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| Mendelssohn Competition | |
|---|---|
| Name | Mendelssohn Competition |
| Awarded for | Excellence in piano and chamber performance |
Mendelssohn Competition The Mendelssohn Competition is an international competition for piano and chamber music performers established to honor the musical legacy of Felix Mendelssohn. Founded with influence from institutions such as the Royal Academy of Music, the Conservatoire de Paris, and the Juilliard School, the contest rapidly became associated with prominent venues like Gewandhaus, Carnegie Hall, and Royal Albert Hall and with cultural bodies including the British Council, the Deutsche Grammophon Gesellschaft, and the European Cultural Foundation.
The competition traces precedents to salons of Fanny Mendelssohn and concert traditions of Jakob Ludwig Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s era, intersecting with events like the Great Exhibition and institutions such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the Leipzig Conservatory. Early patrons included members of the Mendelssohn family, benefactors from the Baring family, and civic supporters akin to those of the Royal Philharmonic Society and the New York Philharmonic. Over decades the competition absorbed formats influenced by the Chopin Competition, the Tchaikovsky Competition, the Queen Elisabeth Competition, and the Busoni Competition, while collaborating with broadcasters like the BBC and Deutsche Welle and recording houses such as EMI Classics and Sony Classical.
Entrants typically include soloists and chamber ensembles affiliated with conservatories like Peabody Institute, Curtis Institute of Music, Hochschule für Musik und Theater München, and Moscow Conservatory. Eligibility has mirrored that of the Leeds International Piano Competition and the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, often limiting applicants by age and nationality similar to policies used by Tromsø International Chamber Music Competition and the ARD International Music Competition. Rounds are administered in partnership with festivals such as the Aix-en-Provence Festival and the Salzburg Festival, and with orchestras including the London Symphony Orchestra and the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra.
The repertoire emphasizes works by Felix Mendelssohn, alongside standards by Ludwig van Beethoven, Johann Sebastian Bach, Frédéric Chopin, Franz Schubert, and Robert Schumann, and modern pieces by Sergei Rachmaninoff, Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, and Béla Bartók. Rounds commonly mirror the structure used by the International Tchaikovsky Competition and the Cliburn, featuring solo recitals, chamber collaboration akin to the Schubert Competition, and concerto performances with orchestras such as the Cleveland Orchestra and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Commissioned contemporary works have included composers connected to Elliott Carter, Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, and Hans Werner Henze.
The jury historically comprises professors and performers from institutions like the Royal College of Music, Moscow State Conservatory, and Conservatorio di Milano, and has featured figures associated with Mstislav Rostropovich, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Alfred Brendel, Martha Argerich, Yefim Bronfman, András Schiff, Lang Lang, Evgeny Kissin, Leif Ove Andsnes, Maurizio Pollini, Maria João Pires, and Christoph Eschenbach. Administrative oversight often involves partnerships with cultural ministries comparable to the Ministry of Culture (France) and foundations such as the Paul Sacher Foundation and the Rosenwald Foundation.
Prizes have included concert engagements at venues like Wigmore Hall, Berlin Staatsoper, and Lincoln Center, recording contracts with Decca Records and Warner Classics, and residencies with ensembles like the Guarneri Quartet or orchestras such as the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Laureates have proceeded to win or appear at the Grammy Awards, the Echo Klassik awards, the BBC Music Magazine Awards, and have held posts at conservatories including the Yale School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. Sponsorship models mirror those used by the Kulturstiftung des Bundes and corporate patrons similar to Rolex and BMW.
Winners and laureates have formed a network alongside alumni of the Tchaikovsky Competition, Chopin Competition, and Queen Elisabeth Competition; notable names have performed with conductors like Simon Rattle, Gustavo Dudamel, Herbert von Karajan, Riccardo Muti, Zubin Mehta, and Sir Colin Davis and collaborated with soloists such as Anne-Sophie Mutter, Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, Pinchas Zukerman, and Isaac Stern. Many laureates embarked on recording careers with labels including Harmonia Mundi, Philips Classics, and Naxos Records, and took academic roles at institutions like Indiana University Jacobs School of Music and Royal Northern College of Music.
Administratively the competition is organized by a board similar to those of the Lincoln Center and the Carnegie Corporation and coordinated with agencies like the UNESCO cultural sectors and the European Broadcasting Union. Major sponsors have included foundations similar to the Graham Foundation, corporate partners reminiscent of Deutsche Bank, and philanthropic trusts akin to the Gates Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation. Media partners have ranged from BBC Radio 3 to Arte, and logistics have involved venue management comparable to Southbank Centre and touring networks like those of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Category:Classical music competitions