ARD International Music Competition explained

The ARD International Music Competition (German: link=no|Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD) is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is organised by the Bayerischer Rundfunk and is held once a year in Munich, usually in September. Since its inception in 1952, it has become one of the most prestigious classical music competitions. In 1957, it became one of the founding members of the World Federation of International Music Competitions.

A prize at this competition has acted as a springboard for a career.[1] Notable past winners and prize winners include: Yuri Bashmet, Myung-whun Chung, Christoph Eschenbach, Sol Gabetta, Alban Gerhardt, Natalia Gutman, Heinz Holliger, Nobuko Imai, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Kim Kashkashian, François Leleux, Jessye Norman, Quatuor Ébène, Thomas Quasthoff, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Antoine Tamestit, Christian Tetzlaff, Alexandre Tharaud, Tokyo String Quartet, Mitsuko Uchida and Anne Sofie von Otter.[2]

History

Between 1947 and 1950, the Radio Frankfurt held a "Young Soloists Competition". The earliest competition discovered two female vocalists who would soon take their place among the international talented: Christa Ludwig and Erika Köth. Instrumentalists included flautist Karlheinz Zöller and pianist Robert-Alexander Bohnke. The newly founded ARD continued the concept of bringing together talented young musicians from the entire globe.

The competition categories change from year to year and include solo instrumentsm voice and chamber ensembles. An emphasis has been placed on modern music, and contemporary composers have regularly been commissioned to write new pieces for this Competition since 2001.

350 to 450 young musicians usually apply each year, out of whom 200 candidates, from 35 to 40 countries, make it past the preliminary round. A large percentage of competitors come from countries other than Germany (up to 86%).[3]

The 2020 edition was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.[4]

Categories

Piano competition had been held almost uninterruptedly from 1952 to 1973, except the years 1955 and 1964. It was then held every other year till 1981. It was held consecutively from 1981 to 1983, and then every other year again till 1999.In 1953, three categories were added: violin, flute, violin-piano duo. Violin competition was held every 3 years from 1966 to 1984.

Four categories were added in 1954: voice, oboe, bassoon, clarinet. The voice competition had been held every year from 1954 to 1972. It was then held every two years till 2000. Oboe competition had been held every five years from 1976 to 1996. Bassoon competition had been held six times in the 20th century.

The competition kept expanding categories in the following years, adding piano duo (1955), horn (1956), cello (1957), organ (1957). New categories in 1958 were cello-piano duo, trumpet, and harpsichord, which would only have three additional editions. String quartet competition opened in 1959.

The 1960s saw the first edition of piano trio (1961), viola (1962), trombone (1965), wind quintet (1966). Two categories briefly appeared: string trio (1961, 1969) and piano sight-reading (1963, 1965). Four categories premiered in the 1970s: guitar (1976), percussion (1977), double bass (1979), and recorder, which was only held twice so far (1978, 1988). The first harp competition was held in 1983, as its only edition in the 20th century.

Management

Source Organization

Artistic Director: Meret Forster

Managing Director: Elisabeth Kozik

Project Management: Anja Krainz

Public Relations: NN

Prize money

Prize money per category[5]

Winners

Full lists of winners can be retrieved from the competition's website.[6]

1994s

1994[7] Voice (female)

Violoncello

Organ

2000s

2000Voice (female)

Voice (male)

Viola

Flute

Piano Duo

String Quartet

2001Violin

Cello

Saxophone

Percussion

Wind Quintet

2002Bassoon

Oboe

Piano

Piano Trio

2003Voice (female)

Voice (male)

Double Bass

Clarinet

Trumpet

2004Viola

Flute

String Quartet

Harp

2005Violin

Cello

Horn

Piano Duo

2006Voice/Opera

Voice/Lied

Piano

Wind Quintet

2007Oboe

Trombone

Percussion

Piano Trio

2008Viola

Clarinet

Bassoon

String Quartet

2009Violin

Double Bass

Voice

2010s

2010Flute

Cello

Horn

Piano Duo

2011Oboe

Organ

Trumpet

Piano

2012Voice (male)

Voice (female)

Clarinet

String Quartet

2013Violin

Viola

Bassoon

Piano Trio

2014Percussion

Violoncello

Wind Quintet

Piano

2015Voice

Trombone

Piano Duo

Flute

2016Harp

Horn

Double Bass

String Quartet

2017Violin

Piano

Guitar

Oboe

2018Voice

Trumpet

Piano Trio

Viola

2019Violoncello

Bassoon

Clarinet

Percussion

Prior 2000

Piano

Piano Duo

Organ

Harpsichord

Voice

Violin

Violin Duo

Viola

Cello

Bass

Flute

Oboe

Bassoon

Clarinet

Trumpet

Horn

Trombone

String quartet

Piano trio

Wind quintet

Percussion

Harp

Guitar

Recorder

Piano playing from the sheet

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rundfunk . Bayerischer . ARD Music Competition: Springboard for a career from 1952 . BR.de . 19 July 2018 . de . 1 October 2020.
  2. Web site: Koeritz . Tim . 60 Jahre ARD-Musikwettbewerb – 19.09.2011 . DW.COM . de . 1 October 2020.
  3. News: 29 August 2013. 222 Kandidaten beim 62. Internationalen Musikwettbewerb der ARD. Pizzicato. Luxembourg. 1 October 2020.
  4. News: 12 May 2020. Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD abgesagt. neue musikzeitung. dpa. Regensburg. 1 October 2020.
  5. Web site: Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD . Goethe Institut . 31 March 2020 . de . 1 October 2020.
  6. Web site: Rundfunk . Bayerischer . ARD-Musikwettbewerb: Talentschmiede seit 1952 . BR.de . 17 September 2019 . de . 1 October 2020.
  7. Web site: Springboard for a career since 195. www.br.de. 2023-10-22.
  8. Web site: AMQ . AMQ . 1 October 2020.
  9. Web site: Home . The Afiara Quartet . 1 October 2020.