Percussion and composition
The 74th Geneva International Music Competition is dedicated to percussion and composition. From November 8 to 21, 34 young percussionists from around the world and three finalist composers will be vying for one of the prizes in the prestigious competition, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. As every year, a series of events and activities will take place alongside the two competitions, all of which are open to the public.
135 young musicians and composers aged 16 to 39 from 31 countries entered the 74th Geneva International Music Competition. Following an initial pre-selection round in the spring, 34 candidates aged 19 to 29 of 12 nationalities were selected to take part in the percussion rounds, and three composers were chosen for the final.
Both competitions will take place in Geneva from November 8 to 21 and are open to the public. The Composition final will be held on November 8 at the Studio Ernest Ansermet. The pieces for oboe and ensemble by the three finalists will be premiered by oboists Matthias Arter, Philippe Grauvogel and Ernest Rombout, accompanied by the Lemanic Modern Ensemble, conducted by Pierre Bleuse.
The Percussion Competition runs from November 11 to 18 at the Centre des Arts, culminating in a final on November 21 at Victoria Hall with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, conducted by Julien Leroy. With an explosive format combining performance, electronics and video, this competition promises to be a real spectacle for both eyes and ears.
Both finals will be broadcast via live video streaming on social networks, as well as on the Geneva International Music Competition and RTS Culture websites. They will also be broadcast live on Espace 2, the Geneva Competition's media partner.
Around the competition...
To celebrate this anniversary edition, the public is invited to attend two concert events. The first, Projet Gekipe with Philippe Spiesser and Ensemble Flashback, will combine music, video, electronics and scientific discovery (November 14 at the CERN Globe). The second, Eklekto plays Eklekto, will feature a retrospective concert combining new sound experiments and classical works with the Eklekto ensemble (November 20 at the Alhambra).
Once again this year, the Geneva Competition will be enriched by the many educational and outreach activities it offers. Indeed, young people play an important role at the heart of the Competition, which for many years has been committed to transmitting its values and raising awareness of the world of classical music among young people. As part of the Prix Jeune Public and Prix des Etudiants, local schoolchildren, as well as students from the University of Geneva and the Haute École de Musique, will have the opportunity to make their voices heard during the two finals.
Various educational workshops will be offered to students from the International School of Geneva, our partner school, which hosts several rounds of the Competition, as well as to pupils from local schools in Meyrin. Instrument presentations, dialogues with members of the Jury and candidates: these are all opportunities for students to experience the Geneva Competition from the inside.
A masterclass will be held from November 22 to 23 at the end of the Competition, in collaboration with the Hautes Écoles de Musique de Genève and Lausanne. This year, percussionists Daniel Druckmann, Aiyun Huang and Isao Nakamura, members of the Percussion Jury, will be giving advice to students from our schools, as well as to some of the Competition participants.
Winner support program
For the past fifteen years, the Geneva International Music Competition has pursued an ambitious policy of supporting its candidates as they embark on their musical careers. The program offers a range of activities including concerts, international tours, masterclasses and workshops, supported by professionals in the field.
