Pleven Guitar Festival opens late competition registration through November 15

Pleven International Guitar Festival has moved its 2026 competitions into late registration. Applications remain open from October 27 through November 15, with a 30 percent surcharge applied only to competition fees. The window covers classical-guitar soloists, chamber groups, guitar ensembles and orchestras, giving players one final route into the eleventh edition before the November programme begins.

The festival runs in Pleven, Bulgaria, from November 25 to 30, with November 30 reserved as a departure day. Five main concert evenings are planned from November 25 through 29 at Katya Popova Hall, alongside competitions, masterclasses, workshops and education-focused meetings. Confirmed guests include Rovshan Mamedkuliev, Atanas Ourkouzounov, George Vassilev, Thanapot Lerttham and Andrea Curiale.

Registration is handled through the festival's zCORE platform. Applicants first confirm an email address, create a profile, choose the relevant format and submit repertoire, files or links required for that category. The organisers stress that creating an account is not the same as submitting an application, and that submission does not itself confirm a place or payment. Festival passes can also be requested, while individual concert tickets have not yet gone on sale.

Bulgarian news coverage places the event's educational purpose at the centre of its growth: the festival began as a way to sustain young players' motivation and now operates through a year-round sequence that includes spring concerts and a summer guitar academy. For late entrants, the immediate point is simple: November 15 is the competition deadline, and accommodation or masterclass requests still require separate confirmation from the team.