• Fifty two violinists compete in Wieniawski Competition
  • 07.05.2011
Seventeen Polish hopefuls are among the fifty two young violinists who will take part in the 14th Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition which opens in Poznań on 8 October.


Presenting the list of entrants at a press conference in Poznań, the director of the competition, Andrzej Wituski, said that they represent 20 countries of Europe, South America, Asia as well as the United States.

They have been selected by the chairman of the competition jury Maxim Vengerov, who had listened to 111 candidates during the preliminary auditions in Bergamo, London, Quebec, Seoul, Yokohama, Moscow, Baku, Brussels and Poznań and to DVD recordings submitted by 12 violinists.

One of the world’s finest virtuosos, Vengerov is a Professor at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

The winner of the Wieniawski Competition will receive the Gold Medal and a cash prize of 30, 000 euros.

Born in 1835, Henryk Wieniawski was among the greatest violin virtuosos and composers of the 19th century. He was admitted to the Paris Conservatory at the age of eight and four years later completed the course, winning the gold medal with distinction.

He performed in the most prestigious venues in Europe, provoking admiration and enthusiasm.

After a twelve-year-long stint as court violinist to Tsar Alexander II, interrupted by numerous concerts in Europe and Russia, he went on an extended tour of the United States, which confirmed his fame and reputation.

His compositional output includes two violin concertos, the Legend, and numerous pieces employing the motifs of Polish dances, the polonaise and the kujawiak. He died in 1880 at the age of 45. (mk)