Winners of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2026 honoured
News from 01/12/2026
The Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2026 came to an end on Sunday evening with a resounding final concert at the Konzerthaus Berlin. This year, prizes were awarded in the subjects of piano and chamber music with wind instruments - a category that was reintroduced after a long break and met with a particularly high level of interest.
In the final round of the solo category and in the final prizewinners' concert, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin performed under the direction of Gregor A. Mayrhofer.
Piano prizewinners
The first prize (Mendelssohn Prize, 6,000 euros) went to Shion Ota (Berlin University of the Arts).
The second prize (Prize of the Federal President, 4,000 euros) went to Sohta Miura (Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media).
Tabea Streicher (Berlin University of the Arts) was awarded the Third Prize (Prize of the Elsa Wera Arnold Foundation, 2,000 euros).
The special prize for the interpretation of the commissioned work (500 euros) went to Duoduo Xia (Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media). The work frames (to shift / break out) was composed by Elnaz Seyedi and supported by the Fanny Hensel Prize of the Mendelssohn Society.
Prize winners for chamber music with wind instruments
In the reintroduced category of chamber music with wind instruments, 5um3 (Berlin University of the Arts) was awarded first prize (Mendelssohn Prize, 6,000 euros).
Second prize (4,000 euros) went to Berliner Luftblech (Berlin University of the Arts) and third prize (2,000 euros) to the Quantum Quintet (Lübeck University of Music).
The special prize for the best interpretation of a 21st century work (1,000 euros) was awarded to Ensemble Ardea (Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media) for their interpretation of Jörg Widmann's quintet.
In addition, 5um3 received the prize of the Friends of Young Musicians Germany (6,000 euros).
About the competition
The Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition is organised by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the Rectors' Conference of German Music Universities and the Berlin University of the Arts. The artistic director is Ulf Werner, former orchestra director of the Konzerthaus Berlin. The patron of the competition is Andris Nelsons, Gewandhauskapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.
This year's jury chairmen were Prof. Rudolf Meister (piano) and Prof. Eckart Hübner (chamber music with wind instruments).