After a few years’ gap, the Witold Lutosławski International Cello Competition is coming back to the calendar of the foremost musical events in Europe. Its forthcoming edition is organised by the National Institute of Music and Dance, and co-organised by its long-standing creator, the Foundation for the Promotion of Young Cellists.
The Competition is addressed to cellists who will not have reached the age of 30 on 1 May 2024.
The application form can be found under the following link: https://www.muvac.com/competition/national-institute-of-music-and-dance-zy8em371
The applications for the Competition should be submitted until 20 February 2024, and the list of the qualifiers will be announced in the middle of March.
This year’s edition should prove to be particularly attractive for both its programme and its main prizes in the total amount of 41500 euros. There will also be additional special prizes in the form of concert invitations from Polish and foreign institutions of music. One need also mention that for the first time in its history the Competition will be livestreamed online.
The performances of the participating musicians will take place from 1 to 11 May 2024 at the National Philharmonic Hall in Warsaw. They will be rounded off with an awards ceremony combined with a prize winners concert scheduled for 12 May 2024. The Jury panel will consist of distinguished professors and concert musicians from around the world headed by Prof. Krzysztof Jakowicz. The initiator of the Competition, Prof. Kazimierz Michalik, will act as the Honorary President of the Jury.
The history of the Witold Lutosławski International Cello Competition goes back to 1997. It is the first, and so far the only, competition whose programme featuring the cello works by Witold Lutosławski offering a unique opportunity to perform his Cello Concerto with orchestra in the final round. The programme also lets the participants choose from amongst the foremost and most representative works for cello composed in a wide range of styles from Baroque to contemporary music.
The Competition is financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland.