International Jascha Heifetz Competition For Violinists

Rules: 2009 regulations on the competition website.

Prizes: In 2009 the prizes were as follows:

• 1st Prize - 5000 EUR
• 2nd Prize - 3000 EUR
• 3rd Prize - 2000 EUR

Two Diplomas (1000 EUR each)

Additional prizes funded by individuals or organizations

Application: Application form available for download on the competition website and should be sent by registered mail to the competition address.

The following materials should be included with the Application Form:

• A certified copy of the Applicant’s birth certificate
• A brief biography in English (no more than 150 words)
• Repertoire list for the Competition. Subsequent changes to the repertoire will not be accepted.
• Two recent photographs
• A recording on DVD or CD of the piece chosen for the preliminary round. The piece must be recorded in its entirely, i.e. not cut or re-mastered. The authenticity and integrity of the recording must be certified by the applicant’s teacher or the recording sound engineer.

Background: In 2001, when the world celebrated the centenary of the birth of Jascha Heifetz, the musical society of his native Vilnius did not stay aside. In commemoration of an outstanding violinist the Violin Days and the International Violin Competition dedicated to the one-hundredth anniversary of Jascha Heifetz were organised. During the competition, the famous Gidon Kremer headed an international jury and the participants were numerous gifted young people from both Lithuania and abroad. The event aroused a great interest of the society and the hall of the National Philharmonic Society was full during the closing concert. The organisers fostered a dream to make this competition dedicated to the anniversary of Jascha Heifetz a regularly occurring event.

Thanks to competition enthusiasts – Professors of Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Petras Radzevičius and Jurgis Dvarionas – as well as to state cultural institutions, this dream did come true. The second competition, which took place in the middle of February, 2005, was also enthusiastically welcomed by music professionals and abundant music lovers of Vilnius. Gidon Kremer, who was the head of the jury, emphasized high criteria of this competition and stated that playing in the hall with the portrait of Jascha Heifetz was an extraordinary task and responsibility to all young musicians. The competition now takes place every four years, the third competition being part of the “Hommage à Heifetz” project at the start of Vilnius’ year as European Capital of Culture in 2009.

Last updated: 16.11.2009