October 11-12, 2026

CHITARRA D'ORO 2026 - Premio UNA VITA PER LA CHITARRA

The Golden Guitar 2026 - A Life for the Guitar Award - is conferred upon RAPHAELLA SMITS, a Belgian performer and pedagogue and one of the most authoritative figures on the international guitar scene.

Described by the New York Times as "an uncommonly musical guitarist" and by the French magazine Diapason as "une grande musicienne," Raphaella Smits has built a career distinguished by profound musical research, an unmistakable interpretative personality, and a repertoire that spans eras and idioms.

An interpreter of eight-string guitars and historical instruments, she has developed over the years a unique and immediately recognizable sound. In 1986, she also wrote an important chapter in the history of the guitar, becoming the first woman to win the prestigious Certamen Internacional de Guitarra Francisco Tarrega in Benicassim.

Alongside her concert career, she has pursued an intense teaching activity, training generations of musicians. Professor Emerita at the LUCA School of Arts and a Savarez artist, she continues to be active on the international scene through concerts, masterclasses, and participation in the juries of the most important guitar competitions.

The - A Life for the Guitar Award - celebrates a career dedicated to music and the instrument, recognizing in Raphaella Smits an artist who, through interpretation, research, and teaching, has left, and continues to leave, a profound mark on international guitar culture.

The award ceremony will take place as part of the XXXI International Conference on Classical Guitar, on 10 and 11 October 2026 at the National Central Library of Rome.

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