Deeply moved
Weimar guitar student wins first prizes at international competitions in Málaga and Athens
At the end of her bachelor's degree, Weimar guitar student Ioanna Kazoglou is celebrating great success at international competitions in Europe and the Caribbean. A few days ago, she won the first prize worth €5,000 at the Festival Internacional de la Guitarra in Málaga (Spain), which also includes a total of five concert engagements.
In the final, she played works by Vicente Asencio, Leo Brouwer and Joaquín Rodrigo. The Greek-born musician prevailed against more than 20 participants from ten different countries.
‘The experience in Málaga was very emotional for me,’ says Ioanna Kazoglou. ‘I didn't expect to win first prize – and when my name was announced, I was deeply moved. I decided to enter this competition after my grandfather passed away. This prize is my gift to him.’
Two months ago, the student in Prof. Ricardo Gallén's class at the University of Music FRANZ LISZT Weimar won first prize at the 38th Athens International Guitar Festival in Greece and second prize at the Festival Mundial de la Guitarra in Mayagüez (Puerto Rico).
At the end of June, Ioanna Kazoglou successfully completed the final concert of her bachelor's degree in Weimar. For her master's degree, she will move to the Robert Schumann University of Music in Düsseldorf in October 2025 to study with Prof. Joaquín Clerch, who was previously the teacher of her current main professor, Ricardo Gallén.
Born in Greece in 2003, she received her first guitar diploma in Thessaloniki at the age of 15. In 2023, Ioanna Kazoglou made her debut on a tour of South Korea, becoming the first classical guitarist to perform at several of the country's most important venues.
This was followed by performances in Brazil (Rio de Janeiro), Chile (Santiago and Viña del Mar), Puerto Rico (San Juan) and in Germany, Austria, Spain, Italy, Norway, Belgium, Slovenia and Greece. Ioanna Kazoglou has also appeared as a soloist at renowned festivals such as ‘Arroyo de la Luz’ in Spain, where she also gave masterclasses, and ‘Patras’ in Greece.
Kazoglou is a ‘Knobloch Strings’ artist and has been invited to record music for renowned platforms such as ‘Siccas Guitars’ and ‘Altamira Guitars’. Her interpretations are appreciated for their depth, tonal sophistication and musical charisma.
[18.07.2025]