals and impresses with a broad repertoire ranging from the Renaissance to modern music, especially works from Latin America.

Jan Christopher Heßling - 3rd prize

The 23-year-old guitarist studies at the Folkwang University of the Arts with Prof. Tomasz Zawierucha and has won several prizes at "Jugend musiziert", including the national competition and the international Anna Amalia Competition. He is particularly interested in historical performance practice, chamber music and his own arrangements.

IN COOPERATION: Polish Institute Düsseldorf, International Folkwang Guitar Festival

Price information:

B.O./VVK 15€ (10€)