Violist Sara Kim wins the Mendelssohn Prize at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2015
Press release from 01/19/2015
The Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition in Berlin ended with an impressive concert on Sunday. The first prize winners of this year's competition in viola, trumpet and clarinet played accompanied by the symphony orchestra of the Orchesterzentrum NRW under the direction of Garry Walker.
Sara Kim from the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München was awarded the Mendelssohn Prize (first prize for viola). Adrien La Marca from the Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin was awarded the Federal President's Prize (second prize in the viola category). Simon Höfele from the Munich University of Music and Theatre was awarded first prize in the trumpet category, while Žilvinas Brazauskas, who studies at the Lübeck University of Music, won first prize in the clarinet category. The young Lithuanian also received the Prize of the Friends of Young Musicians Germany. In the vocal ensemble category, the jury awarded first prize to the Voktett Hannover from the Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media. The young singers presented their programme in the prizewinners' vocal ensemble concert on Saturday, in which all the second and third prizewinners also performed.
The traditional Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition, which is organised by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Rectors' Conference of German Music Universities, took place again this year at the Berlin University of the Arts from 14 to 18 January. Prize money totalling 60,000 euros was awarded.
All winners of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2015 at a glance:
VIOLA (Mendelssohn subject)
- Mendelssohn Prize (1st prize): Sara Kim (Munich University of Music and Theatre)
- Prize of the Federal President (2nd prize): Adrien La Marca (Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin)
- 3rd prize: Sejune Kim (Berlin University of the Arts) Olof von Gagern (Lübeck University of Music) Special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work by David Robert Coleman: Lisa Klotz (Stuttgart State University of Music and Performing Arts)
TROMPETE
- 1st prize: Simon Höfele (Karlsruhe University of Music)
- 2nd prize Sebastian Berner (Munich University of Music and Theatre)
- 3rd prize Markus Czieharz (Karlsruhe University of Music) / Peter Dörpinghaus (Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media)
- Special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work by Birke J. Bertelsmeier: Renato Martins Longo (Hanns Eisler School of Music Berlin)
KLARINETTE
- 1st prize (Prize of the Friends of Young Musicians): Žilvinas Brazauskas (Lübeck University of Music)
- 2nd prize: Patrick Hollich (Stuttgart State University of Music and Performing Arts)
- 3rd prize: Laura Mañez Miralles (Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts) Special prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned work by Márton Illés: Magdalena Faust (Freiburg University of Music)
VOCAL SEMBLE
- 1st prize: Voktett Hannover (Hanover University of Music, Drama and Media)
- 2nd prize: Ensemble Thios Omilos (University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig)
- 3rd prize: Ensemble Nobiles (University of Music and Theatre "Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy" Leipzig)
The competition entries were judged by internationally renowned musicians under the chairmanship of Prof. Barbara Westphal (viola), Prof. Reinhold Friedrich (trumpet), Prof. Reiner Wehle (clarinet) and Prof. Matthias Beckert (vocal ensemble). In 2015, the competition was once again under the artistic direction of Dr Dieter Rexroth and the patronage of Kurt Masur.
The concept of the competition 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, was awarded as part of the competition. The "Friends of Young Musicians Germany" awarded a sponsorship prize for a participant under the age of 25. In addition, they organise follow-up concerts in each of their eight member associations (Berlin, Bremen, Düsseldorf/Meerbusch, Frankfurt am Main, Kassel, Cologne/Bonn, Mainz/Wiesbaden and Munich).
For further information and portraits of the prizewinners, please contact:
Claudia Assmann
Tel. 030 3185 2456
presse(at)fmb-hochschulwettbewerb(dot)de
The prizewinners' photos, CVs and portraits of all 2015 participants and the jury members can be found on the competition website www.fmb-hochschulwettbewerb.de.
The recorded final concert will be available in the media centre in a few weeks: www.fmb-hochschulwettbewerb.de/multimedia
With the kind support of:
- Lotto Stiftung Berlin
- Freunde Junger Musiker Berlin
- Freunde Junger Musiker Deutschland
- betont
- Orchesterzentrum | NRW
- Elsa Wera Arnold Stiftung
-Breitkopf
- Young Euro Classic
- Kasseler Musiktage
- Hotel am Steinplatz
- Kulturradio vom RBB
- Deutschlandradio Kultur
- Reservix