Guitar Syllabus
OWN CHOICE SOLOS – 18 years and under
One or more pieces of your own choice
G1 Novice Time limit 3 mins (A)
Entrants in this class should have been learning the guitar for less than 12 months by 1st January 2027.
G2 Grade 1 Time limit 3 mins (A)
G3 Grade 2 Time limit 4 mins (A)
G4 Grades 3-4 Time limit 5 mins (B)
G5 Grades 5-6 Time limit 6 mins (B)
G6 Grades 7-8 Time limit 8 mins (B)
G7 Diploma Time limit 10 mins (C)
BRITISH MUSIC - 18 years and under
One or more pieces by a British composer
G8 Grades 1-5 Time limit 8 mins (B)
G9 Grade 6 and above Time limit 8 mins (B)
OWN CHOICE SOLOS – 19 years and over
Two or more pieces of your own choice
G10 Novice Time limit 4 mins (B)
Entrants in this class should have been learning the guitar for less than 12 months by 1st January 2027.
G11 Pre-Grade 1 Time limit 4 mins (B)
G12 Grades 1-3 Time limit 4 mins (B)
G13 Grades 4-5 Time limit 6 mins (C)
G14 Grades 6-8 Time limit 8 mins (C)
G15 Diploma Time limit 12 mins (C)
BRITISH MUSIC - 19 years and over
One or more pieces by a British composer
G16 Grades 1-5 Time limit 8 mins (B)
G17 Grade 6 and above Time limit 8 mins (B)
RECITAL CLASS
Three or more pieces/movements of your own choice
G18 Any Age Time limit 20 mins (E)
PUPIL AND TEACHER DUET CLASSES
One or more pieces of your own choice
G19 Novice Time limit 3 mins (B)
Entrants in this class should have been learning the guitar for less than 12 months by 1st January 2027.
G20 Pre-Grade 1 Time limit 4 mins (B)
G21 Grades 1-2 Time limit 4 mins (B)
G22 Grades 3-4 Time limit 5 mins (B)
G23 Grades 5-6 Time limit 6 mins (B)
G24 Grades 7-8+ Time limit 10 mins (B)
ENSEMBLE CLASSES
Small Ensembles
One or more pieces of your own choice
G25 Duet 12 years and under Time limit 5 mins (B)
G26 Duet 18 years and under Time limit 7 mins (B)
G27 Duet 19 years and over Time limit 10 mins (C)
G28 Trio 19 years and over Time limit 10 mins (C)
G29 Quartet 19 years and over Time limit 10 mins (B)
Large Ensembles
G30 Guitar/ukulele ensemble 12 years and under – 3 or more players Time limit 5 mins (B)
G31 Guitar/ukulele ensemble 15 years and under – 3 or more players Time limit 8 mins (E)
G32 Guitar Orchestra any age – 5 or more players Time limit 15 mins (E)
G33 Guitar/ukulele ensemble any age – 3 or more players Time limit 15 mins (E)
G34 Guitar and other Instruments, including voice any age - 3 or more players Time limit 15 mins (E)
Adjudicator: Carlos Bonell
Venue: Menuhin Room, Portsmouth Central Library
Dates: 7th February 2027
Closing date for entries: 16th November 2026
Online entries: pfpa.org.uk
Paper entries/titles to: Andrew Richardson, 24 Ferndale, Waterlooville, Hants, PO7 7PA
Head of Section - Andrew Richardson
Carlos Bonell
CARLOS BONELL has been described by the Classical Guitar Magazine, UK as "one of the great communicators of the guitar world". He has recorded more than twenty albums and played in forty countries, with concert appearances ranging from intimate recitals to concertos with symphony orchestras.
Carlos was born in London of Spanish parents in 1949. When completing his studies at the Royal College of Music with John Williams, he was appointed the youngest ever professor at the age of 22. After his' New York début in 1978, the New York Times described him as an artist of "superb poetic gifts". In 1981 Carlos made the first of his three recordings of Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez.Recorded in Canada with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra and Charles Dutoit for the Decca label, it was the first-ever digital recording of the concerto and was hailed as "a magnificent triumph" by the Classical Music magazine. 2005 saw the first London International Guitar Festival, of which Carlos was founder and artistic director. The festival has remained to this day the largest guitar festival ever presented in London with events in five major halls.
In 2006 Carlos began working with Sir Paul McCartney who is composing a concerto for guitar and orchestra. The work was featured in a June 2007 cover article by The New Yorker magazine. His album Magical Mystery Guitar Tour, inspired by his association with Sir Paul McCartney is dedicated to the music of the Beatles in Carlos' own arrangements for solo guitar. It went to number one on the UK iTunes classical album charts in May 2012. He has also recorded an album of Queen’s music arranged for guitar and orchestra, and has over the years been collaborating with artists such as John Williams, Paco Peña, Pinchas Zukerman, Teresa Berganza and Cleo Laine.
Carlos continues touring extensively through the UK, Europe and the Americas. Since the pandemic he has hosted, along with Debra Adamson-Brattland, Zoomed Guitars Live, a weekly online event for giving guitarists from around the world the chance to perform to a live audience. We are privileged indeed to see him return to Portsmouth Festival of Performing Arts.
