The program and personalities of next year’s Hannover International Violin Competition were presented in Hannover, Germany today. Young violinists world-wide are invited to submit applications for an invitation to Hannover in November 2000. This is the fourth edition of the Hannover Competition, which the Foundation of Lower Saxony presents with its partners: the Hannover Academy of Music and Theater Arts, the North German Broadcasting Corporation and the Lower Saxony State Theater of Hannover. The Competition is dedicated to Joseph Joachim. It is one of the world’s three largest competitions in its field.
»Our Foundation pursues two goals with the violin competition,« stressed Dr. Dominik von König, the Secretary General of the Foundation of Lower Saxony. »On the one hand, we want to encourage young musicians with support which extends beyond the calendar of the competition itself. On the other hand, it is important to us to demonstrate both to young musical talents and their international audiences that Hannover offers a splendid setting for top-level musical achievement.«
The Competition is distinguished by the scope of its support. In addition to prizes and scholarships for the six winners and the six scholarship-holders, the first prize winner is awarded two years of guidance by the Hans Ulrich Schmid concert agency, a CD contract with NAXOS and debut concerts world-wide. The artistic director of the Competition, Professor Krzysztof Wegrzyn, described its profile: »In the spirit of Joseph Joachim, we are looking for the well-rounded musical personality. This is one reason that all 40 competitors perform twice, on two different days, before the jury reaches a first judgement on their abilities. This is unique to competition procedure, and there is a certain degree of effort necessary on our part. But it is the right thing to do.« In these first performances, the young musicians present violin literature ranging from Bach to Beethoven and Paganini up to their own choices.
Wegrzyn presented the 2000 Competition's international jury, which contributes greatly to the quality and the world-wide reputation of the event. Violin virtuosos and teachers will be coming from eight countries to Hannover to listen to and evaluate the young violinists.
»This competition includes much of what makes sense when it comes to supporting young musicians,« stressed Linda Anne Engelhardt, the program director of the Foundation of Lower Saxony and executive director of the Competition. »People meet one another, networks grow, the audiences enjoy intensive exposure to the musicians and their music. The violinists themselves are both competitors and colleagues -- and in Hannover they gain important experience in dealing with both aspects.«
The violinist, composer and teacher Joseph Joachim (1831-1907), to whom the competition is dedicated, lived in Hannover from 1853 to 1868. He was Concert Director and solist to King George the Fifth. Joseph Joachim exemplified better than anyone in his generation what it meant to commit outstanding talent to the service of music.
The fourth Hannover International Violin Competition will take place from 5-18 November 2000. Application materials can be obtained from the Stiftung Niedersachsen, Ferdinandstraße 4, D-30175 Hannover, or at info@violin-competition.de. Information is also available at www.violin-competition.de on the internet.