The Hannover International Violin Competition 2000 will be opened at the Hannover Opera House in three days. The Opening Concert on Saturday, November 4th, will present Michiko Kamiya, the First Prize Winner of the 1997 Competition, playing with the Lower Saxony State Orchestra of Hannover conducted by Hans Urbanek. The program includes Franz Schubert's C-Major Symphony D 944 and Igor Strawinsky's »Concerto en ré pour violon et orchestre«.
The Foundation of Lower Saxony is presenting the Hannover International Violin Competition for the fourth time. »It is the competition's mission,« according to the Secretary General of the Foundation, Dr. Dominik von König, »to help young artists on their path to the world's concert halls and support their efforts, even beyond the dates of the competition.« The cash awards of over $60,000 make the competition one of the richest in its field.
On November 3rd, 40 young violin virtuosos of 18 nationalities will be registering at the competition office at the Hannover Academy of Music and Theater Arts. This year, eight violinists from Germany have been invited, and the field is characterized by the variety of nations represented: Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Korea, Latvia, New Zealand, the People's Republic of China, Poland, Rumania, Russian, Singapor, Switzerland, the Ukraine and the USA.
Most of the competitors have chosen to stay with families in and around Hannover. »We are very thankful to the host families. They give the young musicians such important emotional support,« says Linda Anne Engelhardt, the Executive Director of the Competition. »And above and beyond that, they are a terrific fan club at the concerts«.
On Saturday, November 4th, competitors will be drawing lots for the order of their performances on stage when the Hannover International Violin Competition 2000 begins at 5 p.m. on November 5th. The first two rounds of competition – at which all competitors are heard twice – take place at the Hannover Academy of Music and Theater Arts until November 10. The semifinals take place here from 12 to 14 November as well. For the finals, the competition traditionally changes venues, to the Lower Saxony Broadcasting Center of the Northern German Broadcasting Corporation at the Masch Lake in Hannover. On November 18th, the gala prize winners' concert takes place there.
A twelve-member jury listens to and evaluates the performances of the young artists. This body is made up of concert artists and teachers from around the globe. »For the jury, the program is always something of a marathon,« says the initiator and artistic director of the Competition, Professor Krzysztof Wegrzyn. »And this year, as before, we are looking forward to numerous splendid performances.«
The Hannover International Violin Competition is dedicated to Joseph Joachim, who was Orchestra Director at the royal court in Hannover from 1853 to 1866. He was also a composer; his Romanze op. 2, No. 1 is played traditionally by all competitors in the first round.
The competition extras in 2000 include a closer look at the art of violin-making. From November 5–15 the exhibition of »Violins Then and Now« is being shown at the Hannover Academy of Music and Theater Arts. Renata Koeckert is presenting 16 violins made by the old Italian and French masters. Professional and aspiring musicians can also play them, by appointment. The Hannover master violin-maker Christian Erichson will be presenting contemporary violins. He is also setting up a model workshop at the Academy. On November 15th, violins from both exhibitions will be presented in concert. The audience is invited to listen carefully and choose a »favorite«.
The Foundation of Lower Saxony presents the competition in association with three major musican institutions in the state capital: the Hannover Academy of Music and Theater Arts, the Lower Saxony State Orchestra of Hannover and the Northern German Broadcasting Corporation.
Tickets for the opening concert are available at the Opera House. Ticket sales have begun for the preliminary rounds and the semifinals at the Academy. The tickets for the finals and the gala concert are available at Laporte or the ticket shops in Hannover.
For further information, please consult www.violin-competition.de.