This is already the twentieth time that the international music competition, which is considered the toughest classical music competition in the world, focuses on the violin.
290 candidates were registered. They had to submit a video with a recording of their interpretation of some assigned works and a work of their choice. Of these, 70 were selected. Due to a number of cancellations, 63 remain.
One of those selected is the Belgian Pauline van der Rest. The Brussels native is 19 years old and started playing the violin at the age of six. She has already won prizes at the Honda Competition for Classical Music 2019, the International Louis Spohr Competition 2019 and the International Grumiaux Competition 2018. Since 2020 she has been studying with Boris Garlitsky, including at the Folkwang Universität der Künste in Essen, Germany.
Three rounds
The first round starts on Monday, May 6 in Flagey and lasts until Saturday, May 11. For the first round, each candidate prepares a number of works, from which the jury then chooses one for the candidate to perform. Van der Rest may open her match on Thursday, May 9, in the 8 p.m. session.
The following week, from Monday 13 to Saturday 18 May, there will be the semi-finals, again in Flagey, with the 24 remaining violinists. Four semi-finalists will be featured during each session. The first two play a concerto by Mozart, selected from the concertos No. 1 in B flat, No. 2 in D and No. 4 in D. They are accompanied by the Orchester Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, conducted by Vahan Mardirossian. After the break, the next two violinists perform their recital with piano accompaniment. This is a compulsory work, composed by the British Charlotte Bray, The sun and her flowers.
The final week, with twelve participants, will take place in Bozar from Monday, May 27 to Saturday, June 1. The twelve finalists will then stay in the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel to rehearse an unpublished work in one week without any outside help. This work was composed by the French organist and composer Thierry Escaich.
