Everything you need to know about this year’s competition, which kicks off on 27 September 2024 for the first time since 2019
The 6th International Karol Lipiński Violin Competition begins on 27 September in Toruń, Poland. Held at the Concert Hall of the Jordanki Cultural and Congress Centre, the competition is considered the highlight of the Karol Lipiński Violin Festival, which started on 20 September and features performances, recitals and lectures from leading musicians.
Kicking off this year’s competition will be a performance by jury chairman Daniel Stabrawa - a violinist and conductor who served as concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic for 35 years. Along with the Toruń Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Dainius Pavilionis, Stabrawa will perform Andrzej Panufnik’s Violin Concerto, in celebration of the composer’s 110th anniversary.
20 violinists from around the world have been selected to take part in this year’s competition, which includes a prize pool worth €40,000.
First place will receive €15,000, while second and third place will receive €10,000 and €6,000 respectively. Additionally, there will be three distinction prizes available, each worth €2,000.
A number of non-statutory prizes will also be up for grabs, which include future performance engagements, and award for the best performance of a work by Karol Lipiński, plus a loan of a fine, old Italian violin for one year courtesy of Florian Leonhard Fine Violins.
The competition will be split in three rounds, which will be livestreamed on YouTube. The first round, from 28 September, will see contestants perform works by Bach, Ysaÿe, and either Paganini or Wieniawski.
12 violinists will be selected to progress to the second round, which will take place on 1 and 2 October. This round will entail a 45-minute recital with piano accompaniment, with each performace featuring a mandatory piece by Karol Lipiński.
Following the second round, six violinists will be selected to progress to the final round on 4 and 5 October. The finalists will perform a concerto of their choice from those by Lipiński, Karłowicz, Wieniawski, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Brahms and Beethoven. The violinists will be accompanied by the Toruń Symphony Orchestra and conductor Dainius Pavilionis, with performances starting at 7:00pm and 6:00pm (CET) on 4 and 5 October respectively.
A gala concert will be held on 6 October, featuring performances from top three laureates.
This year’s competition is chaired by Daniel Stabrawa and comprises Dainius Pavilionis, Rūta Lipinaitytė, Jakub Jakowicz and Philip A. Draganov, who has replaced Pavel Vernikov.
The International Karol Lipiński Violin Competition was first held in 2007 and is usually held every three years, expanding to a corresponding violin festival from 2013. This year’s edition marks the return of the competition since 2019, which was won by Elias David Moncado.
Read: Finalists for the 2024 Joseph Joachim Violin Competition announced
Read: Candidates announced for the International Karol Lipiński Violin Competition 2024
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