The competition is regarded by famous violinists and teachers and by European Union of Music Competitions for Youth as the biggest such event in the world. It will take place in Lublin from September 16 through 24.
The competition has been organized every three years since 1967 (it was then the so-called Little Competition in Honor of H. Wieniawski) and attracts hundreds of young violinists from all over the world, greatest teachers, virtuosos, families and friends of participants, and music lovers. The President of Poland, Lech Kaczyński, and the First Lady hold patronage over the event. Honorary Committee consists of representatives of Poland, of the local government of Lublin City, as well as renowned representatives of science and culture. The head of the Committee is the Minister of Culture and National Heritage – Bogdan Zdrojewski.
108 violinists from 28 countries will participate in this year's competition. It is the result of long actions aiming at attracting most talented young people. It has been achieved through cooperation with hundreds of music schools and academies, cultural attachés, and through the participation in European Union of Music Competitions for Youth and candidature for the World Federation of International Music Competition.
The competition is popular and its participants have to meet high requirements. The quality of the competition is emphasized by the international Jury which consists of greatest teachers and virtuosos. The head of the Jury is again world famous violinist – Professor Zakhar Bron.
In the Jury are also:
1. Professor Roman Lasocki – Poland – Viceperson
2. Professor Tadeusz Gadzina –Poland – Viceperson
3. Professor Bartosz Bryła – Poland
4. Professor Evgeny Durnovo – Russia
5. Professor Aleksiej Gvozdiev – Russia
6. Professor Dusen Kaseinov – Kazakhstan
7. Professor Min Kim – South Korea
8. Professor Konstanty Andrzej Kulka - Poland
9. Professor Florian Leonhard – England
10. Professor Stanisław Moryto - Poland
11. Professor Bill van der Sloot – Canada
12. Professor Michał Stricharz – Germany/Ukraine
13. Professor Akiko Tatsumi – Japan
14. Professor Sung-won Yun – South Korea
15. Professor Peter Shixiang Zhang – China / Australia
16. Professor Eva Zurbrügg – Switzerland
The quality of the competition is proved also by the previous laureates, now world-famous violinists: Piotr Milewski, Barłomiej Nizioł, Piotr Pławner, Maxim Wengerow, Victoria Mułowa ,Wadim Repin, Shoi Shajaka or Jana Novakova.
One of the important events during the competition is Inaugural Concert at Crown Tribunal on September 16. It will be a performance of the laureate of previous competition - Esther Yoo from the United States and a famous pianist from Russia Irina Vinogradova. The concert will be accompanied by the opening of exhibition of musical instruments “Highland Artistic Violin Making.” The exhibition will be open during the competition.
The hearings are divided into three stages:
1st – September 17-19, two groups. The winners will compete in the 2nd stage (September 20-21). The final stage (September 22-23) will be certainly the most interesting as far as the music is concerned (the participants will be performing violin concerts accompanied by piano).
All hearings will take place at Crown Tribunal and at Wieniawski House (Rynek 17). Thanks to the head of K. Lipiński State Music School, Zbigniew Trochimiuk, the participants of the competition can practice in the school rooms.
The competition will end in the Concert of Laureates that will take place on September 24 at 5.00pm at Lublin Philharmonic.
The best violinists will be awarded. There are 5 statutory prizes in both groups. The highest distinction is the “Golden Violin” award. There are also numerous non-statutory prizes.
The competition is accompanied by various events. There will be concerts in Lublin, towns of the region, and a special concert in Karol Lipiński's hometown - Radzyń Podlaski.
