Archive
PLEVEN GUITAR FESTIVAL · 2015–2026
From Pleven to the world.
The stages, people and moments that shaped PGF. Explore its international history through years, countries, performances and photographs.
Countries in the event history
49
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2015–06.09.2026 · From available archive records
Reported participations
2,369
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2015–06.09.2026 · From available archive records
Concerts
84
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2015–06.09.2026 · From available archive records
Live attendances
18,320
Event attendances, not unique audience members.
2015–06.09.2026 · From available archive records
YouTube views
268,748
Channel views, including related educational initiatives; not unique viewers.
2015–05.09.2026
Website visits
34,454
Measured sessions in the available periods, not unique visitors.
11.10–31.12.2022; 31.03.2023–26.07.2026 · From available data
PGF worldwide and online
Participation in PGF · 2015–06.09.2026
The searchable country list below remains available.
Gold: documented presence. Grey: no record in this selection.
Includes online and hybrid editions. Geographic links are not evidence of travel to Pleven.
Website visits
Website visits
34,454
Measured sessions in the available periods, not unique visitors.
11.10–31.12.2022; 31.03.2023–26.07.2026 · From available data
Page views
83,949
Recorded page views, not individual visitors.
11.10–31.12.2022; 31.03.2023–26.07.2026 · From available data
YouTube
YouTube views
268,748
Channel views, including related educational initiatives; not unique viewers.
2015–05.09.2026
YouTube watch hours
10,821
Recorded watch time during the period.
2015–05.09.2026
Online visibility
Advertising impressions
2.80 million
Exact figure
2,798,276Ad impressions, not visitors or measured website sessions.
2016–2017 · 2016 is partial
Clicks to the website
88,150
Ad clicks, not unique people or measured sessions.
2016–2017
Available Facebook posts
959
Distinct posts grouped by publication year, not an audience measurement.
2015–05.09.2026 · Available history as of 6 September 2026
A living archive
History through the years
2015 · In-person edition
The beginning of an international story
The first international PGF edition brings together a competition, concert performances and encounters between guitarists. Its poster, photographs, results and recordings preserve different sides of this beginning.
The preserved performances include Bozhana Pavlova’s recording from the first edition. The guests, competition results and photographs lead back to the people and moments of 2015.
People and roles in 2015
- George VassilevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Zoran AnicConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Neno MuniticJury · Masterclass
- Liviu GeorgescuJury · Masterclass
- Darko BageskiJury · Masterclass
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury
- Ekaterina IkonomovaJury
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevConcert performance · Jury
- Cvetan AndreevJury
- Simeon LeonidovJury
- Lyubomir AnovJury
- Nikolay Mihaylov — Founder and Artistic DirectorJury
- Del PadreConcert performance
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
15
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2015 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
48
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2015 · From available archive records
Competition entries
145
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2015 · From available archive records
Reported participations
193
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2015 · From available archive records
Concerts
8
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2015 · From available archive records
Live attendances
1,200
Event attendances, not unique audience members.
2015 · From available archive records
2016 · Festival and academy
Performance and learning
The international competition develops alongside the concert and educational programme. The participant report documents 202 competition registrations from 24 countries.
A separate academy summary describes completed work with 55 children, 9 teachers and 5 concerts. These figures have a different scope from the available annual totals and are not automatically added to them.
2016
Summer Guitar Academy
Teaching, ensemble work and concerts documented in the separate academy report.
People and roles in 2016
- George VassilevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Zoran AnicJury · Masterclass
- Liviu GeorgescuJury · Masterclass
- Darko BageskiConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDMasterclass
- Ekaterina IkonomovaMasterclass
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury
- Sevdalin StefanovMasterclass
- Boyan DoychevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Lyubomir AnovConcert performance · Jury
- Nikolay Mihaylov — Founder and Artistic DirectorConcert performance
- Gerhard ReichenbachConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Tsvetan NedyalkovConcert performance · Jury
- Veselin KoychevConcert performance
- Bozhana PavlovaConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Pleven Philharmonic OrchestraConcert performance
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
24
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2016 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
62
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2016 · From available archive records
Competition entries
202
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2016 · From available archive records
Reported participations
264
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2016 · From available archive records
Concerts
8
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2016 · From available archive records
Live attendances
1,200
Event attendances, not unique audience members.
2016 · From available archive records
2017 · In-person edition
Encounters between musical worlds
The third edition takes place from 29 November to 3 December. The competition, masterclasses and six principal concerts create a shared programme of performance and exchange.
The preserved recordings include Gabriel Bianco’s performance at the 2017 festival. It belongs to this event year, although it was uploaded in 2018.
The annual report states 21 countries; the available named geographic list documents 18. The map shows only documented countries.
People and roles in 2017
- George VassilevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Neno MuniticJury · Masterclass
- Liviu GeorgescuJury · Masterclass
- Darko BageskiJury · Masterclass
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury
- Ekaterina IkonomovaJury
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Lyubomir AnovJury
- Tsvetan NedyalkovConcert performance · Jury
- Veselin KoychevConcert performance
- Bozhana PavlovaJury · Masterclass
- Stanimir StanimirovJury
- Eric FranceriesConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Atanas OurkouzounovConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Mie OguraConcert performance
- Gabriel BiancoConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Dario PinelliConcert performance
- Federica CaroppaConcert performance
- Irina-Kalina GoudevaConcert performance
- Stephan ShapuisConcert performance
- Claudio LivieroJury
- Nicola MontellaConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Teodor GrozdanovJury
- Georgi DimitrovConcert performance
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
18
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2017 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
31
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2017 · From available archive records
Competition entries
200
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2017 · From available archive records
Reported participations
231
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2017 · From available archive records
Concerts
15
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2017 · From available archive records
Live attendances
4,000
Event attendances, not unique audience members.
2017 · From available archive records
2018 · In-person edition
Performances that endure
The 2018 competition records 251 entries from 24 countries. The main edition brings together six concerts, three workshops and 107 hours of masterclasses.
The summary records the introduction of digital judging. Recordings of Marcin Dylla allow this concert history to remain audible long after the festival.
The six main festival concerts and the annual concert total cover different scopes. They are not added together again.
People and roles in 2018
- George VassilevJury · Masterclass
- Liviu GeorgescuJury · Masterclass
- Darko BageskiJury · Masterclass
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury
- Ekaterina IkonomovaJury
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevJury · Masterclass
- Lyubomir AnovJury
- Tsvetan NedyalkovJury
- Bozhana PavlovaConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Atanas OurkouzounovConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Mie OguraConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Gabriel BiancoConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Claudio LivieroJury
- Nicola MontellaConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Victoria TsvetkovaJury
- Teodor GrozdanovJury
- Quatuor ÉclissesConcert performance
- Arkaitz ChambonnetConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Pierre LelièvreConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Benjamin ValetteConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Filippos ManoloudisConcert performance
- Nikklas JohansenConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Marcin DyllaConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Kristiyana StoyanovaConcert performance
- Atlas BandConcert performance
- STUDIO 84 PROJECTConcert performance
- Pleven Philharmonic OrchestraConcert performance
- Deyan KamenovJury
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
24
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2018 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
29
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2018 · From available archive records
Competition entries
251
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2018 · From available archive records
Reported participations
280
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2018 · From available archive records
Concerts
15
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2018 · From available archive records
Live attendances
4,000
Event attendances, not unique audience members.
2018 · From available archive records
2019 · In-person edition
The guitar in concert and conversation
The fifth edition continues the dialogue between the competition stage, concerts and festival guests. The available materials record 174 competition entries and representation from 22 countries.
The preserved performances include Judicaël Perroy’s concert recordings. The poster also documents an accompanying programme of open discussion and musical encounters.
The sources distinguish 213 active participants from a partial total of 203 across the available roles. These figures are not interchangeable.
People and roles in 2019
- George VassilevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Liviu GeorgescuJury · Masterclass
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury
- Ekaterina IkonomovaJury
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDConcert performance · Jury
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevJury · Masterclass
- Lyubomir AnovJury
- Bozhana PavlovaJury · Masterclass
- Atanas OurkouzounovConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Mie OguraConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Victoria TsvetkovaJury
- Michael ButtenConcert performance
- Francesco ScelzoConcert performance
- Judicael PerroyConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Konstantin KuchevJury
- Zoran DukicConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Petar RalchevConcert performance
- Slavcho NikolovConcert performance
- Stoyan MihalevJury
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
22
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2019 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
29
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2019 · From available archive records
Competition entries
174
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2019 · From available archive records
Reported participations
203
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2019 · From available archive records
Concerts
15
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2019 · From available archive records
Live attendances
4,000
Event attendances, not unique audience members.
2019 · From available archive records
2020 · Online edition
An international meeting at a distance
PGF continues online. International participation is documented through competition results, the official poster and country lists.
The musical encounter moves beyond the concert hall. The poster and results preserve the online competition’s story, while the map shows documented international participation, not travel routes.
People and roles in 2020
- George VassilevJury
- Darko BageskiJury
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDJury
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevJury
- Lyubomir AnovJury
- Tsvetan NedyalkovJury
- Bozhana PavlovaJury
- Atanas OurkouzounovJury
- Nicola MontellaJury
- Slavcho NikolovJury
- Jérémy PeretJury
- Bojan IvanovskiJury
- Aniello DesiderioJury
- Antoine FougerayJury
- Nikola ChekardzhikovJury
- Pavel RalevConcert performance
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
28
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2020 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
25
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2020 · From available archive records
Competition entries
137
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2020 · From available archive records
Reported participations
162
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2020 · From available archive records
2021 · Online edition
A continuing musical dialogue
The online edition sustains the international competition and the connection between participants and the jury. The official poster, results and international geography trace this encounter at a distance.
The poster and competition results are separate records of the edition. Missing website analytics for this year do not mean that the audience was zero.
People and roles in 2021
- George VassilevJury
- Darko BageskiJury
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Sevdalin StefanovJury · Masterclass
- Boyan DoychevJury · Masterclass
- Bozhana PavlovaJury · Masterclass
- Atanas OurkouzounovConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Mie OguraConcert performance
- Judicael PerroyJury
- Florian PalierJury
- Stefan TrifanJury
- Stefan SkrileczJury
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
24
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2021 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
15
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2021 · From available archive records
Competition entries
86
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2021 · From available archive records
Reported participations
101
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2021 · From available archive records
2022 · Hybrid edition
New encounters, preserved moments
The eighth edition brings together festival guests, a concert programme and a competition. The archive connects the photographs, poster, historical roles and results from this year.
The festival opens on 1 July. The official poster brings together concerts on the stage outside the Regional History Museum and at the Panayot Pipkov National School of Arts. Competition results and photographs add further chapters to the year’s story.
People and roles in 2022
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevJury
- Cvetan AndreevConcert performance
- Simeon LeonidovConcert performance
- Del PadreConcert performance
- Bozhana PavlovaJury
- Kristiyana StoyanovaConcert performance
- STUDIO 84 PROJECTConcert performance
- Petar RalchevConcert performance
- Stefan TrifanJury
- Nino D'AmicoConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Goran KrivokapicConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Antoine GuerreroConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Ilin Papazyan – NINIOConcert performance
- Bilyana LazarovaConcert performance
- Pleven Guitar EnsembleConcert performance
- Hristo NeychevConcert performance
- Tsvetan MarinovConcert performance
- Emilio MarkholevConcert performance
- Ivan TsenovConcert performance
- Alexander KirovConcert performance
- Miroslav NaydenovConcert performance
- Ralitsa HaydarskaConcert performance
- Borislav KovachevConcert performance
- Plamen MarkovConcert performance
- Kostadin ShotevConcert performance
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
23
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2022 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
49
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2022 · From available archive records
Competition entries
122
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2022 · From available archive records
Reported participations
171
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2022 · From available archive records
Concerts
3
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2022 · From available archive records
2023 · In-person edition
A year of people and performances
The available annual data record 128 competition entries and 47 performer and guest participations, for 175 participations in total. The international geography covers 11 documented countries.
Photographs follow the actual event groups in the official selection. Guests are presented according to their roles in 2023, independently of their current festival involvement.
People and roles in 2023
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury · Academy teacher · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDJury · Academy teacher · Masterclass
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevJury · Academy teacher
- Tsvetan NedyalkovJury
- Bozhana PavlovaConcert performance · Jury · Academy teacher · Masterclass
- Stanimir StanimirovJury
- Atanas OurkouzounovAcademy teacher
- Mie OguraAcademy teacher
- Teodor GrozdanovConcert performance
- Pleven Philharmonic OrchestraConcert performance
- Konstantin KuchevAcademy teacher
- Stefan TrifanJury · Masterclass
- Antoine GuerreroConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Ilin Papazyan – NINIOConcert performance
- Pleven Guitar EnsembleConcert performance
- Hristo NeychevJury
- Alexander KirovConcert performance
- Ralitsa HaydarskaAcademy teacher
- Borislav KovachevConcert performance
- Anton BaranovAcademy teacher
- LOS SENORESConcert performance
- Electric Guitars EnsembleConcert performance
- Georgi DimitrovConcert performance · Jury · Academy teacher · Masterclass
- Zornitsa IlarionovaConcert performance
- Magdalena KalchevaConcert performance
- Plamen MarkovJury
- Kostadin ShotevConcert performance
- Zero OneConcert performance
- Svilen VoychevJury
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
11
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2023 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
47
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2023 · From available archive records
Competition entries
128
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2023 · From available archive records
Reported participations
175
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2023 · From available archive records
2024 · Open-air concerts, academy and festival
One year, three distinct stages
The 2024 story includes the June open-air concerts, the Summer Guitar Academy and the December festival. They are presented separately, without adding them to the annual totals again.
20–22 June 2024
Open-air concerts — “Music brings the city to life”
Three concerts at the Regional History Museum in Pleven. The source records 123 performers and 2,100 attendances.
Summer 2024
Summer Guitar Academy
63 participants, 12 teachers/guests and 3 concerts in the available event report.
December 2024
December festival
71 competition entries and 8 concerts. December photographs are kept separate from the June events.
People and roles in 2024
- George VassilevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Assoc. Prof. Rossen Balkanski, PhDJury · Academy teacher · Masterclass
- Stolina Dobreva, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Prof. Stela Miteva-Dinkova, PhDJury · Masterclass
- Milena Maneva-Valcheva, PhDJury
- Sevdalin StefanovJury
- Boyan DoychevAcademy teacher
- Nikolay Mihaylov — Founder and Artistic DirectorAcademy teacher
- Atanas OurkouzounovAcademy teacher
- Mie OguraAcademy teacher
- Kristiyana StoyanovaConcert performance
- Pleven Philharmonic OrchestraConcert performance
- Konstantin KuchevAcademy teacher
- Zoran DukicConcert performance · Jury · Academy teacher
- Slavcho NikolovConcert performance
- Aniello DesiderioConcert performance · Jury · Academy teacher
- Stefan TrifanJury · Masterclass
- Ilin Papazyan – NINIOAcademy teacher
- Bilyana LazarovaConcert performance
- Pleven Guitar EnsembleConcert performance
- Hristo NeychevAcademy teacher
- Alexander KirovConcert performance
- Pavel RalevConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
- Ralitsa HaydarskaConcert performance
- Borislav KovachevConcert performance
- LOS SENORESConcert performance
- Electric Guitars EnsembleConcert performance
- Georgi DimitrovAcademy teacher
- Acoustic Queen ProjectConcert performance
- Katerina Vachkova BulgariaConcert performance
- Kostadin ShotevConcert performance
- NINIO and the GrooversConcert performance
- Rali & Kati bandConcert performance
- Filip DonkovConcert performance
- Andrei PituConcert performance
- Stephanos DemetriouAcademy teacher
- Svilen VoychevJury · Academy teacher
- Antonio PompilioConcert performance · Jury · Masterclass
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
23
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2024 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
222
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2024 · From available archive records
Competition entries
71
A subset of reported participations, not an additional total.
2024 · From available archive records
Academy participations
63
Available annual figures, not the academy’s complete history.
2024 · From available archive records
Reported participations
356
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2024 · From available archive records
Concerts
14
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2024 · From available archive records
Live attendances
3,920
Event attendances, not unique audience members.
2024 · From available archive records
2025 · Online presence
The stage continues to be heard
Online metrics are available for 2025, including 14,331 YouTube views. No event figures are available that would establish a separate festival edition.
Online views describe the life of the recordings during this year. They do not establish that the performances themselves took place in 2025.
The year in figures
No data available for this period.
2026 · Completed summer events
Summer is already part of the story
The 2026 archive includes the completed concerts on 18 and 19 June and the academy from 27 July to 1 August. The forthcoming November festival is not counted as a completed event.
18 June 2026
From the first smile to the big stage
79 performers; Katya Popova Hall, Pleven.
19 June 2026
The stage chooses the brave
44 performers; Katya Popova Hall, Pleven.
27 July–1 August 2026
Summer Guitar Academy
94 participants, 16 teachers/artists and 4 concerts.
The year in figures
Countries in the event history
2
Countries explicitly named in the archive lists.
2026 · From available archive records
Performers and guests — participations
139
Reported participations, not distinct artists.
2026 · From available archive records
Academy participations
94
Available annual figures, not the academy’s complete history.
2026 · From available archive records
Reported participations
233
Participations across formats and years, not unique people.
2026 · From available archive records
Concerts
6
Known concerts in the available annual records.
2026 · From available archive records
The festival in posters
Since the first international edition in 2015, PGF’s history has connected the competition stage, concerts, masterclasses and the guitar academy. Its archival materials preserve the many sides of this encounter, both in person and online.