The Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz presented its 18th annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and Gala Concert, sponsored by General Motors, in Washington , DC on September 18-19, 2005. The Competition featured 10 of the world's most outstanding young jazz guitarists who will be competing for over $60,000 in scholarships and prizes. The Semifinals were held at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, Baird Auditorium ( 10th St. & Constitution Avenue, NW ). The Finals were held at the Kennedy Center 's Eisenhower Theater, where three finalists performed and a group of Jazz All-Stars paid tribute to legendary guitarist George Benson.

The competition was filmed by Jazz Alley TV/Maui Reflection Films as a documentary and for Viacom- Black Entertainment Television and the BET Jazz cable network, directed & produced by Maui Filmmaker Ken K. Martinez Burgmaier. The documentary will feature performances by the semifinalists, backstage interviews with the finalists and judges, and footage from the post-competition reception. Burgmaier directed a film on the competition three years ago featuring the saxophone and it was selected and screened at several International film festivals and aired on National TV.

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