Biennial classical competition held this year in Edinburgh with 18 contestants, of which ten play bowed strings

clipboard_image

Alexandra Cooreman, representing Belgium
Photo: Hadrien Hanse

Eurovision Young Musicians, the classical music competition organised by the European Broadcasting Union, is taking place within the Edinbrugh International Festival this year. 

The 18 contenstands have been nominated by their home countries either through a local competition or selected by expert committees. Ten of the 18 are bowed string players:

  • Maxim Calver (UK), 18, cello
  • Alexandra Cooreman (Belgium), 15, violin
  • Mira Foron (Germany), 16, violin
  • Tamir Naaman-Pery (Israel), 18, cello
  • Birgitta Elisa Oftestad (Norway), 16, cello
  • Nikola Pajanović (Slovenia), 18, violin
  • Francesco Stefanelli (San Marino), 18, cello
  • Indi Stivín (Czech Republic), 17, double bass
  • Sara Valencia (Spain), 18, violin
  • Klaudio Zoto (Albania), 15, cello 

Klaudio Zoto, cello, representing Albania Photo by: RTSH

Alexandra Cooreman, violin, representing Belgium Photo: Hadrien Hanse

Indi Stivín, double bass, representing the Czech Republic Photo: ČT

Mira Foron, violin, representing Germany Photo: WDR

Tamir Naaman Pery, cello, representing Israel Photo: KAN

Birgitta Elisa Oftestad, cello, representing Norway Photo: NRK

Francesco Stefanelli, cello, representing San Marino Photo: Gea Gasperoni

Nikola Pajanović, violin, representing Slovenia Photo: RTVSLO

Sara Valencia, violin, representing Spain Photo: TVE

Maxim Calver, cello, representing the UK Photo: Greg Milner

Alexandra Cooreman, representing Belgium Photo by: Hadrien Hanse

1/11

show caption

The remaining contestants are:

  • Johanna Ander Ljung (Sweden), 19, harp
  • Máté Bencze (Hungary), 18, saxophone
  • Ivan Bessonov (Russia), 16, piano
  • Marta Chlebicka (Poland), 18, flute
  • Tanel-Eiko Novikov (Estonia), 18, percussion
  • Bernice Sammut Attard (Malta), 18, piano
  • Jan Tominić (Croatia), 14, saxophone
  • Thanos Tzanetakis (Greece), 17, guitar

The semi-finals, in which each young musician will give a recital, will take place across 18 and 19 August. Six of them will proceed to the 23 August final at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra conducted by Thomas Dausgaard.

The winner will receive a trophy, a €7,000 cash prize and a performance opportunity with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra in the next season.

Previous winners of the competition include Julian Rachlin (1988), Natalie Clein (1994),  Julia Fischer (1996), Alexandra Soumm (2004), and Ziyu He (2015).

Topics