The 20th edition of the George Enescu International Competition, themed "In Pursuit of Excellence", will take place in Bucharest between August 23 and September 19, 2026, introducing several novelties, including a masterclass for young composers and semi-finals in a "play-conduct" format.
"The theme for this year's competition is 'In Pursuit of Excellence'. Because on this path, as in the past, the journey of preparing for the competition is what remains truly valuable in life. What stays with you is what you receive or discover during that preparation. And 'In Pursuit of Excellence' was, in fact, the way Enescu approached everything in his life, placing excellence at the forefront of all he did," Cristian Macelaru, artistic director of the George Enescu International Festival and Competition, said on Monday.
Macelaru announced that the 2026 edition will include a composition masterclass for young composers.
"One thing we are doing differently this year - last year we introduced a masterclass for the conducting section and for very young instrumentalists - is to expand this idea. We will have a masterclass for conducting and for all instruments, and this year we are adding a composition masterclass for young composers. We will collaborate with composers from the competition's composition section, who will stay in Bucharest for several days to work with the young participants, who will write 'in real time'. Their works will be rehearsed daily. I will be present, the composers will be present, and we will work with ensembles on adjustments. A composition must reach a final form, and for a young composer it is difficult to imagine something and put it on paper without revisions. They must learn the craft of composing, and this masterclass will help them do that," the conductor explained.
Another novelty is the introduction of the "play-conduct" format in the semi-finals of each section.
"The biggest novelty of this edition is that the semi-final of each section will be in a 'play-conduct' format, meaning each candidate will have a chamber orchestra at their disposal and will have to play and conduct their own performance - something increasingly common and already introduced in several international competitions," Macelaru said.
He added that organizers aim to match or even surpass the record of more than 660 entries registered in the 2024 edition.
"We continue to promote the competition in major professional publications. In 2024, we saw an unprecedented number of candidates from the United States. We collaborate with international journalists who follow the competition and report on each candidate's progress. We aim to consolidate and expand artistic events across the country through the Enescu Competition concert series and related events. We are broadening the initial concept of the competition to create events that offer a preview of what will come in 2027," Macelaru added.
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According to ARTEXIM, registrations for the 2026 George Enescu International Competition are open until May 10 for the piano, violin and cello sections, and until June 30 for the composition section, which is open to artists born after August 1, 1991.
The composition and conducting masterclasses are open to musicians born after August 1, 1991, while the instrumental masterclass is open to musicians born after August 1, 2001.
Bucharest will host four stages of the competition, with up to 50 competitors selected for each section. The first two stages will take place at the National University of Music, and the semi-finals and finals at the Romanian Athenaeum.
The opening concert on August 23 will feature the 2024 winners: Roman Lopatynskyi (piano), Yo Kitamura (cello) and Mayumi Kanagawa (violin), accompanied by the National Radio Orchestra conducted by Cristian Macelaru.
Macelaru will also conduct the final concert of the conducting masterclass, together with three participants selected to lead the Romanian Youth Orchestra.
During the competition, six symphonic concerts and six chamber recitals will be held at the Romanian Athenaeum by international artists, jury members and laureates of previous editions. The semi-finals of the cello, piano and violin sections will follow the "play-conduct" format, with the participation of the Radio Chamber Orchestra.
Three internationally acclaimed conductors will lead the finals of the instrumental sections: Case Scaglione, an American conductor known for the rigor and expressive power of his performances, will conduct the cello final with the National Radio Orchestra; Harry Ogg, one of the distinctive voices of the new British generation, will conduct the "George Enescu" Philharmonic Orchestra in the violin final; and Daniela Candillari, a conductor with a strong career in the United States, will conduct the piano final with the same orchestra.
The concert dedicated to the composition section will take place under the baton of Marin Alsop, one of the most influential and respected conductors on the international scene, renowned for her commitment to contemporary music and support for new generations of creators. Present for the first time in Romania, she will lead the National Radio Orchestra.
The prizes of the Enescu Competition - Romania's only competition that is a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions - amount to approximately 150,000 euros, with additional special prizes supported by private partners.
Organized for the first time in 1958 alongside the George Enescu International Festival, the competition is one of the most important international launching platforms for future world-class musicians. Since 2014, the George Enescu International Competition has become a distinct event from the Festival and is held every two years, alternating with the Festival years.
Since its first edition, the competition has launched numerous artists who later became leading names on the international stage and maintained a strong connection with Enescu's music and Romania: pianists Elisabeth Leonskaja, Ming-Qiang Li, Josu de Solaun; mezzo-soprano Agnes Baltsa; cellist Zlatomir Fung; violinists Erzhan Kulibaev and Nemanja Radulovic.
Outstanding Romanian soloists such as Radu Lupu, Valentin Gheorghiu, Dan Grigore, Silvia Marcovici, Ileana Cotrubas, Viorica Cortez, Dan Dediu, Alexandru Tomescu, Vlad Stanculeasa, Remus Azoitei, Anna Tifu, Stefan Tarara, Valentin Radutiu, Valentin Serban and Maria Marica are among the many who debuted as laureates of the George Enescu International Competition.
The competition, a cultural project financed by the Government of Romania through the Ministry of Culture and organized by ARTEXIM, is held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania.
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