Website: http://schubert.kug.ac.at/en/

Category: Chamber Music
Date: February 8 to 16, 2012
Country: Austria


Founded by the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in 1989, the event has aimed to promote chamber music among young musicians through a combination of classical masterpieces with modern music trends. The competition is held triennially in Graz, featuring three categories- duo for voice and piano (Lied), string quartet, and piano trio. Winners would be invited to perform at the Gala Concert, and also to tour in various countries at events like Festival Ljubljana and International Piano Competition Franz Liszt Utrecht. Past winners include Jerusalem Quartett and Amaryllis Quartett.

Website: http://www.ipcl.lu/

Category: Percussion
Date: February 18 to 26, 2012
Country: Luxembourg

Founded in 1989 by Professor Paul Mootz from Luxembourg, the IPCL aims to endow percussion ensembles across the globe with the opportunity to compete and challenge beyond new artistic possibilities, as well as to showcase the uniqueness of various percussion instruments to public. Held in the Conservatoire de Musique de la Ville de Luxembourg in the southern part of the country, where the excellent acoustics in the grand auditorium have attracted a wide range of performing artists including Bernard Haitink, Mstislav Rostropovitch, Martha Argerich, Felicity Lott and Lazar Berman. The conservatoire also houses a museum of early instruments, providing a rich musical ambience as the host.

Website: http://www.oci-piano.com/

Category: Piano
Date: February 23 to March 4, 2012
Country: France

Founded by Orléans Concours International, the competition has been running biennially since 1994 with the focus on repertoires from the twentieth centuries. The organization believes that young interpreters should serve the fascinating repertoire from 1900 to now, which are essence of creative minds from various fields. First prize winner will be invited to record an album, as well as to tour in France and abroad. Holding a fierce competition is never the aim of the event, but preserving a unique musical atmosphere. Previous laureates include Christopher Falzone, Florence Cioccolani, Wilhem Latchoumia, Francesco Tristano Schlimé and more.

Website: http://www.hhipc.org/

Category: Piano
Date: March 5 to 12, 2012
Country: United States

Established in 1996, the event is held biennially with a special dedication to promoting young music talents aged between 18 to 30. Located at the southern tip of South Carolina in America, the event also features a piano contest tailored for even younger prodigies aged 13 to 17 during every odd number years. Atop the cash prizes, a scholarship to the renowned Aspen Music Festival and School (Summer 2012) will also be awarded to the winner. Judged by a jury of seven, finalists are to perform set repertoires with the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra. Previous winners of the competition have now begun to shine on stage as emerging young pianists, including Sean Kennard (Second Prize, 2003), Di Wu (First Prize, 2005), Konstantin Soukhovetski (Second Prize, 2002) and more.

Website: http://www.udk-berlin.de/

Category: Violin, Viola
Date: March 26 to April 1, 2012
Country: Germany

Named after the renowned violinist and music educator Max Rostal, the competition originally takes place annually in his hometown- Bern, Switzerland. Since 2009, Berlin University of Arts has become host of the event after Bern Conservatory. Featuring both violin and viola disciplines every year, the event aims to follow Rostal’s passion in supporting young musicians. Candidates are judged according to their musicality, interpretation, stylistic sense and charisma. A high technical level is naturally required, but is not the defining goal. Atop sponsorships and performance opportunities, laureates will be awarded various sets of Pirastro strings of own choice as encouragement.

Website: http://www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/

Category: Chamber Music
Date: March 27 to April 1, 2012
Country: United Kingdom

Named after the central assembly of classical musical life in London, the competition is jointly organized by The Wigmore Hall Trust and The London String Quartet Foundation. Held triennially at the leading concert venue for chamber music, the event aims to strengthen its attraction to the best young quartets by offering laureates career development opportunities. Selected laureates will be awarded funded residency at the Banff Centre in Canada; engagement in Menton Festival; as well as a sponsored coaching opportunity at the Jeunesses Musicales International Chamber Music Campus Schloss Weikersheim. Laureates in 2009 include: The Danish String Quartet (First), Quatuor Voce (Second), Signum Quartet (Third).

Website: http://www.menuhincompetition.org

Category: Violin
Date: April 6 to 15, 2012
Country: China

Founded in 1983 by Yehudi Menuhin, the competition is hosted biennially at a different city/country. Organized into two divisions, violinists from the junior section (aged 16 or below) and senior section (aged between 16 and 22) are assigned with a different repertoire of similar standard. It is not merely a violin contest, but a festival of music, inspiration and education. Performances and master classes by jury members are organized in between different rounds. Jury members are composed of world renowned violinists and conductors. Former prize winners include Julia Fischer, Feng Ning and Soo-Young Yoon, who have embarked on a promising international career.

In 2012, it will be the first time for the competition to take place outside of Europe. Hosted by the Central Conservatory of Music in China, the contest will take place in Beijing inside its iconic National Centre for the Performing Arts as well as the Beijing Concert Hall.

Website: http://www.jmEvents.ro/

Category: Violin
Date: May 12 to 19, 2012
Country: Romania


Established since 1994 in Romania as part of the EUROPAfest , the event aims to discover and promote young talents via combining competition with master-classes and concerts. The competition features five disciplines, the violin, flute, clarinet, piano and composition, on rotation annually. A division of four age categories is also exclusive here, which ranges from the youngest, 5 to 6 years old, to the master category of an international contest, 18 to 30 years old- inviting talents from all age groups to participate. Prize winners will be invited to perform in the closing EUROPAfest gala concert under live broadcast.

The 2012 edition is set to feature the violin category. Jury members will be announced shortly.

Website: http://cncomp.odensesymfoni.dk/

Category: Violin
Date: May 31 to June 9, 2012
Country: Denmark

Named after the prominent Danish composer, conductor and violinist, the competition is regarded as one of the most authoritative and prestigious music contest in the world. Under the patronage of Margarathe II, Queen of Denmark, the event was founded in the late 1970′s by Odense Symphony Orchestra’s then Chief Conductor, Karol Stryja and leader Peder Elbæk as well as by the City’s Mayor Mr Verner Dalskov. Comprising of the violin, the clarinet, the flute and the organ disciplines, the competition is held annually with a rotating category each year. Atop cash sponsorships, winners will be offered a contract under famous artist management companies in Europe.

The 2012 edition feature the violin discipline. Since its first edition in 1980, the violin competition has been held every four years – plus an extraordinary edition in 1999 in New York City. Jury members this year include Milan Vitek, Leon Spierer, Cho-Liang Lin, Lina Yu and more authoritative figures. The winner will be invited to perform in the Copenhagen Summer Festival as well as the opening concert of the 5th Carl Nielsen International Clarinet Competition next year.

Website: http://www.concoursmontreal.ca

Category: Voice
Date: May 28 to June 8, 2012
Country: Canada

Founded in 2002, the Montreal International Musical Competition has been an important platform to showcase young music talents. As a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions since 2004, it has aimed to keep the spirit of classical music as well as to discover and reward young performers. Voice, violin and piano are featured in turns over a three-year basis.

The 2012 edition is dedicated to voice. Presided by MIMC president and co-founder André Bourbeau, the jury panels also include Sir Thomas Allen, Dmitry Vdvovin, Renata Scotto and many more important vocal figures in the opera world. Winner of the First Prize will engage in a Career Development Programme atop cash prizes.