Competitions › Roland Zimmer Competition
Roland Zimmer Competition
Next edition
- Edition
- 2026
- Dates
- 9–11 April 2026
- Location
- Pirna, Friedrich-Schiller-Gymnasium
- Registration deadline
- 18 January 2026
- Fee
- EUR 40
Overview
National youth competition for plucked instruments (guitar, mandolin, zither) run by the Saxon branch of the German Plucked Instrument Association (15th edition in April 2026 in Pirna). Open to children and young people resident in Germany, in four age groups.
- Organiser
- Bund Deutscher Zupfmusiker, Landesverband Sachsen e.V.
- Instruments
- Guitar, Mandolin, Zither
- Category
- Solo guitar, Mandolin
- Age limits
- Bambini up to 9; Group 1: 10–12; Group 2: 13–15; Group 3: 16–19
Rules & repertoire
Registration & fee
Online registration (2026: 1 November 2025 to 18 January 2026); EUR 40 entry fee.
Rounds & time limits
- Single round per age group (5–21 minutes depending on group)
Repertoire
A compulsory piece chosen from the official list plus a free programme; total 5–8 min (Bambini), 10–13 min (Group 1), 15–18 min (Group 2), 18–21 min (Group 3); Groups 2 and 3 must cover at least two eras.
Jury & prizes
Jury
Not published on the official pages we could check.Prizes
- 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes in each age group
- Special prizes incl. best interpretation of the contemporary compulsory piece
- Total prize money up to EUR 6,000
Past editions
Not published on the official pages we could check.Summarised from official sources, last checked 11 Nov 2026. Main source