Only a few days left until the start of the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition 2017
Press release from 01/10/2017
On 18 January 2017, the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition will begin in this year's violin and piano trio categories.
The Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy University Competition lasts three days, with 35 violin students and 17 piano trios competing this year. The competitions start at 10 a.m. and admission is free.
The two concerts at which the prizewinners will be announced and honoured will take place on 20 and 22 January 2017. The final concert will be broadcast live on the internet by the UdK Berlin label betont. In addition to works by Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, the two commissioned works composed for the competition will also be premiered on 22 January: "The Wire Dancer" for solo violin (Der Seiltänzer, 2016) by Ming-Hsiu Yen was inspired by walking a tightrope - similar to tightrope acts, playing the violin requires the ability to perfectly balance the bow across all four strings. With his "Trio for piano, violin and cello" (2016), Thorsten Encke has written a piece in which the ensembles can demonstrate their own design and sense of sound as well as rhythmic liveliness and dynamics.
This year, for the first time, the competition will be under the artistic direction of Prof. Dr Sebastian Nordmann, artistic director of the Konzerthausorchester Berlin. The patron is Andris Nelsons, Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and newly appointed Gewandhauskapellmeister of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig from February 2018. The competition is organised by the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, the Rectors' Conference of German Music Universities and the Berlin University of the Arts.
Press enquiries and accreditations
Claudia Assmann
Tel. 030 3185 2456
Email
Website of the Felix Mendelssohn University Competition
The dates at a glance:
18 to 20 January 2017, from 10 a.m.
Public competition
Violin: Kammersaal der UdK Berlin, Fasanenstraße 1 B, 10623 Berlin
Piano trio: Konzertsaal der UdK Berlin, access via: Fasanenstraße 1 B, 10623 Berlin
The programme booklets will be published on the competition website after the order of participants has been drawn on 17 January.
Free admission
20 January 2017, 8 pm
Concert to announce the prizewinners
with former prizewinners Martin Funda (violin, Armida Quartet) and Konstanze von Gutzeit (violoncello) as well as Annika Treutler (piano)
Programme:
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Trio No. 1 in D minor for violin, violoncello and piano op. 49
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Trio No. 2 in C minor for violin, violoncello and piano op. 66
Joseph-Joachim-Konzertsaal der UdK Berlin, Bundesallee 1-12, 10719 Berlin
Admission: 6 euros, reduced 4 euros
22 January 2017, 7 pm
Prizewinners' Concert Violin and Piano Trio
The students who have been awarded first prize will perform in the concert hall of the Berlin University of the Arts in Hardenbergstraße together with the Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra Leipzig under the direction of Róbert Farkas
Programme:
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: String Symphony No. 13 in C minor MWV N 14
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Violin Concerto in D minor
Ming-Hsiu Yen: The Wire Dancer for solo violin (UA)
Thorsten Encke: II. Trio for piano, violin, violoncello (UA)
a.o.
Konzertsaal der UdK Berlin, Hardenbergstraße/Ecke Fasanenstraße, 10623 Berlin
Admission: 9,- Euro, reduced 5,- Euro
A recording of this concert can be listened to on the competition website.
Tickets available at the concert hall box office of the UdK Berlin
Opening hours: Tuesdays-Fridays from 3-6 pm,
Phone (030) 31 85 23 74 (AB), or by e-mail,
or at: www.reservix.de.
www.fmbhw.de
Partner and sponsor of the competition:
- Friends of Young Musicians Berlin
- Friends of Young Musicians Germany
- emphasises
- Elsa-Wera-Arnold Foundation
- Mendelssohn Chamber Orchestra Leipzig
- Music publisher Ries&Erler
- Young Euro Classic
- Kassel Music Days
- Hotel Savoy Berlin
- Kulturradio from RBB
- Deutschlandradio Culture
- Reservix