World-renowned guitarists, including Marcin Dylla, whom The Washington Post has described as one of the greatest talents in classical guitar, are slated to perform at the 21st Harmonia Cordis International Guitar Festival in Targu Mures, Romania’s largest guitar festival and one of Europe’s leading events dedicated to the instrument.

This year’s edition features Marcin Dylla alongside fellow Polish guitarist Mateusz Kowalski, gypsy jazz virtuoso Stochelo Rosenberg and his trio, Spain’s Jerónimo Maya Quintet, renowned for authentic flamenco, and the French duo Mathias Duplessy & Florian Frere.

The festival opened on August 11 with a concert by the Mures Guitar School at the Palace of Culture, followed by gala performances from Portuguese guitarist Francisco Luís, Scottish-Indian guitarist Samrat Majumder, the duo of Italian guitarist Emiliano Leonardi and Ukrainian pianist Ielyzaveta Pluzhko, and Swiss guitarist Johan Smith.

According to the festival’s website, the six-day event, running from Aug. 11 to 16, continues one of its most appreciated traditions by offering free admission to all concerts and scheduled activities.

Organised by the Harmonia Cordis Association, the festival is divided into two distinct stages. During the first three days, concerts devoted to classical guitar and chamber music will be held at the Palace of Culture. From August 14 to 16, the programme moves outdoors to the Medieval Citadel of Targu Mures, where performances will feature a broader repertoire, including jazz, flamenco, gypsy jazz, Brazilian music and fingerstyle guitar.

Beyond its concert programme, Harmonia Cordis serves as an important educational platform for young guitarists, hosting an international guitar competition with an international jury and substantial prizes, as well as masterclasses and workshops led by leading performers. The festival also includes exhibitions of concert classical guitars built by renowned luthiers.

The programme features around 40 established artists from across Europe and beyond.