Applications Closing for International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition

Violinists under the age of 30 can apply to the competition until January 29, 2025

Founded in 1965, the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition takes place every five years and is open to violinists under the age of 30. The 2025 competition will take place from May 18 - 29, 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. The competition has in total three rounds — the first and second rounds will be played at the Sibelius Academy Concert Hall (Pohjoinen Rautatienkatu 9), and the final rounds at the Helsinki Music Centre Concert Hall.

Registration for the competition will close on January 29, 2025. Read more and apply here.

Chaired by conductor John Storgårds, the jury consists of violinist Elise Båtnes, violinist-conductor Jan Söderblom, violinist Jinjoo Cho, violinist Levon Chilingirian, violinist Liza Ferschtman, violin professor Réka Szilvay and violinist Sung-Ju Lee.

The final rounds will be played with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Pekka Kuusisto and the Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk.

In the final rounds, participants will now play the Sibelius Violin Concerto, and one of four pre-selected concertos composed between 1994 and 2015 by Unsuk Chin, Oliver Knussen, Magnus Lindberg, or Kaija Saariaho.

Contemporary music will also be heard in the semi-finals of the competition, where the mandatory piece is a work commissioned from Outi Tarkiainen by the Sibelius Violin Competition.

“In many major competitions, the final programme is very traditional. The most recent composers are often Stravinsky or Bartók,” says Storgårds. “This competition is an excellent opportunity to turn this new page. It is also a good message from Finland to the world of music!”