The Guitar Integrations project, which takes place within the Guitar Art Summer Fest (GASF) in Herceg Novi, is aimed at educating young guitarists from Montenegro. Its primary goal is to enable them to work directly and learn alongside experienced European professors and artists.
The project is intended for pupils of primary and secondary music schools, as well as students of the Music Academy (aged 10 to 22). Each year, between ten and fifteen of the most successful candidates are selected from various towns, such as Podgorica, Herceg Novi, Nikšić and Kotor. In addition to the pupils, five young guitar teachers are actively involved in the work, developing their pedagogical skills through this project alongside world-class experts. For all selected participants (pupils and teachers), masterclasses, workshops and tickets to all festival concerts are completely free.
The distinctive feature of this project is that each year at least one guest professor from abroad works with the participants. In this way, students each season gain insight into a different mentoring approach and a new perspective on their playing. In previous years the mentors have been Hubert Kepel, Kostas Kociolis, Zoran Dukić, Rafael Agire and many others. Teaching takes place every day during the festival, in the morning (from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.), in the premises of the Music School in Herceg Novi. Pupils and young teachers, through active and passive participation, work directly with the mentor and, over five days of joint work, improve their technique and understanding of music.
As a result of the five-day work, the project is rounded off with a joint performance. On the day of the festival's closing ceremony, the participants perform together with their mentor at the Music Square in the Old Town, where they present to the audience what they have prepared during the festival.
In addition to musical development itself, the main idea of Guitar Integrations is to bring young musicians from Montenegro closer to the standards and working methods in European Union countries, and to encourage them to collaborate and exchange experiences with foreign colleagues. Beyond purely musical development, the "Guitar Integrations" project also carries a profound social message. Its ultimate goal is to show young Montenegrin artists the importance of working together and cultural exchange between European Union countries and those on the path to integration. Through musical dialogue and cooperation, the project promotes the values of togetherness, tolerance and professional networking, providing young talents with the necessary foundations for their future international careers.
Guitar Integrations are not just part of the festival - they are an investment in the future of Montenegro's music scene, a space where new virtuosos are born and where music serves as a universal language of cooperation.
