International Jury
TAIWO ADEGOKE is our go-to man in Nigeria; indeed, in the whole of West Africa. He's a guitarist, a composer, an ethno-musicologist and also Executive Director and teacher at the Chocolate Africa Classical Guitar Academy - the first of its kind in the whole region of West Africa.
YVONNE BLOOR, from the UK, is a classical guitarist and composer - indeed, you may have heard some of her work on BBC Sounds. She has been a regular contributor to publications such as Guitar International magazine, and is a former examiner for Trinity College and The Guildhall School of Music (London).
BRAD CONROY, from the United States, is an international concert guitarist who has performed around the world, a composer of some renown and also Department Chair of Guitar at the Music Institute of Chicago. Brad is a former staff writer at Guitar International magazine and a well-regarded journalist.
GUSTAVO DOTAS, from Argentina, is an acclaimed international guitarist, composer and arranger of music. A professor and respected conductor, he is also Director of the Guitar Ensemble of the National University José Paz in Buenos Aires. His book, "Naturally, Music", is used across Spanish-speaking Latin America.
GRAHAM EMES is the master luthier who is currently building our top prize for the Classical Guitar World Cup 2026. He had a four-year apprenticeship in Granada under Stephen Hill before returning to Cornwall, UK, where he runs the very successful Emes Guitars. We consider Graham to be one of the UK's finest luthiers.
Sardinian guitarist FABRIZIO FERRARO is a renowned performer who has given masterclasses and concerts worldwide. He currently specialises in the music of the Romantic Guitar, and as a composer has written symphonies and chamber music, which have been played and recorded in Europe and the United States.
JEFFREY GOODMAN from the United States is renowned as a guitarist, composer, teacher and author. His musical work has an international following that has reached over 180 countries, and he famously authored one of the best-known books for guitar tuition, "A Beginner's Guide to the Classical Guitar".
Based in Cornwall, UK, KC ARTISTS is run by two international concert performers, English veteran lutenist BEN SALFIELD and Polish classical guitar star ALEKSANDRA SAPOK. As well as the CGWC, KCA is also responsible for Hellys International Guitar Festival and their International Guitar Series among other projects.
The eminent Hungarian classical guitarist, teacher and festival director SÁNDOR PAPP is the founder of the Debrecen Guitar Quartet and Director of the Gyöngyös Festival. A former Paris Competition finalist, he is currently Dean at the Béla Bartók Music Faculty of the Miskolc University in Hungary.
BOBBY ROOTVELD is originally from the Netherlands. An international concert artist who spends much of his life on tour, he is also a composer and teacher, runs the Nordhorn Guitar Festival in Germany, plays multiple string and percussion instruments and is a producer with his own record label.
TALI ROTH, from Israel, is one of the world's leading classical guitarists, noted for her sensitive interpretations and dynamic technique. She is also head of the guitar program at the Juilliard School pre-college division in New York and the Narnia Festival in Italy, as well as President of Guitar Oasis International Foundation.
LUCA SCHIEPPATI-TOGNAZZI is our go-to man in Italy. Based in Milan, he is a renowned producer who doesn't actually play guitar - but with decades of experience as an onlooker, commentator and promoter of classical guitar music, Luca is one of KCA's most trusted figures worldwide.
Italy's MATTEO STAFFINI, currently based in Milan, is a guitarist, a composer of numerous published works, and a promoter. Formerly also a violinist, he played first violin in a duo with Anahi Carfi with the Teatro alla Scala orchestra. Astonishingly, Matteo has performed for audiences of up to 30,000 people.
FRANCISZEK WIECZOREK, from Silesia in Poland, is the head of the Modran Concert Agency. Apart from being a critically acclaimed classical guitarist, he has run festivals, is an international concert artist, publisher and organiser of musical life, and currently edits international guitar magazine Sześć Strun Świata.
