The Montenegro International Guitar Competition has been held in Tivat, Montenegro.

The competition, held for the 13th time between May 23 and 26, was attended by guitarists from Turkey, Italy, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Mexico, Serbia and Spain.

The Montenegro International Guitar Competition, is part of Euro Strings platform (European Guitar Festival Collaborative), which is financed from the budget of the EU program Creative Europe, has welcomed guest artists.

Sponsored by Yunus Emre Institute's Podgorica Branch, Ayşegül Koca, the guitar virtuoso from Turkey, was among the guests. During the closing ceremony of Montenegro's only international classical music contest, Koca gave a recital while Spanish guitarists Manuel Cañizares and Juan Carlos Gomes and Italian guitarist Aniello Desiderio gave solo concerts.

Within the scope of the event, Spanish guitarist Manuel Cañizares and Italian guitarist Aniello Desiderio gave master class training for the guitarists who are members of the Euro Strings platform from the participating countries.

Ayşegül Koca

Ayşegül Koca start playing guitar at the age of 8 and her musical training began with Dr. Kürşad Terci when she won a scholarship for Bilkent University Music Preparation Primary School at the age of 12. In 2006, Koca graduated Bilkent University Music Preparation High School as the student of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kağan Korad, and she was admitted to the Maastricht Conservatory and started to work with Prof. Carlo Marchione in the Netherlands. After completing her undergraduate studies at this conservation in May 2008, the young guitarist soon became distinguished with her achievements at national and international competitions. Ayşegül Koca won the first prize at José Tomas Classical Guitar Competition, the first prize and special prize at X. Eduard Paml Young Guitarists Competition, and became widely acclaimed around the world.