2016 - News - Detail Page - Stiftung Preußischer Kulturbesitz

At the weekend, the winners of this year's Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition presented themselves to the public in three concerts. Dennis Lionel Sörös from the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe was named the Mendelssohn Prize winner (first prize in singing). Sumi Hwang was awarded the Federal President's Prize (second prize in singing). She studies at the Munich University of Music and Theatre.

Michael Karg from the Nuremberg University of Music was honoured several times. In addition to first prize in the double bass category, he also received the Friends of Young Musicians Prize and the special prize for the best interpretation of a commissioned work. In the New Music Ensemble category, the jury awarded first prize to the
Fukio Ensemble from the Cologne University of Music and Dance. First prize in the composition category had already been awarded to Eunsung Kim from the Franz Liszt University of Music Weimar in December 2013 for his work "mobile Elemente".

All the prize-winning compositions in the competition were premiered by "Studio musikFabrik" on Friday 17 January. The prizewinners' concert "Ensemble Neue Musik" followed on Saturday. The competition concluded on Sunday evening with the prizewinners' concert for voice and double bass in the concert hall of the Berlin University of the Arts. The Junge Deutsche Philharmonie performed under the direction of Steven Sloane. The concert was streamed live on the internet.

All winners of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2014:

VOCAL (Mendelssohn subject)
Mendelssohn Prize(1st prize)
Dennis Lionel Sörös
(Karlsruhe State University of Music)

Prize of the Federal President (2nd prize)
Sumi Hwang
(Munich University of Music and Theatre)

3rd prize
Sonja Šarić
(Mannheim State University of Music and Performing Arts)

Special prize for piano accompaniment in the singing competition
Hélio Leonardo Moreira Vida
(Karlsruhe State University of Music)

Special prize for the best interpretation of a Goethe song
by Wolfgang Rihm
Ludwig Mittelhammer
(Munich University of Music and Theatre)

KONTRABASS
1. Prize
Michael Karg
(Nuremberg University of Music)

2nd prize
Rāzvan Popescu
(Nuremberg University of Music)

3rd prize
Jee Eun Seo
(Stuttgart State University of Music and Performing Arts)

Prize of the Friends of Young Musicians
Michael Karg
(Nuremberg University of Music)

Special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work
in the double bass competition
Michael Karg
(Nuremberg University of Music)

ENSEMBLE NEUE MUSIK
1. Prize
Fukio Ensemble
(Cologne University of Music and Dance)

2nd prize
trio sostenuto
(Carl Maria von Weber University of Music Dresden)

3rd prize
IEMA-Ensemble 2013/14
(Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts)

COMPOSITION
1. Prize
Eunsung Kim: "mobile Elemente" (2013)
(Franz Liszt University of Music Weimar)

2nd prize
Francisco Concha Goldschmidt ";;" (2013)
(Cologne University of Music and Dance)

3rd prize
Josep Planells Schiaffino "triosatz" (2013)
(Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin)

Following the great success of last year's reorganisation, the traditional Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2014 was once again organised by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Rectors' Conference of German
music universities. The competition took place from 15 to 17 January 2014 at the Berlin University of the Arts. Over three days, the best musical talents from German music academies competed in three subjects: Singing, Double Bass and Ensemble New Music. The competition entries were judged by internationally renowned musicians under the chairmanship of Helen Donath (vocals), Peter Riegelbauer (double bass) and Prof. Konstantia Gourzi (Ensemble Neue Musik). The works submitted for the composition competition had already been honoured by the jury chaired by Prof. Jan Müller-Wieland in December. This year's competition was once again under the artistic direction of Dr Dieter Rexroth, with Kurt Masur as patron.

The Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition is the result of two important competitions: the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Competition of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the oldest German classical music competition, and the University Competition of German Music Universities. The competition was given a new artistic profile in 2012 when they were merged. Prize money totalling over 50,000 euros is awarded in three annually changing competition subjects and the subject of composition. The concept also includes long-term support for the prizewinners with scholarships, follow-up performances and CD productions.

In addition to the organisers' prizes, the "Prize of the Federal President", which has existed in the form of a scholarship since 1989, is also awarded as part of the competition. The "Friends of Young Musicians Germany" award a sponsorship prize for a participant under the age of 25. In addition, they organise follow-up concerts by the prizewinners in each of their eight member associations (Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf/Meerbusch, Frankfurt am Main, Kassel, Cologne/Bonn, Mainz/Wiesbaden and Munich).

The competition's funding instruments also include follow-up concerts at renowned German festivals such as Young Euro Classic or the Kasseler Musiktage.

The first prize winners also receive follow-up funding in the form of a CD production, which is released on the Berlin University of the Arts label. The Mendelssohn vocal production will be supervised by the Kulturradio des rbb. The recordings in the double bass and new music ensemble subjects will be produced by the sound engineering department at the Berlin University of the Arts. These productions are supported by the association "Freunde Junger Musiker Berlin e. V.".

Further information

Claudia Assmann
Tel. 030 3185 2456
presse(at)fmb-hochschulwettbewerb(dot)de
www.fmb-hochschulwettbewerb.de

With the kind support of:

Lotto-Stiftung Berlin
Berlin Hyp AG
Deutscher Sparkassen- und Giroverband
Freunde Junger Musiker Deutschland
Freunde Junger Musiker e. V. Berlin
Elsa-Wera-Arnold-Stiftung
Prof. Jan Müller-Wieland Jan Müller-Wieland
Sikorski Musikverlage
Bärenreiter Verlag Kassel
Young Euro Classic Berlin
Kasseler Musiktage e. V.
Junge Deutsche Philharmonie e. V.
Studio musikFabrik
Kulturradio vom Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg
Deutschlandradio Kultur
ALEX
ReserviX

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