2026 Arrangement Competition
The MusiCurate Arrangement Competition invites composers and arrangers to showcase their talent and contribute to the evolving landscape of classical guitar. This year's competition celebrates originality, craftsmanship and artistic expression in creating a solo guitar arrangement based on a lead sheet composition by veteran composer and guitarist Brian Katz.
Deadline extended: December 31, 2026. No purchase necessary. Full details are also on our competition page.
Prizes
- Book: Guitar Music of Brian Katz: Three Pieces for Classical or Jazz Guitarists with a Supplementary Section on Tonal Improvisation
- Recordings: Leaves Will Speak (solo recording) and Bridges (with William Beauvais)
- 1.5 hours of online improvisation and composition studies with Brian Katz
- One-year print subscription to MusiCurate, The Classical Guitar Magazine, with free shipping
- Full-page promotional feature in MusiCurate, The Classical Guitar Magazine
- $150 gift certificate for musicurate.com
How to Enter
Complete the entry form (PDF), then email the following to music@musicurate.com with the subject line competition arrangement 2026:
- Completed entry form
- PDF of your notated score for solo guitar arrangement
- Link to a YouTube video performance of your solo guitar arrangement
Selection Process
- All submissions will be anonymized for blind judging
- Anonymized entries will be shared with a panel of professional musicians from diverse backgrounds, who will assign scores based on predetermined criteria
- The winning submission will be announced in MusiCurate, The Classical Guitar Magazine
Selection Criteria
- Does the arrangement display creativity, originality and musicality? (score out of 60)
- Is the notated score of the submitted arrangement easy to read, understand and interpret? (score out of 20)
- Does the submitted video performance accurately convey the notated solo guitar arrangement? (score out of 10)
- Do the program notes provide information of value for performers and audiences? (score out of 10)
From the Composer
“A Thought” was conceived while playing around with ideas on guitar. Many of my compositions begin with a germ of an idea. I then flesh things out, finding the essential melodies and chords, working to provide a balance between discovery and coherence.
I notate the essentials of the work-in-progress, which often results in a lead sheet first (that is, chords and melody only on paper), and then, at a future time, I may create a more formal guitar arrangement from the lead sheet.
“A Thought” has landed in lead sheet form: it has the essential harmonies and melodies, and the work is ready to be fully realized as a more formal guitar arrangement.
Would you like to try a stab at this?
If you don’t fully understand the chord symbols I’ve used, or wish to change some of the harmonies, I would certainly be curious about what you come up with; after all, there are many ways to harmonize a melody (and adorn it with counterpoint, etc.).
Or, if you simply wish to enjoy the work however you embrace it, great, and those experienced with improvising upon chords might enjoy doing just that, recording the chords and playing to your track or playing with another guitarist.
Most of all, I hope you enjoy “A Thought” I had… and yours that follow!
Brian Katz, Toronto
A Thought by Brian Katz (Download PDF)
