August 19, 2024
Leonela Alejandro (BFA 2020, Music) took first prize at the Guitar Foundation of America, widely considered the biggest international guitar competition.
Alejandro first competed in the festival’s youth division in 2017 and 2018. This past June in Fullerton, California, she performed a mix of required and chosen repertoire across three rounds of competition, winning the Rose Augustine Grand Prize.
Alejandro says that sharing the stage with other guitarists she finds inspirational was as important an achievement as winning the competition.
“Even just getting to the final round felt insane,” said Alejandro. “I was playing alongside three other musicians who I admire so much, and I have so much respect for… I felt like I had already won by just getting to finals and being on that stage.”
Alejandro received a cash prize and will embark on a GFA-sponsored international concert tour next year. The tour currently plans to host 50 concerts in North America and beyond.
“[The tour] is such an incredible opportunity,” said Alejandro. “My favorite part of [guitar] is traveling to new places, meeting new people, making new connections through guitar and those not linked to guitar… that’s very exciting to me.”