The 8th Singapore International Guitar Festival ended on December 14, 2008.

The last event of the Festival was the Final round of the 4th Singapore International Guitar Competition. 

Of the 22 competitors, 7 went to the final and the 3 winners are:

1) Ekachai Jearakul (Thailand) playing:

     a) Un Sueno en la Floresta (Barrios)
     b) Suite Arpiana (B. Sanchez)

2) Francisco Arief Wuryananto (Indonesia) playing:

     a) Capriccio Diabolico (Tedesco)
     b) Prelude. Gavotte. Rondeau. Gigue from Lute Suite No.4 (JS Bach)

3) John Vincent Hardijanto (Indonesia) playing

     a) The Bohatyr Gate of Kiev (Mussorgsky)
     b) Rondo Brillante (Aguado)

It was quite interesting to note that for the first time in many years, all winners were Asians !

The 9 judges of the competition include:

1. Han Vo-Ta (Vietnam)

Head of the panel of judges

2. Yuichi Imai (Japan)

3. Robert Liew (Singapore)

4. Chistina Azuma (Brazil)

5. Andrea Dieci (Italy)

6. Jeremy Jouve (France)

7. Eric Franceries (France)

8. Bernard Maillot (France)

9. Enriquez Castillo (Cuba)