The George Enescu International Competition is a music competition for young pianists, violinists, cellists and composers, that takes place in Bucharest, Romania. It has helped launch the careers of many musicians, and among its list of first-prize winners are legendary pianists such as Radu Lupu, the winner in the 1967 edition. Other winners include Spanish pianist Josu De Solaun Soto, Russian pianists Elisabeth Leonskaja, in 1964, and Dmitri Alexeev, in 1970.
Overview
The competition started in 1958, as part of the George Enescu Festival, and celebrated its first five editions (1958, 1961, 1964, 1967, and 1970) in what was then the Socialist Republic of Romania. It was considered, by the countries of the Eastern Bloc, one of the most prestigious music competitions. Jury members included famous musicians such as Claudio Arrau, Nadia Boulanger, Arthur Rubinstein, Magda Tagliaferro, Guido Agosti, Florica Musicescu, Dmitri Bashkirov, Carlo Zecchi, and Lazar Berman. Probably because of financial circumstances during Ceausescu's dictatorship, the competition was abandoned in 1970, though it resumed twenty-one years later.
The competition is a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions in Geneva.
The competition and prize-giving ceremony has historically taken place in the Romanian Athenaeum, with the mayor always traditionally attending.
Prize money
As of 2020 Cello, Violin and Piano prizes:
- First prize – €15.000
- Second prize – €10.000
- Third prize – €5.000
Composition prizes:
- Prize for symphonic music section – €10.000
- Chamber music section – €7.000
- Prize for originality – €5.000;
Winners
Piano section
Violin section
Cello section
| Year | 1st | 2nd | 3rd |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 |  Tian Bonian
|
 Valentin Răduțiu
|
 Michal Korman
|
| 2014 |  Eun-Sun Hong
|
 Tony Rymer
|
Sarah Rommel
|
| 2016 |  Zlatomir Fung
|
 Anastasia Kobekina
|
 Mon Pue-Lee
|
| 2018 |  Marcel Johannes Kits
|
Yibai Chen
|
 Stanislas Kim
|
| 2022 | Jaemin Han
|
 Sebastian Fritsch
|
Ştefan Cazacu
|
| 2022 |  Benjamin Kruithof
|
 Constantin Borodin
|
Constantin Siepermann
|
Composition
| Year | Symphonic Music | Chamber Music |
|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Dan Dediu
|
 Massim Trotta
|
| 2003 |  Oliver Waespi
|
Diana Rotaru
|
| 2005 | Diana Rotaru
|
Maria Ungueranu
|
| 2007 |  Sakai Kenji
|
 Megyery Kristina
|
| 2009 |  Lam Lan-Chee
|
Qian Shen-Ying
|
| 2011 | Chang Eunho
|
Kwang-Ho Cho
|
| 2014 | Sebastian Androne
|
Alexandru Murariu
|
| 2016 | Tian Tian
|
Caterina Di Cecca
|
| 2018 | Alexandru Murariu
|
Jung Hoon Ham
|
| 2020/21 |  Karlo Margetic
|
Young Jae Cho
|
| 2022 | Shin Kim
|
Leonardo Marino
|
| 2024 |  Alexander Voltz
|
Daniele Di Virgilio
|
References
- ^ "Enescu Competition extends application deadline to 1 May 2020". Rhinegold. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- Moldovan, Tania Aniela (2015). The Modern Romanian Violin School: An Analytical Introduction to Manual De Vioara by Ionel Geanta and George Manoliu (PhD). Florida State University. p. 17. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- "2020 George Enescu International Competition Online Announces 3 Winners in Composition and 8 Piano Semifinalists". George Enescu Festival. 20 September 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- "Guide to the 2020 George Enescu International Competition". Bachtrack. 31 January 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- "Sam Houston State Artist/Teacher Josu De Solaun Wins International Piano Competition". Fat Cat New Media. 1 October 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- "Spanish pianist Josu de Solaun wins the 2014 Enescu Competition". Business Review. 29 September 2014. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
- Cerban, Madalina (28 September 2014). "Pianistul spaniol Josu de Solaun a câştigat secţiunea Pian a Concursului Enescu 2014". Mediafax.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 21 September 2020.