Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists

Next competition:	21.02. - 02.03.2014
Next deadline:	October 2013
Categories for the next competition:	Violin

City:	Beijing (China)
Age range:	1-21
Structure:	Pre-selection by DVD followed by two or three rounds depending on age category
Cycle:	every two years
Categories:	Violin
Organiser:	Menuhin Competition
Contact:	This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Website:	http://www.menuhincompetition.org

Rules: The Competition is open to violinists of any nationality under the age of 22. Junior competitors must be under 16 years of age and senior competitors under 22 years of age on April 15th 2012 (everybody born after April 15th 1990).  Violinists aged 15 on April 15th 2012 may also enter the Senior Section. The Jury will be composed of a Chairman and a minimum of six distinguished international musicians. All decisions of the Jury will be final. The Jury reserves the right to withhold any prize should the required standard not be achieved. Once a candidate has won 1st Prize, he or she will not be eligible to enter the same section again. Experienced piano accompanists will be available to all candidates with one rehearsal for each stage. Candidates may bring piano accompanists at their own expense but must perform with the official Competition musicians when indicated in the repertoire programme. All music must be played from memory and without repeats unless indicated. Laureates must agree to perform without a fee at the Gala Concert. All competitors must agree to perform without a fee at other events during the Competition. Additionally, the Competition reserves the right to broadcast, record, videotape and/or film any part of the Competition events. The Competition also reserves the right to share information about applicants and competitors with selected partner organisations.

More information

Prizes:

For the 2012 competition:

Senior Section

• 1st Prize £6,000 GBP and a one year loan of a fine old Italian violin by Florian Leonhard Fine Violins
• 2nd Prize £4,000 GBP
• 3rd Prize £3,000 GBP
• 4th Prize £1,500 GBP
• Bach Prize £1,000 GBP for the best Bach Performance donated by Robert Masters

Senior competitors reaching the Second Stage but not going forward to the Finals will receive £200 each.

Junior Section

• 1st Prize £4,000 GBP and a one year loan of a fine old Italian violin by Florian Leonhard Fine Violins
• 2nd Prize £3,000 GBP
• 3rd Prize £2,000 GBP
• 4th Prize £1,000 GBP
• 5th Prize £800 GBP

All unplaced Junior finalists will receive £200.

Special Prizes

Special Prizes may be awarded at the Jury’s discretion.

Prize winners will be offered concert opportunities and courses including:

The 2012 Morningside Music Bridge Young Artist Award, a scholarship to attend the Morningside Music Bridge in Calgary in July 2012, will be given to a competitor aged 18 years or younger.

More information

Application: Application form (available online) to be sent by post with a high quality DVD recording, a non-refundable application fee of £75 sterling and the documents listed below:

• A copy of candidate’s passport
• Details of education, musical training and concert experience to date
• One letter of recommendation from the candidate’s teacher
• One letter of recommendation from a prominent musician
• One letter from the candidate’s teacher certifying the video recording as recent work of the candidate

All documents and payment must be received by the deadline or the application will be void.

Background: For its founder Yehudi Menuhin the key to success was his excellent music education as a child and his ongoing dialogue and collaboration with fellow musicians.

To enable young violinists from all over the world to have an equally enriching and stimulating environment, he founded:

• The Yehudi Menuhin School in England in 1963
• The Menuhin Music Academy for young virtuosi in Gstaad/Switzerland in 1977 – also the site of the annual summer festival
• The Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists in Folkstone/Britain in 1983

Since its inception over 25 years ago, the Menuhin Competition has brought together musicians from all over the world in an exceptional atmosphere of learning and exchange.

Having been hosted in Folkstone/UK, Boulogne sur Mer/France, London/UK, Cardiff, Wales/UK and Oslo/Norway, the competition has always attracted some of the most promising young violinists from all over the globe. Many of its prize winners have embarked on successful international careers.

The competition has information about laureates, concerts and events also on Facebook.

Last updated: 19.04.2012