Rhine Guitar International Festival & Academy Koblenz
34th International Guitar Festival and Academy with Hubert Käppel Competition and Solo Recitals
2026
About Rhine Guitar Festival
Rhine Guitar Festival — edition 2026
The 2026 edition spans nine days and three main venues. Detailed competition and concert schedules will be published on rhineguitar.de and koblenz-kultur.de.
Highlights Rhine Guitar Festival 2026
- 34th edition of the international guitar festival.
- Prelude Concert at the Sayner Hütte with the Rheinische Philharmonie.
- Hubert Käppel Guitar Competition.
- Masterclasses with internationally recognized educators.
Programme Rhine Guitar Festival 2026
Program structure 2026:
- Sunday, May 17 — Prelude Concert: Sayner Hütte, Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie.
- Day 1–9: Masterclasses, workshops, lectures at the Schloss Engers campus.
- Hubert Käppel Guitar Competition: several rounds spread throughout the festival days.
- Solo Recitals: regular evening concerts by renowned concert guitarists.
- Symphony Concerts: with guitar soloists at various venues.
- Prize Winners' Concert: Gala concert with the competition winners at the end of the festival.
Prices Rhine Guitar Festival 2026
Practical information — Rhine Guitar Festival
Venues: Schloss Engers (Neuwied), Heinrich-Haus (Neuwied), Sayner Hütte (Bendorf).
Dates 2026: May 17 to May 25, 2026.
Tickets: ticket-regional.de/rhineguitar.
Getting there: Train to Koblenz Hauptbahnhof, then bus or car to the venues.
The Rhine Guitar International Festival & Academy is one of the top addresses for classical guitar music in Europe. The organizer is Rhine Guitar e.V., which organizes the festival in cooperation with the Landesmusikakademie Rheinland-Pfalz.
Concept
The festival combines a high-caliber concert program with an academy for young guitarists from all over the world. During the day, masterclasses, workshops, lectures, and competition rounds of the Hubert Käppel Guitar Competition take place, while evenings feature concerts and solo recitals. This combination of teaching and concert activities makes the festival a unique platform for the international guitar scene.
Venues
The festival uses three main venues:
- Schloss Engers (Neuwied): Campus of the Landesmusikakademie Rheinland-Pfalz, academy location.
- Heinrich-Haus (Neuwied): Concert hall for solo recitals.
- Sayner Hütte (Bendorf): former industrial monument, now a concert hall with special acoustics.
Hubert Käppel Guitar Competition
The international Hubert Käppel Guitar Competition is one of the most prestigious guitar competitions in Europe. Young concert guitarists from all over the world apply for places in the competition and compete against international rivals in several rounds. The prize winners are presented at a gala concert.
Prelude Concert 2026
The festival begins with the Prelude Concert on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at the Sayner Hütte, performed by the Staatsorchester Rheinische Philharmonie.
Where it takes place Rhine Guitar Festival
Rhine Guitar Festival at a glance
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Published by Valentin Contard, festival listings writer. Reviewed, corrected and approved by Christophe Contard, editor-in-chief. .