✵ Mandolin Workshops ✵ Festivals ✵ Masterclasses ✵ Lessons ✵ Competitions etc. 2025 ✵

On this page I do regularly post information about mandolin workshops, festivals, teachers and other events.


International Jazz Competition for Domrists and Mandolinist

Victor Solomin has announced his first “International Jazz Competition for Domrist and Mandolinists”.

Information about the competition can be found in Facebook group

Details:

OBJECTIVES OF THE COMPETITION

Identification and support of talented musicians in the field of improvisation, keeping, development and the best domrists and mandolinists trying to do jazz improvisation (or already reached a certain level of skill in improvisation), raising the status of the domra and mandolin in society, attracting the attention of young people to the cultural and social value of the art of playing the mandolin and domra, as well as the development of international cultural relations among the domrists and mandolinists of the planet.

OBJECTIVES OF THE CONTEST

Keeping and development of the best traditions of the art of playing the domra and mandolin;
Revival and development of the best traditions of the art of improvisation on stringed folk instruments, using the method of teaching jazz improvisation;
Raising the level of professional and performing skills;
Encouraging and stimulating the development of young performers.

ACCEPTANCE OF APPLICATIONS FOR PARTICIPATION

The competition is held online.
The competition is open to mandolinists and domrists (four-string domra, quintal tuning) aged from 8 to 40 inclusive, living in any country of the world and being citizens of any state, and is held in three age categories:

– junior category: from 8 to 14 years inclusive;
– middle category: from 15 to 21 years of age inclusive;
– Senior category: from 22 to 40 years inclusive.

Participants who are 15 or 22 years of age at the time of the Contest may participate in the next age category if desired.

Participant’s age is determined as of September 20, 2025.

Qualifying Round.

Applications for participation in the First Round of the Competition are accepted from August 20 to September 20, 2025 inclusive.

To participate in the contest it is necessary to send an application form, according to the template, following the link to the contest website, according to the template, filling in all the fields and including a link to the video with the fulfillment of the tasks of the First Round.

Links are accepted from YouTube, Telegram, Vimeo.

The application form will be published separately.

The tasks for participation in the First Round will be published no later than April 5, 2025.


The Venice Mandolin Festival 2025

Here comes the new updated website, both for all of you who intend to participate in The Venice Mandolin Festival 2025, and for those of you who have not yet decided. There is a lot of new things to read and listen to on the website. Those of you who do not have the opportunity to come to Venice in 2025 can also benefit from this website. For example, you can download sheet music for your mandolin orchestra completely free of charge, regardless of whether you will attend the festival or not.

Don’t forget to clear the cash memory so the website is updated. And don’t forget to scroll down the entire page so you don’t miss any important information!   

ON THE WEBSITE YOU WILL FIND
The repertoire of my free musical arrangements for mandolin and guitar orchestra, information about schedule and prices as well as two links for REGISTRATION and CHECK-LIST, and much more. Your orchestra / ensemble will play two concerts 2 x 60 minutes in the festival. You will have rehearsal room to prepare and a church or / and concert hall to give your concerts. You must be very well prepared of your repertoire already at home and play at the highest level as possible in the festival.

The churches and premises where we will give concerts and hold rehearsals will be announced later. But it will be in Venice and on the island of Lido di Venezia, 15 minutes boat ride from San Marco.

Looking forward seeing you in Venice.

Best wishes!

Lars Forslund


Mandolin Cafe Workshops

More mandolin workshops: https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/content/125-workshops


Eurofestival Zupfmusik – Bruchsal 2026

The Eurofestival is organized by the BDZ every four years. The next Eurofestival will take place in 2026. Registration for the festival is open.


Chamber-Music Competitions Schweinfurt 2025

Yearly competitions for plucked instruments – check website for details about past and future competitions.

Internationaler Gerhard-Vogt-Wettbewerb 2025
für Gitarre und ein Melodieinstrument 

Competition for guitar and melody instrument 17.10. – 19.10.2025

Participants of the Yasuo-Kuwahara Competition in 2021

San Diego Mandolin Camp

SDCMC WILL BE TAKING A HIATUS FOR 2025. Chris and Gary have decided to take a break for 2025, and we will re-visit the future of SDCMC in 2026

SDCMC WIRD FÜR 2025 EINE PAUSE EINLEGEN. Chris und Gary haben beschlossen, für 2025 eine Pause einzulegen, und wir werden die Zukunft des SDCMC im Jahr 2026 erneut besprechen


Brian Oberlin

Brian Oberlin has  organized the River of the West Mandolin Camp and other camps in the past. Check his website for mandolin camps!


Marilynn Mair’s American Mandolin & Guitar Summer School (AMGuSS)

Marilynn, Ralph, Catherine, & Charlie & our 2025 Guest Artist, Chris Acquavella invite you to join us for

AMGuSS dates for 2025: June 16 – 21


International Contest for Composition for Plucked String Orchestra “José Fernández Rojas”

Information available at: http://www.bip-rioja.com/wp/


International Mandolin Academy directed by Maestro Carlo Aonzo

Accademia XIX Edition

NEXT EVENT :
XIX SUMMER ACCADEMIA – ACQUI TERME (AL) AUGUST 17/24 2025

The International Mandolin Academy, directed by Maestro Carlo Aonzo, provides a unique opportunity for players of all levels to participate in a one-week musical holiday dedicated to the mandolin and the guitar. Together with musicians from all over the world, moments of intense cultural, musical and social exchange are shared with participants of all ages in which music becomes the common, universal language.


Keith Harris Mandolin Lessons

Keith Harris offers personal mandolin lessons via the Internet. Details can be found on his website: http://www.mandolin-lessons.com/


Periodical Festivals

Festival international de Mandoline de Castellar

Website: www.festivalmandoline.fr


Festival International Mandolines de Lunel

Website: http://www.mandolinesdelunel.com/


Festival Internacional de Plectro de La Rioja

Website: www.plectrorioja.com


Summer school of the mandolin orchestra Giocoso in Lieboch / Graz / Austria:

Website: http://www.giocoso.at/


SommerMusikFest

Website : http://www.sommermusikfest.de/


Sore Fingers

Website: http://www.sorefingers.co.uk/


Find more seminars etc. on the following pages:

Gitarre-Aktuell – Guitar website:

http://www.gitarre-aktuell.de/termine.html

Pages of the Bund Deutscher Zupfmusiker (BDZ), the German association of mandolin orchestras:

BDZ – Termine

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