Inside Germany's Upcoming Kloster Schöntal Violin Competition

Tell us about the unique place where the competition is taking place. How does this impact the competitors and audience?

Our violin competition takes place within the historic walls of Schöntal Abbey. This is where the educational center is located, which offers the best infrastructure as a seminar facility. This turns our competition into a small campus because everyone is under one roof. We rehearse, play, and eat together, and even have our rooms in the same building. This provides space for intensive dialogue.

What can winners expect to receive this year in each age group category?

The first prices range between EUR 2000 and 3000. However, there are also numerous special prizes. The main prize is the Reinhold Würth Sponsorship Award, which is worth EUR 5000. This year there is also a special "PETRU MUNTEANU" prize for the best interpretation of the violin concerto.

What are the main qualities you are looking for in a potential winner in each age category?

The competition’s objective is to discover and promote talented young musicians at an early age and offer the chance to experience and interchange on an international basis. The pieces chosen for the Competition are of great significance. Young players shall become acquainted with the most important works of the violin literature. They are asked to study and interpret pieces of various musical epochs and genres. We want this process to be a pleasurable experience without overstraining. The program of our competition fulfills this demand, and the variety of the violin repertoire allows great freedom in the selection of the works.

The jury regulations are well planned, so that they can guarantee equal treatment to all participants. We provide the jury members with the evaluation criteria that allow an artistic and educational assessment with the greatest objectivity.

How do you choose your jury?

It is important to us that not only university professors sit on the jury, but also active soloists and experts from the violin scene. We also attach great importance to a high degree of internationality. On this basis, the jurors will make their decisions to the best of their knowledge. The jury shall not consider the participants’ personal circumstances, their age within the age group, or their length of training.

With many new competition winners all over the world every year, what do you feel is the role of competition in the life of a young musician?

Our competition was always designed to serve as a stepping stone and first career step, e.g. to be able to register for other, larger competitions. Prizes at competitions are still important biographical milestones. But the focus should not only be on technical competition. That's why the network offered by taking part in a competition is also very important for young musicians. This idea is particularly important at our competition in Schöntal because you are together with professors, classical music stars, and experts for over 10 days.