Dubai is getting ready to host a big violin competition called the “Olympus International Classical Violin Competition.” It’s going to be the biggest of its kind in the world.
The finals are going to happen in April 2025, and there will be 12 talented violinists from all around the world competing in person.
The best part is that this competition is open to violin players of all ages and nationalities. There’s a whopping prize fund of 310,000 euros up for grabs.
To get into the finals, violinists will have to go through a pre-selection stage that happens in six different countries.
This competition is special because it has different rules compared to other classical music competitions.
The magazine, Gramophone Classical Music, says that the violin is a very popular instrument that can touch people’s hearts no matter where they come from.
But it can be tough for talented players to shine because the opportunities are limited and the standards are very high. This new competition, led by Pavel Vernikov, is bringing a fresh approach to classical music contests.
The competition will be judged by a jury of 23 conductors and orchestra directors who are famous around the world.
The top prize is a huge 200,000 euros. And here’s something unique: this is the only violin competition that’s open to everyone.
The competition program is pretty cool too. It has six parts to showcase the best candidates. They’ll play with a symphony orchestra, lead the orchestra themselves.
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They will perform Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with famous soloists and an orchestra, interpret a modern composer’s work, give a solo performance, and even have a Q&A session with the judges.
To make sure lots of people get a chance, there are six pre-selection stages in different cities in 2024. Each of these mini-competitions has a prize fund of 35,000 euros, and a five-person jury will decide who goes to the grand final in Dubai in April 2025.