Educational programme
National Guitar Education Forum
Guitar Education in Bulgaria: Development and Future
Round Table for Guitar Teachers in Bulgaria
Thursday, 26 November 2026, at 15:00 Bulgarian time. Participation is free and open to everyone: 60 in-person places and open online access with no viewer limit. The venue and online access link will be announced separately.
For questions about the forum, contact the organisers.
In person or online
Request in-person attendance through Google Forms. The form accepts up to 60 requests; the organisers confirm places separately. Submit only one request per attendee.
Request in-person attendance — Google Forms ↗Online viewing is open, with no viewer limit and no required registration. The link will be published here. For questions or cancellation of in-person attendance: artclosetome@gmail.com.
The National Guitar Education Forum brings together teachers from music schools, universities, community centres, private academies and independent educational practices from across Bulgaria.
Through a moderated round-table discussion, participants will explore the current state of guitar education in Bulgaria, contemporary pedagogical challenges, the motivation of young musicians, the educational role of competitions and opportunities for stronger professional cooperation.
The forum aims to establish a sustainable national network and an annual dialogue among guitar teachers in Bulgaria.
Main objective
To discuss the real challenges facing guitar education and formulate practical shared initiatives. The forum is designed to move beyond formal speeches and conclude with concrete outcomes.
Discussion themes
The state of guitar education in Bulgaria
- educational formats and institutions
- continuity between primary, secondary and higher education
- differences between music schools, community centres, private academies and universities
- professional development for young guitarists
The contemporary student
- attracting and retaining young learners
- balancing classical, acoustic and electric guitar
- working with beginners of different ages
- motivation without excessive competitive pressure
- ensemble playing and stage experience
Teaching methods and educational resources
- contemporary approaches to beginner education
- technical and musical development
- aural, rhythmic and harmonic skills
- Bulgarian textbooks and original teaching materials
- video, applications and artificial intelligence in education
Competitions, festivals and student development
- the educational role of competitions
- realistic category placement
- meaningful jury feedback
- protecting young musicians from demotivation and excessive pressure
- alternative formats, ensembles and open stages
- cooperation between teachers, organisers and parents
A professional teaching community
- a national network of guitar teachers
- a shared calendar of competitions, festivals, academies and masterclasses
- exchange of repertoire and educational resources
- visiting lessons and teacher exchanges
- an annual thematic meeting within PGF
- opportunities for professional development
Provisional format — 2 hours and 30 minutes
- 1Opening and presentation of objectives10 minutes
- 2Short contributions from invited teachers30 minutes
- 3Moderated discussion50 minutes
- 4Work in small thematic groups30 minutes
- 5Presentation of proposals20 minutes
- 6Formulation of next steps10 minutes
Invited speakers will have a maximum of 5–7 minutes, leaving the main part of the forum for genuine discussion.
Pleven Declaration for the Development of Guitar Education in Bulgaria
Following the forum, participants will outline the main identified challenges, three to five shared objectives for the following year and practical steps towards creating a national professional network. The document may then be presented to cultural and educational institutions, municipalities, schools and the media.