Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition announces prizewinners

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The Czech Republic’s Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition has announced the prizewinners for 2025. Organised by the Gustav Mahler Institute Prague and the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava, the competition is now in its fifth edition and took place online.

The Gustav Mahler Grand Prize went to 18-year-old US-Czech cellist Joshua Kováč. With his performance of Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante and  Bach’s Sixth Suite in D major, he was announced the absolute winner and received a personalised glass trophy, a diploma and prize money of CZK30,000 (£1,000).

Kováč also received the prize of Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava, awarded by the orchestra for a future orchestral or chamber concert engagement.

Kováč is currently studying with Daniel Veis at the International Center for Music at Park University. He has won prizes at numerous national and international competitions, including First Prize at the International Young Artist Concerto Competition (2024), Second Prize at the Ronald Sachs International Music Competition (2023), First Prize at the Nashville Symphony Curb Concerto Competition (2023), First Prize and the Zoltán Kodály Award at the Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition (2023), and Second Prize at the 2021 MTNA National String Competition.

The honorary prize of the chief conductor of the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava went to 25-year-old cellist Bobby Kostadinov of Germany. 10-year-old Czech cellist Anna Bumbálková won the prize for best Czech competitor, an honorable mention for her interpretation of a composition by Daniel van Goenz, plus an invitation to the Visegrad Youth Music Academy 2025 in Pezinok, Slovakia. 

11-year-old Czech cellist Martin Bernášek received an honorable mention for the interpretation of a composition by Antonín Josef Rejcha and an invitation to the Třeboň Summer Meetings 2025.

The jury was headed by Jan Pospíšil and comprised Petr Nouzovský and Jiří Jakeš, chief conductor of the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava.

Prizes were awarded over eleven age categories, consisting of 78 cellists from 23 countries. The full list of prizewinners can be found here.

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